Awesome Pea and White Bean Dip! May 31, 2012

 

I know what you are thinking, peas and white beans??? That CANNOT taste good! I know, I was skeptical at first too. Trust me it is delicious! In fact, I have made this dip three times in the last two weeks and have been devouring it almost every single day, it is that good!

 

Reminiscent in color and taste to guacamole, this dip has hints of lemon, lots of yummy cumin, and unlike the creamy avocado counterpart, it has no fat. Do not get me wrong, I love me some guacamole! But it is nice sometimes to have an alternative that you can feel a tad less guilty about when you devour half of it in one sitting!

 

For this dip I really like using raw peas (I buy the shelled raw peas from Trader Joe’s) but frozen peas would work just fine too. Also, I keep this recipe pretty simple, but like guacamole, there are a million ways you can vary it and make it your own. I have added diced tomato and red onion, you could add some jalapenos to spice it up, and it would probably be good with a summery twist by adding mango, pineapple, or strawberries!

 

Enjoy!

 

Awesome Pea and White Bean Dip

by Katie Barlow

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

 

Ingredients (about 5 cups)

• 10 oz fresh or frozen peas
• 1 can white cannellini beans
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place everything into a food processor and pulse until finely ground.

Place in an airtight container and store the dip in the fridge.

Enjoy with your favorite veggies, chips, crackers, etc!

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Rainbow “Pasta” with an Almond Tumeric Sauce October 6, 2011

This dish was inspired by a dish I had at the Loving Hut in Palo Alto last weekend. They have this raw fettuccini dish that is killer! Here is the description from the website:

 

A raw celery root fettuccine with collard greens,
carrot, tomato, beet, cucumber, bell pepper, pistachio
and almond, in a rich n’ creamy almond sauce

 

So I really wanted to recreate it and let me tell you, this tastes NOTHING like it! It is still good though. Mostly, I just liked the idea of using a bunch of different veggies in a “pasta” shape with a creamy and nutty dressing. For mine I just used veggies I had on hand: Kale, butternut squash, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Celery Root, Kohlrabi, Collard Greens, beets, would all be great to use as “noodles.”

 

 

As for the sauce, I decided to make an almond turmeric sauce. Turmeric has a compound in it called curcumin which has many health properties including anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. When combined with black pepper the bio-availability of curcumin increases dramatically making it much more potent as a healing agent.

 

I made a very simple sauce with almond butter, soy sauce, black pepper, raw honey, lime, and turmeric. It was yummy but I will be honest, I think I liked the sauce that Loving Hut used better. I added water to my sauce as well to thin it out and felt it was too watery so the recipe below does not include water. If you find the sauce too thick add water a tablespoon at a time to thin it out.

 

 

I added tempeh that I lightly seared in coconut oil to my salad. It was healthy, light yet filling, and tasty! Enjoy the recipe!

 

Raw Rainbow Pasta with Almond Turmeric Sauce

Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Raw

 

Makes 1 Serving

 

two handfuls of chopped kale

1 bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips

1 cup raw butternut squash, spiralized

1 cup raw zucchini, spiralized

 

2 tablespoons almond butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon raw honey (or agave)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic

 

1. Layer the veggies in a large bowl.

2. Blend the almond butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey (or agave), turmeric, pepper, and garlic in a blender until smooth.

3. Pour sauce over veggies. Mix. Enjoy!

Asian Cabbage Salad with Outrageous miso Dressing! September 21, 2011

 

Yum! The dressing on this salad is so so good, I could drink it! I have used this dressing on many different types of salad but I think my favorite is this simple cabbage salad. For some reason the crunchiness of the cabbage lends itself nicely to this dressing. They just go well together. I like to make a big batch of this salad so that I have leftovers for later because cabbage holds up nicely and this salad lasts well in the fridge for a couple of days!

 

This is a great salad to have as a side to your meal. If you want to make a meal out of this salad, add some baked tofu or tempeh, edamame, and maybe some soba noodles to make it more filling. Cucumber would also taste great in this salad!

 

The recipe for the dressing below makes a huge batch. Enough for the salad with plenty left over to use in other salads and dishes. Trust me, when you try it you will be glad you have extra!

 

Enjoy!

 

Asian Cabbage Salad with Outrageous Miso Dressing

Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Raw

 

Makes about 4 servings

 

For the Dressing:

¼ cup miso

½ cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon agave

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/2 cup olive oil

 

1. Place the miso, rice vinegar, agave, ginger, and soy sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.

2. With the blender on low, slowly drizzle in the sesame oil and olive oil to create an emulsion. Transfer dressing to a container and set aside.

 

For the Salad:

1/2 head of purple cabbage, core removed and sliced into thin strips

1 large bell pepper, core and seeds removed and sliced into thin strips

1/4 cup hemp seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

 

1. Place everything in a large bowl and toss to mix.

2. Add desired amount of dressing (I probably use about a third of it) and toss to coat. Serve immediately or marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Creamy Oil Free Pesto! September 17, 2011

 

Mmmm…. Pesto! Definitely one of my favorite sauces to use on pasta, besides this vegan cheese sauce! One thing I do not like about pesto, however, is all the oil you have to use for the sauce. So I decided to just leave out the oil and replace it with extra nuts and water, just to see what it would taste like. Well, it was delicious! The flavors are a little more subtle, and the lemon is more pronounced than traditional pesto sauce, but it is also creamier than traditional basil sauce and so much healthier! I will never use oil in my pesto again!

 

Creamy Oil Free Pesto

Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Raw

 

Makes enough sauce for one pound of pasta

 

1/3 cup raw pine nuts

1/3 cup raw hemp seeds

Juice from two lemons

Large handful or two of basil (I prefer two, but I really like a strong basil taste!)

small handful of mint (optional)

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon balsalmic vinegar

2/3 cup water

 

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Use on your favorite pasta or as a dressing on a salad. If you want to use it as a spread for sandwiches or wraps reduce the amount of water. Start with 1/3 cup of water and add 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

 

Note: This sauce works best when blended in a high-speed blender such as a vitamix. If you use a regular blender it will probably not be as creamy but it will still taste good!

Another Note: The lemon is really strong in this sauce. I really enjoy it but if want a less lemony tasting sauce just use the juice from one lemon.

Tahini Tempeh Stir fry- So Good You Will Want to Lick Your Plate! September 2, 2011

 

This inspiration for todays recipe comes from this recipe over at the Choosing Raw blog. If you have not had a chance to check out Gena’s blog, I highly recommend it! It is one of my favorite blogs out there.

 

This recipe is so good in so many ways. It is delicious, filling, satisfying, and in my opinion, it is the perfect comfort food. I was so happy with how this recipe came together and cannot wait to make it again. Thank you Gena for the inspiration! My husband, who is not a big fan of tempeh, or tahini, thought this dish was just ok, but I LOVED it!

 

 

 

The sauce in and of itself is delicious and would be so good in other dishes. You can use it as a salad dressing, as a dip or spread for your favorite sandwich or wrap, or drizzle it over your favorite veggie/grain combo for a hearty and satisfying yet healthy meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, in terms of the stir-fry, you can easily add different veggies, sub tofu for the tempeh or omit the tempeh and add a grain of your choice. That is the great thing about cooking, recipes are so endlessly versatile!

 

 

 

 

Tempeh Tahini Stir-Fry

Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

 

Makes Two Hearty Meal Servings or Serves Four as a Side

 

1/3 cup tahini

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons miso (I used Miso Master Chickpea Miso)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 package tempeh (I use Trader Joe’s Brand), cubed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 can low sodium chickpeas or 2 cups cooked chickpeas

2 bell peppers, deseeded and chopped

 

1. To make the sauce, add the tahini, garlic, parsley, water, lemon juice, miso, and red pepper flakes to a blender and blend until completely mixed and smooth. Set aside.

2. Heat a pan over high heat and add the coconut oil. Once the pan is heated add the tempeh and sauté until browned.

3. Remove the tempeh to a plate and set aside, add the bell peppers and sauté until soft and beginning to brown (I like mine a little burnt on the outside so I do this on very high).

4. Once the bell peppers are cooked add the chickpeas and cook until heated through, then add the tempeh back into the pan.

5. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into the pan and stir until everything is well coated.

6. Serve immediately with your favorite salad or on top of a huge bed of greens!

Zucchini Hummus and How to Add More Raw Foods into Your Diet September 1, 2011

 

Quick post today. The hubby is off playing cards with some friends and the baby is asleep so I want to relax, enjoy my night, and watch some Grey’s Anatomy! I want to give you a few tips for increasing the amount of raw foods you incorporate into your diet and then I will leave you with a recipe for Zucchini Hummus, a classic way to “hide” raw veggies in a cooked dish.

 

1. Just add lettuce! Weather it is pasta, a stew, a casserole, or whatever you are having for dinner, put it on top of a giant heaping plate of lettuce. You can use romaine, mixed greens, kale, whatever you feel like!

 

2. Eat more fruit! Fruit is so good for you because it is packed with vitamins and minerals! For a snack, instead of grabbing a protein bar or whatever you would normally have, grab a handful of almonds and an apple, or half of a melon. For breakfast, whip up a smoothie or have some fruit cereal!

 

3. Eat more veggies! Use your favorite dip such as hummus, vegan ranch, pesto, vegan raw cashew cheese, baba ganoush, yummy eggplant pate and cut up carrots, celery, cucumber, red bell pepper. Prep and cut a bunch of veggies to keep in your fridge so you can just grab them when your hungry instead of reaching for the pita bread, pretzels, or chips.

 

4. When making a dish, instead of cooking the vegetables, try using them raw. Chopped up raw onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, and cucumber are really good in almost anything, especially when tossed a bit of lemon juice, olive oil, and your favorite seasoning. Sun-dried tomatoes and olives are also super yummy in almost everything!

 

5. And finally, try hiding raw vegetables in things. For instance, in my zucchini hummus, I used half the chickpeas I normally use and added a large raw zucchini.

 

What are your tips and tricks for adding more raw foods into your diet?

 

Zucchini Hummus

Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, High-Raw

 

Makes about 3-4 cups

 

1 can low sodium chickpeas or 2 cups cooked dried chickpeas

1 large zucchini, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup water plus more if needed

 

1. Add all ingredients to your high speed blender or your food processor. Start with 1/4 cup water.

2. Blend or Process until smooth. If it is too thick add more water until the hummus reaches desired consistency.

3. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.

4. Store in an airtight container and enjoy with your favorite raw veggies or raw crackers!

Yummy Eggplant Pate August 24, 2011

I absolutely love eggplant, but only if it is cooked right. Most of the time you have to chop it, salt it, let it sit for 30 minutes to draw out the juice, then cook it. Baking it or slow cooking it yields the best flavor. It is, in my opinion, one of the few vegetables that actually tastes better the longer it is cooked. Sometimes, though, I just do not have the time for all the prep work. Sometimes, I just want to make something easy that still tastes good.

 

Enter this Yummy Eggplant Pate! Just bake it and blend it with the other ingredients! The best part about this recipe is that you can vary the flavor by changing the spices you use. I tend to stick with Indian spices such as garam masala, cumin, curry powder, and tandoori spices, but almost any flavoring would be really good with this.

 

Yummy Eggplant Pate

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

 

1 eggplant

1/4 cup tahini

Juice from 1 lemon

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon high mineral salt

1 tablespoon seasoning/spice of choice (garam masala, cumin, curry, tandoori spice are all great choices but be creative!)

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional but gives it a great smoky flavor!)

 

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the top off the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise. Place both halves cut side up on a baking sheet.

2. Bake the eggplant for 1 hour, remove from oven, and cool to room temperature.

3. Add eggplant (including skin!) and remaining ingredients into a food processor and process until creamy.

4. Enjoy immediately or allow the flavors to meld by refrigerating 30min to overnight. Enjoy with crackers, veggies, raw crackers, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

On a side note. I bottled my first batch of homemade Kombucha! I made it ginger flavor! I’m so excited to try it! And the black dispenser to the right of the bottle is my Kombucha maker! I now have a continuous supply of Kombucha brewing in my house. Yay. For those of you who don’t know what Kombucha is I will be writing a post about it in the near future. For now, Google it! It will change your life!