This evening for dinner I had planned to eat the leftover Dal Curry with Spinach and Brown Rice that I had made a few nights ago. But, for lunch today, I attended the Annual Vegan Chili Cookoff and couldn’t seem to muster the strength for another meal consisting almost exclusively of legumes. I needed veggies. STAT.

So, I started rummaging. Somehow, through some amazing intervention of the Leftover Food Gods, this was literally all that I had left in my produce bin. Well, okay, I also had some tomatoes, a russet potato, and a pear. But, other than that, this was what I had left. Actually, now that I think about it, I should have thrown the pear into this salad as well. It would have been amazing. Oh, well. Maybe next time.

And, yes, there will be a next time.

This salad was a beautiful, perfect combination of crunch from the veggies and soft suppleness of young coconut flesh. The flavors melded smoothly with the sweetness of the ginger and maple and the tang of the vinegars. The umeboshi plum vinegar provided a lovely splash of saltiness, and there with a subtle kick with the last minute addition of chili garlic sauce.

In order to make this dish raw, (obviously) leave out the chicken, use untoasted sesame oil, and replace the caramelized ginger with 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger. If you would like a little extra protein, throw in some slivered almonds. Also, you can use agave nectar in place of the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar in place of the other vinegars. Unfortunately, you will have to leave out the chili garlic sauce altogether, but if you throw half of a minced jalapeno in with the veggies, I’m sure you won’t even miss it.

If you are new to the magic that is the young coconut, here is a tutorial on how to open it and get to the meat. And, don’t forget to save the coconut water inside. That stuff is the nectar of the gods. Seriously.

CABBAGE SALAD WITH YOUNG COCONUT NOODLES AND CRYSTALLIZED GINGER
serves four

For the Salad:
3 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1 cup shredded cooked chicken, optional
meat from 1 young coconut, sliced thinly into “noodles”
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, diced or shredded
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 Tbs. each black and white sesame seeds

For the Dressing:
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
3 Tbs. maple syrup
2 Tbs. brown rice vinegar
1 Tbs. umeboshi plum vinegar
1 tsp. Asian chili garlic sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt, or 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the fixins for the salad.

2. Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and shake it up until it emulsifies. Or, just whisk it all together in a small bowl. You may need to tweek the amount of each ingredient to find the balance that is just right for you.

3. Pour the dressing over the salad, mix it up, and dig in.

OTHER CABBAGE SALAD RECIPES FROM AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE:
Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad at 101 Cookbooks
Red Cabbage Salad with Braeburn Apples and Spiced Pecans at Serious Eats
Thai Cabbage Salad with Chicken at Eat This.
Swiss Chard Cabbage Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Broccoli Stems and Cottage Cheese
Red Cabbage and Dried Figs Salad at Chocolate and Zucchini

First, I made several mini pies for a raw foods class that I taught in San Antonio last weekend. In that version, I pressed the crust into the bottom of several ramekins. And, I left the coconut oil out of the filling so that it maintained a consistency that was similar to a pudding. Then I could easily spoon the filling over the top of the crust and eat it immediately. The purpose of adding the melted coconut oil to the filling is so that once it is chilled, it will set up almost like a regular key lime pie. Without it, you can’t really slice a large pie into pieces, but it does make a nice custardy filling for individual pies.

After teaching the class I had some crust left over and several avocados. Being allergic to avocados, the only hope these little guys had of being consumed was for me to make another pie for other folks to eat.

And, I knew just the group to feed it to.

For the last several weeks I have been volunteering for the Sustainable Food Center, and I’m telling you, no one loves or appreciates good, fresh, organic, healthy food like these folks. Seriously. Last week, I was sitting in the SFC office eating my lunch and a crowd gathered around to admire the fresh candy cane beets in my salad, more than one person asking which farmer from Saturday’s Farmers Market I had purchased them from.

When has that ever happened in your office?

These folks are more passionate about fresh produce than my cats are about naps and bowls full of kibble- and that is saying a lot. They do so many amazing things for our community and are a huge reason that the local, organic food movement has such a huge following in Austin.

I thought the least I could do is make them a pie.

Raw Vegan Key Lime Pie
makes one nine inch pie

To melt the coconut oil without heating it above 110 degrees, let it sit in a 110 degree dehydrator for about an hour before making the pie. Or, you may melt it in a saucepan over very low heat, removing it immediately from the heat once it is almost completely melted.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts or cashews
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 cups pitted dates
pinch Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt

Filling:
4 huge Hass avocados
juice of 11 juicy limes
3/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

1. For the Crust: In a food processor, combine nuts, coconut, dates, and salt. Process the mixture until it is well combined, a little bit chunky, and sticky. The food processor may shake around a lot, so be sure to hold it in place while it is running. When it is done, press the crust mixture evenly into a 9 inch pie pan.

2. For the Filling: Using either a blender or the food processor, combine the avocadoes, limes, agave nectar, and coconut oil. Blend until smooth (this may take up to 5 minutes in a food processor) and pour the filling over the crust. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pie and place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to one day before serving.

Certainly there must be at least 346,902,387 different types of smoothies one could make, with a list of ingredient options that is practically limitless. However, in my smoothies, I like to sneak in some secret treats that most folks would never even think to add to their smoothies. After years of drinking them almost everyday, I’ve learned some pretty awesome tricks to up the nutritional value of my smoothies without sacrificing deliciousness. Here’s a couple of my all time favorites:

Spinach: I know. Sounds totally gross, right? But, what is absolutely incredible is that throwing a big handful of leafy greens into the blender doesn’t affect the flavor of your smoothie AT ALL. I’ve also thrown in romaine, kale, chard or whatever greens I happen to have on hand, but I’ve found that spinach tends to have the most neutral flavor.

Raw Chocolate (Cacao): No, I’m not suggesting that you throw in a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder. While that may be super delicious, raw chocolate is practically a different animal altogether. Raw chocolate, or cacao (kuh-COW), has been all the rage amongst raw foodists for years. It is most commonly found in natural food stores (or the Food Hole) in the form of little nibs which are actually the seeds directly from a cacao pod. This is chocolate in its purest form.

Not only are these little nibs of joy packed full of 9 grams(!) of fiber per ounce, up to 30 times the antioxidant levels of green tea, tons of magnesium, protein, and iron, but they also contain natural MAO Inhibitors to help elevate your mood and suppress your appetite. As if all that wasn’t enough, it also contains something called Theobromine which is a cousin to caffeine. This stuff definitely gives you a big boost of energy, but unlike caffeine, there is no crash and it’s not addictive.

However, a word to the wise: If you decide to add cacao to your diet, start slowly. Use only a Tablespoon to start with and work your way up. If you had never tried coffee before, you wouldn’t start with four shots of espresso, right? This is kind of the same idea. And, keep in mind, because this is pure chocolate, it is NOT sweetened. The lack of sugar takes some getting used to for some folks, but in a smoothie, you never know the difference.

For more information about cacao check out these sites:
The All-Knowing Wikipedia
The Brand of Cacao and Goji Berries I Use
The Brits Love It!
Links to Scientific Studies Done on Chocolate

Spirulina: I love it! It’s just an all around great product, especially for vegetarians and vegans because of it’s high concentration of B vitamins. Go ahead. Learn all about it.

Ground Flaxseed: By now, I think we’ve all heard plenty about the benefits of Omega-3’s and flaxseed. An added bonus to adding this to your smoothie is that it will thicken an otherwise too thin smoothie. To make these seeds easier to digest, be sure to grind them up in a coffee grinder before adding them to your smoothie. And, in case you want a little more info on flax, check out this article.

While there is a plethora of other things I add to my breakfast from time to time, I’ll have to get to those at a later date. In the meantime, try these and let me know what you think.

Here is what I had for breakfast this morning:

1 cup thin local organic goat yogurt (You can use any type of “dairy” you like here. Almond milk, rice milk, soymilk, yogurt, etc. all work well.)
1 super ripe banana
1 cup frozen organic mixed berries
1 big handful chopped spinach
2 Tbs. raw cacao powder
1 tsp. agave nectar (optional)

1. Pour the liquid in the blender first and add all the other stuff on top.

2. Blend until smooth and slurp it up!

P.S. Smoothies are also fantastic for folks who don’t like to eat breakfast. (Mom, are you reading this?) This way, they can get the most important meal of the day in their bellies without putting in a whole lot of effort. (Seriously, Mom. Go make yourself a smoothie. Do it for me.)

Everything went off without a hitch. The plates were beautiful. And, the food was pretty darn tasty, if I do say so myself. And, then, at the end of the night I realized that I hadn’t taken even one single picture of anything I made. I guess you’ll just have to imagine the platters of Gruyere Gougeres, Charcoal-Grilled Bluefish, Grilled Rosemary-Parmesan Polenta Cakes, a Sweet Potato Pave with Boursin Cheese, and tons of Mini Desserts: Creme Brulee, Chocolate Raspberry Mousse, and Fruit Tarts with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream, all displayed amongst beautifully wacky flower arrangements and “Happy Birthday” balloons.

The whole event was a ton of exhausting work fun, but health-friendly it was not. The next day, as a sort of detox from the white flour, sugar, eggs, and dairy of the day before, I made this delicious meal – yet another take on the ever popular raw version of Pad Thai. This one is similar to the classic served at Roxanne’s in Larkspur, California.

RAW PAD THAI
serves four
adapted from a recipe in ‘A Best Recipe Classic: Restaurant Favorites at Home’

Tamari and Nama Shoyu are basically just soy sauce. The only differences are that tamari is wheat free and nama shoyu is raw. Otherwise, they taste exactly like soy sauce, so if that’s what you have on hand, go ahead and use it.

Tamarind Sauce:
3 Tbs. Tamarind concentrate
1 Tbs. maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbs. wheat-free tamari or Nama Shoyu
1 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt

Almond-Chile Sauce:
1/2 cup Almond Butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced
1 Tbs. wheat-free tamari or Nama Shoyu

Pad Thai:
3 carrots, made into noodles by peeling them all around using a vegetable peeler
1/2 large organic cucumber, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
4 large basil leaves, chiffonade (cut into thin strips)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 young Thai coconuts, basically cut open like this, but excluding steps 12-15

1. For the Tamarind Sauce: Stir everything together and set aside.

2. For the Almond-Chile Sauce: Blend everything in blender, adding water as needed to thoroughly blend until it is smooth. Set aside.

3. For the Pad Thai: In a large bowl combine the carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, cabbage, sprouts, basil, cilantro, and enough of the Almond-Chile Sauce to thoroughly coat the veggies. Slice the meat from the coconut into “noodles” and set it aside.

4. To Assemble and Serve: Divide half of the Pad Thai amongst 4 warmed serving plates. Drizzle a bit of the tamarind sauce over the top and place the remaining Pad Thai over the top. Place a mound of the coconut “noodles” on top and spoon the remaining Tamarind Sauce over the top and around the plate. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro or a twist of lime and serve at room temperature.

One of my clients was having a guest for dinner who is gluten/dairy intolerant and training for a triathlon. Because of her training, her normally healthy pescetarian diet was even more restricted than usual, and this tart was the perfect solution for the dessert portion of the meal. A gluten free crust made mostly of pecans, a creamy base for the peaches made from pureed cashews, and the lack of unhealthy sweeteners made this dessert “the most satisfying peach pie all season”! (Her words, not mine.) It was like she was cheating, but she wasn’t. And, the leftovers have been a tasty and super healthy breakfast all week for my client. Not a bad deal, huh?

The only down side to this tart is that it didn’t hold it’s shape when I sliced it and it was a bit tough to get out of the pan. In the future I would probably line the removable bottom of my tart pan with a piece of parchment and add a little more coconut butter to the Lemon-Ginger Cream. Another possibility would be to freeze the tart for at least an hour without the peaches and add them just before serving. Better yet, I would do all three, just to be on the safe side.

RAW PEACH TART WITH LEMON-GINGER CREAM
serves six to eight
adapted from a recipe by Renee Loux

Crust:
2 cups pecans
1/2 cup pitted dates
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
water, as needed

Lemon-Ginger Cream:
2 cups cashews, soaked 1 hour and drained
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
3 Tbs. maple syrup
3 Tbs. agave nectar
3 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs. coconut butter
water, as needed

Peaches:
4 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1. For the Crust: Grind the pecans and dates together in a food processor. Add the cinnamon, maple syrup and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. The crust should be sticky and should hold itself together. It is too crumbly, add a little water as needed. Press the crust into a tart pan with a removable bottom, or a glass pie plate.

2. For the Lemon-Ginger Cream: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until it is super smooth. Add water as necessary to blend it, but try to keep it as thick as possible. Spread the cream in the tart crust.

3. For the Peaches: In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon and ground ginger.

4. To Assemble: Arrange the peaches over the top of the tart and chill for at least an hour before serving.

In lots of restaurants these days, it seems hummus is one of the only vegan options on the menu, so most vegans and vegetarians I know seem to kind of yawn at the prospect of yet another bowl of pureed garbanzo beans. In fact, the spread of hummus (no pun intended) is so rampant that my local Food Hole has a whole aisle just for hummus! But, what makes this hummus different than most is the addition of cumin. For some reason, just adding that spice takes it to a whole new level. In fact, I’ve been told numerous times that this is the best hummus ever, but no one can really put their finger on just what makes it so great.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF HUMMUS
makes 4 cups

This is an easy recipe for raw foodists to adapt. Instead of using canned chickpeas, use sprouted chickpeas. And, if you can handle wheat, use nama shoyu instead of tamari to make this recipe really raw.

2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 cup tahini
3 Tbs. lemon juice
3 Tbs. wheat-free tamari
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2 small garlic cloves
1 tsp. sea salt, or more as needed
1/4 tsp. cayenne, or more for more of a kick
water, as needed

1. Throw everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add water as needed to make a smooth, thick-yet-easily-spreadable paste. Adjust seasonings and serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber slices, or pita bread.

Working around raw foodists and people living such healthy lifestyles was so inspiring. And, the food allowed me to be super creative. Making gourmet raw foods is still such a fledgling art form, so there weren’t any strict rules that I had to follow; I could make up whatever I wanted. Plus, as if the creative aspect wasn’t enough, I felt great eating it! I discovered a recipe for collard wraps in one of my very favorite raw un-cookbooks, and I think I’ve made them about a bajillion times. This recipe is a slight twist of that recipe. These wraps are incredibly filling, but still light enough so that you feel super energized after eating them. The huge, beautiful leaves of the collard greens make such a great “tortilla” – they provide tons of protein, calcium, and trace minerals and don’t fill you full of calories and carbs like real tortillas do. I’m a huge fan.

RAW THAI COLLARD GREEN WRAPS
makes 12 wraps
adapted from “Raw Food, Real World” by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis

Nama shoyu is the only raw version of soy sauce. However, it contains wheat. If you can’t eat wheat, then substitute with wheat-free tamari, which, unfortunately, is not actually raw. Also, please note that peanut butter is not technically raw, either. But, it sure is delicious…

1 pkg. shredded cole slaw mix
1 large mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups sunflower sprouts
1 handful chopped fresh cilantro
6 very large organic collard green leaves
1 cup nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, or sun butter)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice, or more as needed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. wheat-free tamari or nama shoyu
2 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 Serrano chili, or to taste, seeded if desired
1 Tbs. sesame oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the cole slaw mix, mango, cashews, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Set aside.

2. In a blender, combine the nut butter, orange juice, maple syrup, lemon juice, tamari, ginger, Serrano chili, and the sesame oil. Blend until smooth, adding orange juice or water as necessary to get a thick cake batter consistency.

3. Pour the sauce over the veggies and mix well with your hands.

4. Cut the center rib out of each leaf, dividing the leaf in half. Set 1 half leaf on the counter, underside facing up and cut side facing you. Spoon a few Tablespoons of the salad mixture on the center of the leaf, leaving the bottom 1 1/2 inches clear at the bottom. Top the salad with a small amount of sunflower sprouts. Fold the bottom of the leaf up, keep it tight and then, roll the leaf horizontally around the filling to make a nice little wrap. Secure with a toothpick if necessary. Set wrap seam side down on a platter and repeat with the remaining 11 wraps.

Besides these treats being ridiculously delicious, they are actually ridiculously good for you, too. Admittedly, I’ve even been known to eat a few for breakfast. Each ingredient in these delightful little nuggets of joy has amazing nutritional benefits. The almonds are high in protein and essential oils that are great for your hair and skin. Goji berries are a so called superfood, and if you aren’t already hooked on them, you need to be. They are super high in antioxidants (read: 8 times higher than pomegranates!), vitamin C, and contain all of your essential amino acids. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Goji Berries help to strengthen your heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys and are mood-elevating and *ahem* libido-enhancing. Need I say more? The health benefits of these little fruits go on and on. While some find that the flavor may take some getting used to, the chocolate and dates in this recipe disguise the taste of the Goji making the benefits accessible even to those without a particular affinity for the flavor. In addition to the health benefits of the almonds and Goji, the cinnamon is great for regulating blood sugar levels, and, of course, we all know how fantastic chocolate is for you. Am I right, Ladies?

So, go ahead, enjoy these treats without guilt. Your body will thank you!

RAW CINNAMON-ALMOND TRUFFLES
adapted from a recipe on goneraw.com
makes 18 truffles

1 cup raw almonds, unsoaked
1/2 cup dates, preferably Medjool, pitted
4 Tbs. dutch-processed cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
2 Tbs. Goji berries
4 Tbs. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla flavor
1/4 cup water

In a food processor, combine almonds, dates, cocoa powder, Goji berries, and vanilla. The dates and almonds will be very noisy when you begin mixing and will cause the machine to become a bit unsteady. Be sure to hold the machine to stabilize it for the first few seconds it is on. With the processor running, slowly add water a little bit at a time until the “dough” becomes a bit sticky and will hold its shape when rolled into a ball. Once you’ve achieved the desired consistency, turn off the machine. Pour the cinnamon out onto a clean plate. Roll a small amount of “dough” in between your hands to form little balls that are about 1 inch wide. Place the little balls in the cinnamon and roll them around to thoroughly coat. Tap off any excess cinnamon and place on a clean plate or serving tray. Indulge!