Kale Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing

I'm not gonna lie to you :)  Kale is a vegetable I had a hard time getting to know... Like Olives I had to acquire a taste for.
But for those of you who like kale + olives, this recipe is a lovely combination. Is a cinch to make and will compliment well to any main dish.

   
Kale Salad

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 large bunch of kale chopped
1 large hand full of green beens {aprx 15}
1/4 cup black olives or kalmatas pitted
1/4 cup pine nuts {optional}
1 tbs sesame seeds

Start with cutting the end of the beans off. It is your choice if you want to keep the beans long or short. I liked having them long in this salad. Pit your olives if they aren't already.
In a sauce pan, warm 1 tbs of olive oil and saute the beans on low to medium heat. We still want the beans to be crunchy when we serve the salad, so only saute for about 2 minutes. Add your kale in chopped pieces, the olives { pine nuts)  and turn off the heat and cover to steam, for about 5 minutes.
While you are waiting for your kale to steam. Start the dressing.

Dressing

1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs tahini paste
6 tbs lemon juice
6 tbs water
1 tsp nutritional yeast{optional}
finished with cracked black pepper

Transfer your salad to a salad or serving bowl and toss with the dressing.
Garnish your salad with sesame seeds.

Healthy Tip
Kale is full of antioxidants and high in magnesium. And Tahini which is a Mediterranean sesame seed paste is really high in calcium. Way higher than milk.!  And Magnesium in combination with Calcium will help with absorption of these minerals to your bones and muscles. Which makes this meal a perfect after work-out meal!

Served this salad with salmon or chicken for a great combo :)

Portabella & Goat Cheese Tower

This meal is honestly one of my all time favorites. Mega easy and and can be a side dish or the main event! Play around with all kinds of herbs you may have handy.  Try adding roasted eggplant, pine nuts or walnuts, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. For a beautiful dinner for 2.

Raw Mushroom Tower

Ingredients needed:

 one egg
 1 whole tomato
 eggplant{optional}
 2 large portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup cashews
1/8 cup parsley
 2 tsp thyme
 2 tsp rosemary      
 sea salt and pepper to taste


Directions

Rough chop almonds, cashews and herbs together. If you have a food processor this step will be be a cinch. Then transfer the mix to a bowl. Next drop the full egg in a separate bowl and lightly beat until smooth. Then you are going to roll out your goat cheese into a ball with your hands and drop it in the  egg batter, until the cheese is covered. Then transfer the cheese to the nut bowl and coat it with as many nuts as you can.  Assemble the portabella on a baking sheet, season it with salt and pepper, and olive oil, top the mushroom with eggplant if you are using it, and brush it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Then fresh tomatoes and the coated goat cheese.

2 Day Fresh Juice Cleanse

You might be here looking for some new juicing recipes, or you may be new to juicing and asking yourself what is the purpose of juicing. Or what are the health benefits?
First of all a juice cleanse isn't a diet. I don't believe in dieting. I believe in living my life and eating what I want. We live by the choices we make.  Play with food, and enjoy with curiosity!

The main reason to juice is to give your digestive system a break. Consuming heavy meals on a regular basis can use all your valuable energy to digest. Juicing is a much needed break and reboot of our system. Juicing breaks apart the fiber from food, so it is quickly and readily absorbed.
Our bodies are naturally trying to reach homeostasis, a naturally healthy, alkalized environment.
Taking a juice break regularly will assist in achieving a healthy you. And naturally help boost your energy.


First start your morning off with a glass of lemon aid:
per glass: 1 lemon wedge, topped with filtered water, pinch of sea salt, 1 small tsp warm honey.

And feel free to drink as much water as you want throughout the day.

~Lemons helps stimulate hydrochloric acid, which helps break down food for nutrient absorption. Lemons are also high in vitamin C, and are naturally detoxifying...
You will find lemons in all of my juice recipes.
As I also start every morning with a glass of lemon-aid.

I found these great to-go jugs that I used for my juices, but you could also use mason jars or anything else you may have handy for transport. you don't want to be left empty handed and hungry through the day.


                                JUICE RECIPES





 



Orange  {Breakfast}

6-8 organic carrots
2 oranges peeled
2 apples
2 lemons peeled

 Unfortunately citrus has to be peeled before it can be juiced. Otherwise your juice will turn out
1) too pulpy
2) too bitter..

Recipe yields about 6 cups of juice.
Package and refrigerate what you aren't going to drink that morning.


















Red  {Lunch}

4 large beets peeled
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 grapefruit peeled
1 lemon peeled
4 celery stocks
1 apple

I was never the biggest fan of beets growing up.. I had only ever had them cooked and the texture really threw me off.. until I tried them raw on a salad, and was then awakened to their awesomeness. They were sweet and crunchy and full of life!
And in this blend they are truly stand out with all kinds of flavor.

Recipe yields about 4 cups
Package and refrigerate

Green   {Dinner}

1 large cucumber or 4 small
2 apples
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1 heaping handful of spinach or kale
2 lemons peeled
4 stocks celery
1/4 whole pineapple peeled

This one might need some finagling to get the leafy greens in there. You will need to push parsley and cilantro leaves through the juicer with the cucumber and celery stock.
This blend is  rich in enzymes, vitamin-c and magnesium to help detoxify your liver.
Cilantro has the ability to attach to heavy metals and extract them from your system.

Recipe yields about 4 cups of juice.









Home Made Almond Milk  {Dessert}

I will also have other homemade nut milks on a separate post as well, with more detail and variations
{not yet posted}

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• .5 cup cashews
• 3.5 cups filtered water
• 2 pitted Medjool dates or 1 tsp maple syrup
• small pinch of fine grain sea salt, to enhance the flavour 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of cinnamon

You are going to want to soak the nuts first, ideally for about 6-8 hours. 2-3 hours if you are in a hurry..

Then rinse them off and throw them directly into your blender, with new fresh water and the dates. Blend until smooth, about 4 minutes. Then you are going to have to milk the nuts  {separating the nuts from the milk} with a cheesecloth or nut milking bag. Don't discard the almond meal, you can use it for baked goodies! Rinse out the blender and toss the milk back in with the vanilla and salt.

When you are ready to drink your almond milk, dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon for added desert flavor. Or even add Raw cocoa powder for a natural chocolate milk!!

*Pictures to follow{keep posted}

Recipe yields about 3-4 cups of milk

and 2 cups of nut pulp for cookies.

Explore many other fresh juice flavors. Use any other fruit and veggies you may already have available at home. And get juicing!

Peace.Food.Nutrition.

Raw Coconut Banana and Pineapple Ice Cream

This recipe is naturally sweet and naturally satisfying.

I do admit I have a bit of a sweet tooth. And my pleasure is finding and making recipes that satisfy my cravings with out compromising my immune system.
By that I mean, over indulging in refined sugar and preservatives that are in almost all commercial iced creams and treats.

This blend will be a crowd pleazer among everyone, young and young at heart.:)

Ingredients

1 can coconut milk
1 frozen banana
2 tbs of honey
1/4 cup pineapple puree or pieces
{organic ingredients when possible}


Directions

Put all ingredients in your blender until smooth.  Then transfer to an iced cream maker if you have one, and follow manufactures instructions.
Or to a metal bowl, and then transfer to the freezer for the old fashioned way.This method you will have to pull out of the freezer and mix the iced cream by hand, by mixing every couple of hours. This will break up the ice crystals and smooth out the texture you desire.
If you do want it a bit sweeter, add in more honey to taste. But the combination of fruit and honey makes it pretty sweet. It will also depend on the ripeness of the banana.

Pull it out of the freezer when ready, and have the whole family enjoy~ if your willing to share ;)