Friday 31 August 2012

garden kale salad

we have so much kale in our garden.


this is not a problem though, i could eat it all day... and i do. i use it in smoothies, wraps, kale chips, soups, and salads! mainly in smoothies though. so yesterday i figured i make it into a salad instead of the usual green smoothie. oh wait - i had a green smoothie for breakfast.

but still.

dino kale is a bit bitter and tough for regular salad greens so what you do to make it all nice, soft and flavourful is massage your dressing in and let it sit for a few minutes. i did that while i cut up my other salad ingredients. they included: THE BEST TOMATOES EVER, grown on our deck. i also added some bell pepper, beans, and gardein because well... i like the taste. my dad thought i had put real chicken in the salad for a second. hah.

garlic kale salad: serves one

salad:
1 large organic tomato
4-5 cups organic dino kale
1 organic bell pepper
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (or throw in some nuts to keep it raw)
1 serving of tempeh or gardein (optional) 
handful of raisins

dressing:
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon mustard
2 dates
handful of walnuts
3 peeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tamari
water, as needed 

chop the veggies and kale, set aside. to make the dressing blend all ingredients until smooth. i hope you like it! then massage the dressing into the kale and let it rest for a 5-10 minutes, getting soft. put the tomato, pepper, raisins, chickpeas/nuts and protein on top and enjoy!

Thursday 30 August 2012

raw blueberry tarts

the crust of these tastes like raisin butter tarts. holy moly. yet another dangerously delicious recipe...


these were originally going to be one giant raw blueberry pie, complete with a lattice top crust.

why pie? well, first of all - why not. but also because i just got home from an 8-day motorcycle trip with my dad across the cascade mountain range through canada and northern america. along the way i was able to get vegan food everywhere and it was all delicious; but sadly i could never get a slice of homemade, local, fresh, wild berry pie at any of the adorable diners we stopped at! apparently they like butter in small towns.

so i decided to make a raw blueberry as soon as i got home. we have tons of amazing blueberry bushes in our front yard and they make up a large chunk of my diet in the summer. mmm...


i'll be posting about my motorcycle adventure tomorrow, in case you're interested. in the meantime, make these tarts (or make it into one big pie) and enjoy summer before it winds down! i'll also be posting a recipe for a KILLER KALE SALAD. i had it for lunch. man, was it good. 

for one lovely afternoon: i suggest doing some yoga or meditation with this music, creating a kale salad with garden veggies, and finally making these tarts. following that, maybe have a glass of wine with your loved one and watching a movie? whatever floats your boat. it's your day.


mini blueberry tarts: makes about 5

crust:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt

filling:
4 cups organic blueberries
4 tablespoons agave/maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 

for the crust, process the nuts into a rough flour in your food processor, it might get kind of like a really thick nut butter (mine did). then add the dates, raisins and salt. process until it all sticks together. i couldn't stop EATING THIS. quickly press the crust into lined cupcake tins before you devour it all. put in the fridge.

to make the filling, mix the sweetener and cinnamon gently into the blueberries. you could add some vanilla and salt here if you want. then fill the tarts with the blueberries and voila! 


health is simple, health is delicious, health is beautiful!

Tuesday 21 August 2012

garden life


i adore our yard. it consistently provides us with such a bounty of sun-grown nutrition, colour and love. if everyone had their own garden, the world would probably be a more peaceful and understanding environment! good vibrations, maaaaaaan.


my dad got a new barbeque this summer (it's huge) and we've been taking full advantage of it. the weather has also been great so at least once a week we harvest a bunch of veggies from the garden and grill them with herbs. the rest of the produce we get from the farmer's market.


and for dessert? fruit. we've got goji berries, strawberries, blueberries, and figs - all that satisfy my sweet tooth as naturally as you possibly can. i seriously implore you to grow some of your own food; even just a few basil plants or some kale will do to get you into the mindset of having harmony and a symbiotic relationship with mother nature.

that's all for today! keeping it short and sweet. here's some calming sounds to help you relax this afternoon.


don't worry, i'll be back with delectable recipes real soon. BUT FIRST - i'm going on a cross-country motorcycle trip with my dad. i know, i know. i am so grateful for this life!

namaste.
.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

green berry smoothie & toe shoes

 LOOK WHAT I GOT TODAY! THEY'RE TOE SHOES.


you know i'm weird, and i suppose this takes it to a new level. now i expect to become a complete social outcast, but that's okay - because my feet will be comfortable. also, i just don't give a damn what people think. if someone doesn't want to be friends because i have awesome footwear, well then they can't be that cool, can they? (the answer is nope.)

the shoes were pretty expensive but they're the birthday present i asked for from my parents. WOOT. the company is really cool of course. check 'em out here. i bought mine at MEC (another great organization).


i had to throw this photo in here, my cat is too adorable. her name's sugar. now time for a smoothie! our blueberries are going crazy and it makes me sing, SO MANY BLUEBERRIES. thus i have taken to freezing them, making them even better in smoothies. today's elixir was blueberries, strawberries, banana and dino kale.

blueberry smoothie: serves one

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
1-2 cups kale/spinach
1-2 cups vegan milk/water
stevia, if desired

blend all of it up and drink it down! <3


here's the song for today. you gotta love da brat.


Tuesday 14 August 2012

chocolate hazelnut spread

like nutella? this is a raw, vegan version. free of dairy, processed sugar, palm oil and artificial flavours. with just a few ingredients - this is way better for you, and incomparable in taste. try it out today! i eat it straight up with a spoon. it's also really easy to add into desserts... including banana ice cream. oh my ice creamy goodness.


chocolate hazelnut spread: makes about 2 cups 

2 cups hazelnuts
1/4 cup cacao
1/4 cup melted cacao butter
1/4 cup honey/agave/maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup or so vegan milk, adding as needed

make the hazelnuts into hazelnut butter in your blender or food processor; it will take a little while. if you want more flavour, toast them first. then add all the other ingredients and blend until smooth. it should be pretty creamy like a spread. see if you like it - add what you want accordingly. put it in a jar and refrigerate. sneak this treat whenever you want to.


guess what - i will be 19 years old in like 3 weeks. i am so ready to hit the clubs and go crazy with my friends. wanna join? here's a diplo's new EP to get you in the mood. you know i like ALL kinds of music, so i will admit this is my guilty pleasure.

Saturday 11 August 2012

yam noodles with miso sauce


holy yams! you might be skeptical about using raw sweet potatoes (yams) for food, but as soon as you try this, all your doubts will be vaporized. it's so satisfying. i don't know WHY you'd want or need white pasta with meatballs when you can eat THIS living, raw, cruelty-free meal. i took lots of photos, i hope you don't mind. 

nah... you don't.


hopefully you have a spiral slicer, but if not - a mandoline will do. and if you're REALLY ambitious, you could try to make the noodles manually. good luck.

i've been wanting to make these noodles with some kind of sauce and veggies for awhile, and the plan for this sweet potato (organic!) was to make this recipe then give it to a curious friend who had wondered whether you could raw potatoes. but um... i'm greedy. i ate it all at my house. don't judge me. i promise i will make this again and actually share it. it will be difficult, but i can do it.


 yam noodles with miso mustard sauce, avocado, cucumber & raisins: serves 1-2

noodles:
1 yam (sweet potato)

sauce:
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon agave
1 date
vegan milk/water, as needed (about 1/6 cup)
3 chopped garlic cloves

to make the noodles - slice the yam on a spiral slicer or mandoline. mix with a bit of tamari in large bowl and set aside.
to make the sauce - blend all ingredients together. if it's too thick, add more vegan milk/water. if it's too thin, add more miso, dates or mustard. pour the desired amount of sauce onto the noodles and mix in. you don't need that much.
i added chopped avocado, cucumber, beets from our garden, raisins, and parma... of course. i bet this with sesame or pumpkin seeds would be great too.



banana ice cream floats

these are gosh darn freaking ridiculous, if i do say so myself. and i do.

 

i got the idea from fully raw - a refreshingly cool site if you don't know it already. the girl who runs things is too cute... literally, i can't handle it. anyways. the recipe is MEGA simple. four ingredients, and only three are totally necessary: dates, frozen bananas, coconut water (and vanilla).

the coconut water is like the soda, because it's fizzy like carbonated soda, and sweetened with dates. i made these for me and my girlfriend, and the first thing she said was "wait, that's like actually root beer!? how'd you do that?" magic, friends. magic. 

i feel like i've been dishonest with all of you. i have a popular recipe for the "best raw vegan ice cream ever", but i had totally forgotten about this banana ice cream. i think what makes it so delicious is that the only ingredient is frozen bananas, which you blend. that's it. what you create is the most luscious, creamy, satisfying soft serve ice cream... EVER. so, call me a liar. i lied. THIS is the best raw vegan ice cream ever. 


banana ice cream floats: serves 2

soda:
2/3 cup dates
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
520 ml (around 2 cups) coconut water
 -
ice cream:
3 frozen bananas

to make the soda - blend the dates, vanilla and coconut water together until smooth and foamy. try some! it'll taste like root beer, i swear.
to make the ice cream - blend the frozen bananas until it's like soft serve. you won't believe the beauty. pour the soda into your fave tall glasses and scoop on the ice cream. sip it up in the sun with people you care about!


Thursday 9 August 2012

YES


spa water! it's so pretty to look at, and the most refreshing thing to drink that i can imagine. here's a great article about it with delicious recipes linked at the bottom, such as "lemony lavender water". can you say YUM!? i can. yum.

in other news: MY GOJI BERRIES ARE GROWING! look at them... LOOK AT THEM.


maybe you can understand my excitement. maybe you can't. but i am thrilled, people. jumping up and down, singing to the clouds, hugging my goji bush - thrilled. this plant was not supposed to produce anything for at least one year, if it was ever to grow berries at all. but here they are in all their luscious, juicy, red beauty. our strawberries and blueberries are growing super fast too, and of course they taste A-MAZING. speaking of berries...

i think tomorrow i'll go on a fruit cleanse for a week. i've been eating really well and all lately but it's summer, fruit's in season and i may as well embrace it as much as i possibly can! besides, i feel best when i'm all fruit diet (for a certain number of days). i know as far as my digestive system goes, i'm really clean, but i wanna give my body a break from vegetables, whole grains and "processed" foods like sauces, seaweed and nut-based foods. oh, i should specify - i will still include greens.

addicted to kale for life <3


actually, scratch that. i will start on saturday. tomorrow my friend is sleeping over and we need to make a bunch of vegan delights, of the non-fruit variety. i'll keep it simple though because i don't want to eat a bunch of cooked food the day before a fruit cleanse. i think i want to make these coconut banana ice cream floats, and share a recipe for raw nutella!

stay tuned, my sweet darlings.

P.S. here's another weird song for you all to question my judgement to:

Wednesday 8 August 2012

chocolate banana berry pudding

first of all - one green planet is letting me write for them!!! <3 so check this post out on their website too. they're one of my fave vegan organizations and they cover all territories of the lifestyle in a very cool way.

now i have some questions for you: do you like bananas? do you like chocolate? do you like peanut butter? do you like berries? do you like delicious, health-giving food?


i sure hope so; because then you will love this recipe. it's so tasty, and as all food should be - good for you and your sexy bod. it's pretty much just fruit blended with some cacao and nut butter. you don't have to add nut butter though (if you want it to be fat-free).


i've made chocolate pudding with avocado before and it's freaking mind-blowing-good. but bananas and berries are amazing in their own right so this is an alternative version. eat it up! get your fruit for the day.

i can't understand why people would choose to eat processed chocolate pudding from powder that might cause chronic illness and cancer, when you can eat a whole foods fruit pudding that's cheaper AND will give you longer life, glowing skin, and optimal brain function. for me, it's a no brainer ;)


chocolate berry pudding: serves 1-2 

1 banana
handful frozen strawberries
handful blueberries
3-5 dates or prunes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cacao 
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (or more, add as needed)
1 tablespoon nut butter/coconut oil to make it creamy (optional)

blend all ingredients together until silky smooth! easy easy easy. top off with goji berries and mint if you have them. best enjoyed in the summer sun with people you love. and music you love... like this song:
this also best choice to make beef bourguignon if you are have party