Raw Corn Chowder

I always love making raw soups because they are super fast and almost always come out deeelish. Plus blended foods are so good for you! When it comes to summer one of my favorite treats is fresh corn, there is just nothing like it! This soup was so flavorful and had the most gorgeous color from the cumin and corn combo.

corn soup

Raw Corn Chowder

Around 3 Servings

1 cup fresh corn kernels + 1/4 cup corn kernels, separate
1 clove garlic
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup cashews
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lecithin or psyllium (optional to make the soup thicker)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
Ground pepper to taste
2 cups water

  1. Combine all the ingredients except the separate 1/4 cup of corn in a blender until smooth.
  2. Place the whole corn kernels in a bowl and pour soup over.
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy 🙂

Soy-Marinated Chicken Breast with Watercress-Pasta Salad and Mango-Lime Purée

I thought this dish was so pretty with all the bright colors. Plus I loved throwing super good for you watercress into a pasta dish. Perfect! The pasta dish is also completely vegetarian and could be an entree on its own. I separated the recipe out on the bottom to make the vegetarian pasta dish.

mango chicken

Soy-Marinated Chicken Breast with Watercress-Pasta Salad and Mango-Lime Purée
Recipe from SELF  July 2000

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp chili paste
4 scallions, chopped, green and white parts kept separate
1/4 cup red wine
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boneless chicken breast halves (1 lb)
8 oz linguine
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp canola oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
3 bunches watercress
2 mangoes, cubed
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. For marinade, combine soy sauce, chili paste, scallion whites, red wine, garlic, ginger, and black pepper in a bowl. Add chicken and let marinate.
  3. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; drain.
  4. For dressing, whisk together mustard, vinegar, sesame oil, and 2 tbsp canola oil.
  5. Toss pasta, red pepper, watercress and all but 2 tbsp scallion greens with dressing.
  6. In a blender, puree mangoes, lime juice, and remaining 1 tbsp canola oil.
  7. Coat broiler pan with cooking spray and add chicken in a single layer. Broil 6 to 7 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Cut breasts diagonally in half.
  8. On each plate, place 1/4 pasta and 2 pieces chicken. Drizzle with mango puree and garnish with remaining scallion greens.

noodles

Watercress-Pasta Salad (vegetarian pasta dish recipe)

4 scallions, chopped, just green ends
8 oz linguine
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp canola oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
3 bunches watercress

  • Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; drain.
  • For dressing, whisk together mustard, vinegar, sesame oil, and 2 tbsp canola oil.
  • Toss pasta, red pepper, watercress and all but 2 tbsp scallion greens with dressing.
  • Garnish with rest of scallions and serve

Kale Chips

I love Kale Chips!! You can make them with so many flavors or keep it very simple. There are tons of recipes out there. I prefer these simpler chips. They are gone so quick normally there is no time for a picture. But I made sure this time to take some 🙂 If you do not have a dehydrator I would suggest making these with the oven door ajar or if you want a quick vegetarian (non-raw) snack put the oven up to 350 degrees and bake these for 8-10 minutes. I am sure that would be divine too! This recipe is such a great alternative to any other kind of chips. They are crunchy, a little oily and salty; sooo super good! I have a tendency to check the dehydrator to see if they are done and munching the whole time! They are so good! I also like to use namu shoyu instead of salt because it brings more liquid into the kale rather than having to rely solely on the oil. The nutritional yeast bring such a good and cheesy flavor. So great! Make more than one batch if possible because these go QUICK!!

bowl of kale chips

Kale Chips

1 head of kale, stems removed and torn in pieces
1/4 cup of namu shoyu
2-3 tablespoons of oil (grape seed, canola, olive)
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast

Place the kale in a big bowl and then pour the rest of the ingredients in. (I normally just drizzle over, so the measurements are approximate) With your hands massage all the ingredients together making sure it is well combined and all the kale looks a little wet and nicely coated. Divide in half and place on 2 dehydrator mesh sheets. Dehydrate till crunchy, from 6-10 hours.

before kale
Pre-dehydrator Kale on the mesh sheet

after kale

 Post-dehydrator kale (with a few pieces missing from munching!!)

Flatbread Pizza with hummus, green olives, cherry tomatoes and za’atar

This was soooo good! I made the complete recipe for the crust and halved the rest as I knew there was never anyway we would eat all of this deliciousness. But I figured we could use the crusts for other recipes as they are very versatile. I love everything Pure Food and Wine and can’t wait to check out Sarma’s new cookbook, Living Raw Food! But this is recipe is from Raw Food Real World. All their recipes are pretty complicated but I am guessing that 99% of them are amazing! Due to the complexity level and the gourmet heaviness of some of the foods they are not everyday recipes for us. But when we make them we sure love them! I could see this dish being served at a fancy Middle Eastern restaurant or you can make them bit sized and serve them as hor o’dourves!!!! How fun!! So deeelish! I loved the use of Za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend of sumac, sesame seeds and the wild Syrian hyssop plant) in this recipe. I had bought some the last time I was in Israel and this was the first time I got to break it out and use it. Ahhhh… 🙂 The crusts were delicious and the hummus was the best raw hummus I have ever had! Such a great recipe! You could always break this recipe down and use just one component when you need it.

Flatbread Pizza with hummus, green olives, cherry tomatoes and za’atar

 pizza close-up

pizza crust on dehydrator sheet

The crust still on the dehyrdrator sheet

For the crusts:
5 cups walnuts, soaked 1 hour or more (I soaked them overnight – when soaking nuts, make sure to rinse well after)
5 cups cubed yellow squash or zucchini
3/4 cup golden flaxseed, finely ground (1 cup ground)
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/4 to 1/2 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon sea salt

1. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor to chop into tiny pieces (like couscous), but not completely smooth. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl. Add the squash to the same food processor bowl and grind into tiny pieces, but again not completely smooth. Transfer the squash to the bowl with the walnuts. Add the flaxseed, hemp seeds, salt and about 1/4 cup of water, stirring to combine. Add more water until a sticky dough forms – like wet muffin batter. You may need more or less water.

2. Divide the batter between four 14-inch Teflex lined dehydrator trays. Using an offset spatula spread the dough to the edges of the trays. The dough can be a bit gummy and sticky, so it helps to dip the spatula in water as you spread the dough (the excess water will all evaporate in the dehydrator)

3. Dehydrate the flatbread at 115 degrees for 6-8 hours, pr overnight. When the tops are dry, flip over and peel away the Teflex liners. Dehydrate on screens for another 2-4 hours.

4. Once both sides are dry, slide the flatbread onto a large cutting board. With a large chef’s knife, cut into 3×5 rectangles (or whatever size and shape you want). Place them back in the dehydrator trays and dehydrate for another hour or more, as necessary for firm crusts.

hummus

For the hummus:
4 cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours or more (when I woke up I starting soaking them, so around 8 hours)
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 small cloves garlic
1/4 cup sesame tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt
Up to one cup filtered water

In a food processor, add the nuts, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and salt and process, adding water 1/4 cup at a time until you get the smooth, fluffy consistency of hummus. You may need to add more water, or you may want to add olive oil for a richer hummus – just make sure it has enough stiffness so it will hold the topping on the pizza without running off the sides of the crust

olive tapenade

For Green Olive Tapenade: (You only need a half cup for recipe, so reduce if you want, or make the entire batch to have on hand.)
makes 3 1/2 cups

3 cups putted green olives
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small handful of parsley (optional) (I used the parsley. I think it added a nice texture and color)
freshly ground pepper

1. Process the olives in a food processor. With the motor running, add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add the parsley (if using) and process to combine. Season with pepper to taste

2. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Will keep up to 1-2 weeks.

For serving:
1 pint cherry, teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 of a large bulb of fennel or 1/2 of a small bulb, shaved very thin on a mandolin
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup Green olive Tapenade
1/2 cup Green olives, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning
fennel fronds for garnish

Spread each crust with hummus and top with tomatoes, fennel, cucumber, olive tapenade and olives. Sprinkle with za’atar and top with fennel fronds

pizzas

za'atar from Israel
My Za’atar from Israel

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Although I eat primarily raw I still enjoy a fabulous home-cooked vegan meal every now and then. This is one that I made sure to partake in and I was so glad I did! I can’t say I have ever had a ‘real’ sloppy joe, but so far I have never met a vegan one that I didn’t love! This was so comforting and warm and most importantly yummy!! You can serve it on buns for a more authentic take, but I didn’t want all that bread and the wraps really did the job. This dish was surprisingly super quick and easy in the kitchen 🙂 Enjoy!

open toritllas

Vegan Sloppy Joes

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
16 ounces of veggie soy crumbles (I used Morningstar)
6-8 ounces of tomato paste
1/4-1/2 cup water
2 heaping Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 onion, chopped
2 roma tomatoes or 1 large tomato, chopped
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Chili Powder
2 Tbsp. organic ketchup
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Salt and Pepper, to taste
buns or tortillas

  1.  Heat olive oil in a (non teflon) saucepan and add the soy crumbles to let brown. Stir for 2 minutes to prevent burning.
  2. Add the brown sugar and tomato paste and mix well, adding water to bring to thick but smooth consistency.
  3. Mix in the mustard, onion, and tomatoes.
  4. Once well combined add the oregano and chili powder, ketchup and rice vinegar and stir.
  5. Season with the salt and pepper.
  6. Serve on toasted sandwich buns or in heatede tortillas.

open toritillas 2sloppy joe's on the stove

Superfood Smoothie

We normally make smoothies in lieu of our usual Green Juices once or twice a week. They are so yummy and such a great treat! We make so many different variations but here is our most recent one. I never measure the ingredients when I put them in the Vita-mix, so below are approximates.

superfood smoothie

Superfood Smoothie
3/4 cup Blueberries
4 ounces Acai puree
1/2 cup Cherries
3/4 cup Mango
3 stalks of rainbow chard, with the stems removed
2 heaping tablespoons Synergy Green Powder
1 teaspoon Maca
3/4 teaspoon Crystal Manna Blue green algae
1 tablespoon Lucuma powder
1 tablespoon Mesquite powder
1/4 cup Chia pudding
1 cup Coconut milk
1/2 cup water

Animal fats linked to pancreatic cancer: Study

We all know that there are dangers of eating meat and many people shrug it off. But sometimes it is good to read about the facts and studies that are being done.

Animal fats linked to pancreatic cancer: Study

Researchers have linked high intake of fat from red meat and dairy products with increased risk of pancreatic cancer, in a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Read More Here.

Fresh Summer Bruschetta Pasta

pasta

This was the perfect mix of a meal for Michael and me. I was able to have the raw super fresh bruschetta-like sauce as a salad for dinner and Michael loved it all together with the pasta and the cheese. What a great and simple summer dinner! It also doubled as a fabulous cold lunch in the park over the weekend.  You could also just make the bruschetta to top bread or eat as a salad or side. So yummy!

  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound dried orecchiette or another pasta (I love orecchiette pasta! It means little ears in Italian 🙂 )
  • 3/4 cup bucheron, goat or fresh ricotta cheese
    1. Combine all ingredients (except pasta and ricotta) in a large bowl. Set aside and stir occasionally.
    2. Cook the pasta according to direction, but do not forget to add salt to the water. This is the only time you will have to salt the pasta.
    3. Drain pasta and toss with tomato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with the cheese placed on top.

tomatoes

Private Yoga Session goodness

The first half of this year I had the pleasure to be involved with Community Impact at Columbia University as the Event Specialist for their 17th Annual Spring Benefit Auction in April. One of the fabulous items we were auctioning off was 2 private yoga sessions with Geoffrey DeVaul of Vira Yoga in Soho. Of course I wanted them 🙂 My wonderful husband totally surprised me by winning the bid and giving me the present on my birthday the following week! (He totally played it as if he was outbid only to surprise me later on!!) Best present ever!! Last night was the first of my sessions and it was amazing!!! We were up on a private roof deck with a gorgeous view of midtown and the weather could not have been more perfect! It was a beautiful night focused on strengthening my practice and all while being outside in the glorious sun and feeling the breeze. So amazing!!!

If you are interested in visiting the studio or taking a group or private class: Vera Yoga is located at 580 Broadway (between Prince and Houston) Suite 205 NYC 212-334-9960

Raw Veggie Burger

after close-up

Post-dehydrator Veggie Burger

These were really good and pretty easy. I always love being able to put food in the dehydrator at night and it is ready in the morning. I put them in the fridge in the morning and took them out before yoga to warm them back up for 2 hours (in the dehydrator) while I was at class. Perfect! We ate these alongside and on top of salads. Deelish! I would recommend doubling the recipe if you want more leftovers as these will stay for a while in the fridge. You could also not dehyradrate the batter and eat as a pate 🙂

Raw Veggie Burger
recipe makes around 7-8 patties

1 rib celery, chopped
1 summer squash, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
15  raw black olives, pitted
1 cup sunflower seeds, ground
1/4 cup flax seeds, ground
1/4  cup whole sesame seeds
2 T dehydrated onion flakes
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
optional 1 tsp agave
  1. Process everything in a food processor until smooth.
  2. Form them into rounds in your hands and place them on Teflex sheets.
  3. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4 hours and transfer them to mesh sheets (peeling off the teflex).
  4. Dehydrate for 2-6 hours more depending on how chewy you want them. Enjoy!
before pic

Pre-dehydrator on the Teflex sheets
after pic

Post-dehydrator Veggie Burgers - sorry for the dark picture

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