Juicing

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I learned about juicing from working at Pressed Juicery. You can never consume as much fruits and veggies as you can in a juice. Juicing extracts the insoluble fiber allowing your body to absorb the nutrients fast and effectively. Drink juices when you feel sick or want to get some extra vitamins in.

Some of my PJ favorites:

Citrus 1 (aloe, coconut water, cucumber, lemon, pineapple): Very hydrating and refreshing. We call it our natural Gatorade.

Citrus 2 (apple, lemon, mint, pineapple): One of our best sellers. Mint soothes the stomach. High in vitamin C.

Greens 3 (apple, ginger, lemon, and greens): Our best seller. You get the nutrients from the greens but the ginger and the apple makes it sweet.

Activated Lavender Lemonade (lemon, honey, lavender, activated charcoal): Activated charcoal binds to your toxins and flushes them out. Drink after a night of overindulgence.

Roots 2 (apple, carrot, ginger, kale, parsley, romaine, spinach): Creamy and smooth. If you mix it with our vanilla almond it taste like carrot cake!

Apple Lemon Ginger Cayenne: Sweet and spicy. I recommend this if you are feeling sick. Combine with the cayenne water if you want an extra boost.

Read more about Pressed Juicery and juicing vs. blending.

Raw Peanut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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Raw Peanut Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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A great snack or healthy dessert. Very simple and no baking required.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4th cup shredded coconut (can be left out if you do not like coconut)

1/4th cup flaxseed

1/4th cup peanut butter

3 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4th cup raisins

Directions:

  1. Blend oats and walnuts.
  2. Then blend in the coconut, flaxseed, peanut butter, maple syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.
  3. Blend in the raisins last.
  4. Roll into balls and refrigerate for 2 hours.

 

Vegetable Paella

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Vegetable Paella

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Fun fact: Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. This little container costs $10!IMG_2478 IMG_2481 IMG_2482 IMG_2497 IMG_2502

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/4th teaspoon saffron threads

1/8th turmeric

2 bell peppers

1 onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh garlic

2-3 carrots

3/4th cup artichoke hearts (canned 6.5 oz)

1 1/2 cup arborio rice

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 1/2 cups chard (or other leafy green)

1 cup tomatoes

1 can chickpeas or kidney beans

1 cup frozen peas

Lemon

Directions:

  1. Bring water to boil and add saffron.
  2. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
  3. Sauté veggies.
  4. Add rice then vegetable broth.
  5. Cool rice for 10 minutes then add chard and tomatoes.
  6. When rice is fully cooked add the beans and peas.
  7. Cook until the water is absorbed.
  8. Squeeze lemon juice on top.

Thai Coconut Red Curry

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Thai Coconut Red Curry

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Instructions:

1 cup jasmine rice

1 onion

1 bell pepper

1 teaspoon fresh garlic

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

2-3 tablespoons red curry paste

1 can coconut milk light

1/4th cup coconut cream

1/4th cup chicken broth (or 1/4th cup coconut milk)

3 carrots

1 pound tofu or chicken

1 cup frozen peas

3 green onions

1-2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari sauce

Handful of leafy greens (optional—I used baby broccoli)

Cilantro for garnishing

Pinch of chili flakes

Directions:

  1. Wash and cook rice with 1 ½ cup water.
  2. Sauté onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, and curry paste.
  3. Once onions are soft add the coconut milk, coconut cream, and chicken broth.
  4. Add carrots, tofu, leafy greens, frozen peas, green onions, and soy sauce.
  5. Sprinkle cilantro and chili flakes on top.

No Bake Brownies

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No Bake Brownies

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup almonds (blended)

2 tablespoons almonds (slices)

1 cup dates

1/4th cup shredded coconut

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoon maple syrup

1/4th teaspoon vanilla

1/4th cup cocoa powder

Directions:

  1. Blend almonds in a Vitamix or food processor.
  2. Blend in dates, coconut, coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and cocoa powder.
  3. Mold mixture into baking dish.
  4. Sprinkle coconut shreds and almond shreds on top.
  5. Refrigerate for 2 hours then cut into squares and serve.

Best Carrot Cake

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Best Carrot Cake

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My mom and I bake my stepdad carrot cake every year for his birthday. Anyone who claims they do not like carrot cake because it’s “healthy,” has not tasted this cake.

The recipe is an old xeroxed page from somebody else’s cookbook, so unfortunately I can’t give proper credit. However, there is a blurb at the bottom of the page, which says:

Grace Meadows from Taylorville, Illinois was a finalist in the “Bake-A-Cake” category of the Blue Ribbon Culinary Contest at the Illinois State Fair, Springfield, Illinois.

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as my family does!

Directions:

Makes 8 to 10 servings

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

3 cups grated carrot

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream Cheese Icing (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Beat eggs and oil in a small bowl. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Add egg mixture; mix well. Stir in carrots and pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Spread with Cream Cheese Icing.

Cream Cheese Icing: Combine 1 box (16 ounces) powdered sugar, 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup margarine, softened and 1 teaspoon vanilla in medium bowl. Beat until smooth.

Cauliflower Corn Chowder

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Cauliflower Corn Chowder 

My mom found this recipe in Follow Your Heart’s Vegetarian Soup Cookbook. Throughout the years we changed and substituted different ingredients. This is my dairy-free adaptation of the soup.

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Ingredients:

5 c. water

2 potatoes (diced)

1 large onion (diced)

2 c corn (fresh, frozen, or canned – I’ve used all three)

2-3 stalks celery

1/4 head cabbage (thinly sliced, I used purple cabbage but any kind is fine)

1 large head cauliflower (dice the core, reserve the florets)

4 Tbs butter

2 tsp basil

1/4 c. minced fresh parsley (I often omit this)

2 Tbs Spike

2 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp dill weed

1 c coconut cream from can

1/2 c soy milk or milk

1 Tbs nutritional yeast flakes

2 Tbs. dried chives

sea salt or more Spike, to taste

To make the traditional dairy version use sour cream instead of coconut cream and add ½ block of cream cheese. Blend together sour cream, cream cheese, and milk. Mix into the soup.

Directions:

1. In your largest soup pot bring to a boil: water, the diced potatoes, onion, 1 cup corn, celery, cabbage, the cauliflower core, butter, and basil. Cook for 1/2 hour or until potatoes begin to dissolve.

2. Add remaining corn, potatoes, parsley, Spike, garlic, and dill weed. Simmer about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add reserved cauliflower florets and cook another ten minutes, until they are tender but chewy (almost like clams).

4. Add coconut cream and soymilk. Add the nutritional yeast and chives. Heat gently without boiling.

Zesty Coconut Slaw

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Zesty Coconut Slaw + Lime Coconut Dressing 

Make it for a party appetizer and eat the leftovers the next day. The slaw will last in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 head purple cabbage
  • 1/2 head regular cabbage
  • 4 green onions
  • 1/4th cup cilantro (plus more for garnishing)
  • 1/2 cup coconut shreds
  • 1/2 cup almond sheds
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

  1. Toast almonds and coconut shreds on the stove for a few minutes.
  2. Cut the cabbage into thin slices.
  3. Combine all the ingredients and toss with the dressing.

Dressing:

  • Juice and zest of 1 lime
  • 1/4th cup coconut cream (from a can)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of chili flakes
  • Cilantro

Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

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Black Bean Quinoa Burgers 

I served these burgers on a whole wheat bun with Trader Joe’s Sweet Indian Relish and caramelized onions. Sharp cheddar also goes well with this burger. If you do not like a lot of seasoning I would leave out the curry powder and paprika.

IMG_1935IMG_1925IMG_1926IMG_1936Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa

15 oz can (almost 2 cups) black beans

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/3rd cup almond meal

½ of an onion (minced)

½ teaspoon garlic (finely chopped)

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4th teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon curry powder

1/4th teaspoon ginger

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Boil the quinoa with two cups water. Reduce to simmer and cook until all the water is absorbed.
  2. Mix the quinoa and black beans together. Mash.
  3. Stir in the yeast, almond meal, onion, garlic, and the spices.
  4. Mold the mixture into 4 patties.
  5. Heat oil in a pan and fry.

Sweet & Sour Rice Noodles with Collard Greens

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Sweet & Sour Rice Noodles with Collard Greens

This is an extremely easy recipe to throw together. Rice noodles cook in 1-2 minutes and are healthier than regular whole-grain pasta. The sweet and sour sauce masks the flavor of the greens so even my little brother (who’s 7) enjoyed these noodles.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 pack of rice noodles (I used Trader Joe’s Fresh Rice Noodles)
  • 1 bunch of collard greens
  • olive oil

Boil water and cook noodles for 1-2 minutes. Do not overcook, otherwise the noodles will get mushy and stick together. Sauté the greens until wilted. Combine the greens with the noodles.

Sweet & Sour Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon tamari sauce
  • ½ teaspoon ginger (fresh or powder)
  • Chili flakes (optional)

Combine ingredients and pour over the noodles. Sprinkle chili flakes on top.