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 Mo... erm... exuberantly?... enjoying a glass of LM's Special Tea! As a Southern girl, I have to have my tea. I think my blood may be part iced tea. When Mo was tee-tiny, I used to make her iced herbal teas to have instead of Kool-Aid. She used to love the peach and mango ones. I never added sweetener to these; I just let them stand on their own. In this way, Mo really got to try the flavours for what they were. To this day, she still doesn't sweeten her iced teas... and she's never asked for Kool-Aid. As we've progressed down our food path, we've found that teas could add things medicinally. So, I've been experimenting with herbs, spices, flowers, medicinal mushrooms, and traditional "teas" to make different flavour and medicinal combinations. Below are just a very few of my more favourite concoctions. Each combination should be adjusted for your taste. I strongly suggest you find a good herbal book and do some research about what plants speak to you. Don't be afraid to peruse your spice cabinet either. This is also a great time for some wild foraging! Remember to always wild-gather your tea ingredients or to buy them locally!
6 heaping T. of your favourite tea combination (see below or make up your own!) - 4 parts dried nettle leaf, 2 parts dried rosehips July 2010: Mo's Birthday Ice Cream  Ice cream a-churnin'
Our first attempt was lovely, so we decided to make it this month's recipe. Remember to always buy your raw cream, milk, and eggs from your organic local farmers! (To find a great supplier of raw dairy in your area, try checking http://realmilk.com.)
3 c. raw cream  Mo with her lovely concoction
A couple of days later, she made it again. I tried it and said, "You know what would be good in this? A little orange zest!" So, we added some of my homemade dried orange peel. Holy COW! This is a definite must-try. Mo's words of wisdom: Always play with your food! Remember to always buy organic and local when possible!
a blop of homemade chevre May 2010: Unintentional Mousse  Well, I had every intention of showing you the mousse, but...
"Oh, Mo." "What? You mess it up?" "Oh, Mo." "What?" She turned around in her chair. "What? Is it good?" I gave her a spoonful and her eyes got as big as tennis balls. "Uh... YUM! Hel-LO!" I conveniently forgot that whipping cream will give you... whipped cream. Ha. You have to try this recipe. Too easy. But a little goes a long way. It's incredibly rich! (To find a dairy near you that supplies organic, grass-fed/pasture-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free, raw dairy products, check out http://www.realmilk.com. ) Remember to always buy organic and local when possible! 1.5 c. raw cream April 2010: Blueberries 'n' Cream 
We got home, opened up the jar (o.k., I totally love that we got our cream in a reused Vlasic pickle jar), and stuck a spoon in for a taste. Just putting the spoon in was a shock: the consistency was thick, like Cool Whip. (I was brought up on brand names, not product types. Forgive me.) I said, "Oh, no WAY." I tentatively took a taste... and my jaw dropped open. The flavour was so rich and creamy! I was in heaven! Immediately, I began sceming ways to use this stuff. Coffees and teas were obvious, but I wanted to come up with something different. One afternoon Mo was running around with the dog and came back in saying she wanted "a cool snack she could eat in the sun." (I love her requirements for eating enjoyment.) I asked her what she was in the mood for and she said, "That blueberry and cream thing, but don't thaw the blueberries. Keep 'em frozen." So, I poured some frozen blueberries in a bowl and poured the cream over them and began to stir it up. Almost instantly the cream began to freeze on the blueberries! It was so cool! It's like those weird Dippin' Dots things I see in the theatres! (What's with me and brand names today?) I'm sure other frozen berries would work. Get creative! To find a dairy near you that supplies organic, grass-fed/pasture-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free, raw dairy products, check out http://www.realmilk.com. Remember to always buy organic and local when possible!
I didn't know anything about sprouts. The first time I saw them precariously balanced atop my beautiful salad, I thought maybe this was some sort of grass. I really had no frame of reference, no way to categorize these. I shrugged my shoulders, dumped the bowl on dressing over the whole thing, and chowed... and became an instant convert. Now I keep a couple of different varieties growing at all times. My favourites are clover and Now's Zesty Sprout Mix. But once you've got sprouts, what the heck do you do with them? Some ideas include throwing them on sandwiches, mixing them into your nut or seed pates, juicing them, or eating them by the handful. Another option is the lovely recipe below. To learn more about sprouting, check out the Sprout People's website at http://www.sproutpeople.com. Remember to always buy organic and local seeds when possible!
I know the picture's a bit large, but I really wanted to make sure you could see the all the beautiful ingredients!
We all need more fermented foods in our diets. They help to restore the nature flora and fauna (also known as probiotics) in our gut to help us digest our foods better. We make our own because it's so cheap. You can buy raw krauts in the store, but for a pretty penny. And the canned krauts that you can find on your grocer's shelf have been pasteurized, effectively killing all the good cultures. When you make your own, you get to control the ingredients and the processing. Krauts
go with tons of dishes. If you are eating cooked foods, try
throwing a dollop on your eggs or beans and rice. If you're doing raw,
try a spoonful in lettuce wrap or just enjoy on its own! I strongly recommend Sandor Ellix Katz's book "Wild Fermentation." This book gives some great information on culturing foods and keeps it simple and fun. Remember to always buy organic and
local when possible!
2 large heads of purple cabbage I prefer to shred the cabbage and carrots through a food processor, but you may cut all this by hand if you don't have one. Put all the ingredients into a humo-gigantic bowl and toss really well to make sure the salt is incorporated. Smash the mixture into a 1-gallon glass jar and press down firmly. Put a weight on top. Put a towel over the mouth of the jar (held in place with a rubber band) to keep out the dust and bugs. I store mine on the counter out of direct sunlight. Check back in an hour or two and smash down again. I always wash my hands before doing this to keep from contaminating the kraut. Also, when I ttake my weight out, I give it a good rinse with water before replacing. Always make sure the brine is covering the mixture. And keep that towel covering it between smashings! Do the smashing-down thing daily. Taste the kraut with a clean spoon each day to check the flavour. When it gets about as tart as I want, I put a lid on it and pop it in the fridge. And remember: even after scooping some out, smash it down to keep it covered with the brine. Experiment with different vegetable combinations! The sky's the limit!
My first experience with reishi tea was at Aimee Perrin's (of Aimee's Livin' Magic) house. She hosts a monthly raw vegan potluck and always has a crockpot going of what she calls her Happy Tea. I saw it sitting on the counter and thought, "Tea, yeah. I like tea." I filled a mug and took a big swig. BLECH! What in the HECK was I drinking?! It was bitter and strange... with a hint of vanilla. I couldn't figure it out. I couldn't wrap my head around this liquid. I asked Aimee about it and she non-chalantly said it was a variety of mushrooms (I think it was chaga and reishi at the time) with some vanilla powder. Over the next few months, I did some research into mushrooms and kept coming back to the reishi. It seemed to be speaking to me. I found out about its medicinal properties (the main benefit being that it is an adaptogen) and started to reconsider Aimee's tea. Then, one day, Mo and I were out walking in the woods and we came across this humongous reishi growing out of the side of an old tree. (See pictures on my Facebook page.) That was the last sign I needed. I came home and began experimenting with different concoctions. The taste was still bitter (I realized that was just the mushroom and had nothing whatsoever to do with Aimee ; ), but I gradually got used to it and found ways to lessen that a bit. Mo and I
drink a cup or three a day. Jim uses it as the base for his elixirs. I
find the tea to be a comforting, soothing drink. The fact that its
resplendent with health benefits is an added bonus! Each batch will
vary in its taste and benefits depending on what you put in it. Do your
research and see which mushrooms, herbs, dried fruit, etc. speak to
you. And follow your gut: if something sounds intriguing, try it out! Put all the ingredients into a large crockpot (I think mine is about 5 quarts or so). Fill to the top with spring water and cover. Turn on high until the brew starts to simmer and then turn it down to low. Let brew for 12 hours. It takes at least 6-12 hours for the reishi to release their medicinal properties. As I take a cup, I top off the water to keep the brew going. After about 4 or 5 days (depending on how much you drink), you'll notice the brew getting diluted. Once it seems too diluted, it's time to make a new batch. And, yes, I keep the crockpot on 24-7! Enjoy as is or sweeten with green stevia powder or honey. Some people like to add other flavourings like cacao powder or liquified coconut oil. Experiment until you find the combination that works for you! December 2009: Nut Nog/Not Nog
Remember to always buy organic and
local when possible!
Remember to always buy organic and local produce when possible!
1 c. walnuts or almonds Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until it starts to glomp together into a dough. Sprinkle bottom of pie plate with the coconut flour. This will keep the pie from sticking and ensure that you will, indeed, be able to get a piece out later on. Press dough into a pie plate, making sure thickness is even on the bottom and up on the sides. I don't like my crusts too thick and try to keep it around 1/2-inch thick or so. Another trick is to roll out the dough between two pieces of wax paper. This method will definitely give you a more beautiful smooth crust, but you certainly don't need to do this to have a great crust.
1/2 c. coconut oil Put all ingredients into a Vitamix in order given and whiz until everything is blended and has the consistency of a pudding. Remember to taste this to make sure it's spiced and as sweet as you'd like. Pour into pie crust and moosh it around until it looks beautiful, remembering to lick the spoon and blender (watch that blade!). Best if refrigerated for a couple of hours... if you can hold out. October 2009: Cherry Ripple Pie
The cool thing about raw vegan foods is that it's soooo easy to personalize it and make it your own. Maybe start with the idea of this as your base and come up with your own crazy concoction! The Ripple Topping is something that I make and keep in the fridge for those sweet cravings! Just a spoonful will do ya! Remember to buy local and organic when possible. P.S. I know I promised someone that I would post the recipe for the Goji Lime Pie this month, but I'm still working on getting the crust right. I'll post it as soon as I can!
Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until it starts to glomp together into a dough. Sprinkle bottom of pie plate with the almond meal. This will keep the pie from sticking and ensure that you will, indeed, be able to get a piece out later on. Press dough into a pie plate, making sure thickness is even on the bottom and up on the sides. I don't like my crusts too thick and try to keep it around 1/2-inch thick or so.
3
avocados Put all ingredients into a Vitamix (a regular blender or food processor may work o.k. for this, but I'm not sure) and whizz until everything is blended and looks like a pudding. Remember to taste this to make sure it's as sweet as you'd like. Pour into pie crust and moosh it around until it looks beautiful, remembering to lick the spoon and blender (watch that blade!).
1/2 c. raw carob Put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir it around like crazy until everything is well-blended. (I usually get my husband to do this part because he's got more arm power.) September 2009: A Little Summin' This always seems to happen to me.
I'll eat a savory
meal with tons of garlic or onion and will want a little something
sweet. I don't want to make a big elaborate dessert, but just want
something to round out my taste buds. I know people
who eat
fruit for dessert, but that just doesn't work on my stomach. It's not
the greatest food combining and I often feel it fermenting
down
there in the ole belly. Usually what I'm craving is chocolate. (I mean,
really, I'm craving chocolate 24-7, but I just like to make it sound
like it's not as big a deal as all that. Don't want people to think I'm
a "cracao-head" or anything!)So, I came up with this little 2-minute
recipe. I use my homemade nut or seed
butters for this
because the taste is outstanding and really fresh. I also use only
local raw organic honey. Get creative! What other flavours can you add
to this to make it your own? This recipe only makes enough for one serving - or, as I like to say, "a non-sharing size." As always, remember to buy locally and organic when possible.
Mix everything together with a
fork in a small mug or bowl. Enjoy immediately!
This recipe is for all the
"beegans" out there. As a
Pagan, I believe that bees and bee products are powerful healers, so I
keep them in my diet. I buy local bee products that have been harvested
responsibly. Buying honey locally is especially important because the
honey then contains small amounts of the local pollen which help boost
our immune systems. Make sure the label says "unfiltered" and "raw."
The taste and nutritional differences between processed and raw honey
are monumental! For more information onhoney, try this site: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/raw-honey.html.
It seems to have lots of great info.) This recipe also calls for bee
pollen. If you
have not had any experience using this food, I would strongly recommend
you dissolve a grain or two on your tongue and see how it affects you.
Some people who are not allergic to honey can have severe allergic
reactions to the pollen. Also, bee pollen really gives me quite a buzz,
so I only use a little at a time. So, play with it and see what works
for you. The smoothie is great without it, too, so don't feel like you
have to include it. This recipe makes a honkin' smoothie, so feel free to share... or not! As always, remember to buy locally and organic when possible.
3-4 big handfuls of your favorite
greens (i.e., kale, spinach, spring
mix) July
2009: Hippocrates' Cabbage Salad I have been obsessed with
cabbage
lately. I've been
craving its crunch, its lovely sweetness, the way it marries
beautifully with so many other flavors... Ah, cabbage! I got so excited
a few months ago when I discovered that cabbage not only came in green
in purple, but savoy! A curly cabbage! Wow! So, what's so great about cabbage,
anyway? And
why would I be craving it so much this month? Well, I did some research
and found out that cabbage is loaded with vitamin C, which I knew, but
it is also high in glutamine. Now this is interesting because
glutaminde is a fabulous anti-inflammatory. About a month or so ago, I
overexerted my right knee and it has since been a little swollen. I've
been taking it easy, upping my Jing herbs, and doing Reiki. But I've
also been eating a lot more cabbage. My knee is about 90% improved.
Could it have been the addition of cabbage? I think about Hippocrates:
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Could I have
intuitively been feeding myself? Below is my most favourite of all
the cabbage
salads I've made this month. As always, rememer to buy locally and
organic when possible. ***
1 head of cabbage, any kind, cut
into large
shreds Throw all of this together and toss well. Serve immediately. Note: I've noticed that, because this is a dressed salad, that it doesn't have much staying power, so I recommend only preparing the amount you think you'll eat in one sitting. The recipe above is what I'd make for our family of 3 for lunch... just to give you an idea of quantity. June
2009: Banana Poppers and Various Ant Concoctions So, we found a compromise in
simplicity. Until
I get more comfortable - and this is all about me, by the way - Mo can
create anything she wants as long as it doesn't involve using a piece
of machinery unsupervised. She can use any of the dried or fresh
fruits, any of the dried or fresh vegetables, or any of the nuts,
seeds, or nut or seed butters. Needless to say, she's gotten really
creative. Below are a few of my favourites. Banana
Poppers Ants
on a Raft Ants
on a Log When I was a kid, my mom used to
make Garbage
Soup.
She'd
take a big pot and fill it with lots of leftovers, a few cans of
tomatoes, ketchup (yes, ketchup), and some frozen veggies. This would
ultimately end up as soup. My husband has this talent, too: turning the
odd conglomeration of foodstuffs into something yummy and filling. The other day Mo was making her
version of
cereal. I watched her grab a large bowl and prowl through the cabinets
looking for ingredients. After filling her bowl with the most bizarre
concoction, she proceeded to dump a hefty portion of raw almond mylk
over it, shove a spoon in, and chow in total bliss. So... I had her
make me a bowl... and it was amazing! The nutrition for this recipe is
going to be as
varied as the ingredients. For my base, I always start with oats.
They're high in protein, iron, and fiber, and keep me filled up and
energized for the morning. I also like to chock my cereal with lots of
different superfoods for that extra boost. Chia seeds, goji berries,
and mulberries taste fantastic together! As always, try to buy organic,
fair-trade, and/or locally grown fruits and grains when they're
available. *** raw oats
The other day I opened my freezer
and found a
bag of frozen tomatoes. Now we don't normally freeze tomatoes, so I was
perplexed. After much questioning, no one would own up to the deed. I
was thinking that I'd lost the tomatoes, that I'd have to compost my
frozen friends. But my friend Benny convinced me to try to find some
way to use them. And so this salad dressing was born. When life gives
you frozen tomatoes... Pine nuts, also known as pignoli,
are the
edible seeds of pine trees. Most people are familiar with these nuts
because of their common use in pesto. In the raw food world, the fats
in this nut are relied upon for the creaminess they lend to certain
blended dishes. Pine nuts are loaded with lots of good fats, some
protein, and manganese. Garlic is a fantastic immune-builder. It is
known for its antibiotic properties and has been used to treat acne and
repel insects! Pile on the garlic! And let's not forget my poor frozen
tomato. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins C and A and are also high in
lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. As always, try to buy organic and
locally grown foodstuffs when they're available. *** Throw everything in a Vitamix
and blend until creamy, adding more water as necessary. Serve
immediately over your favourite green salad or use as a veggie dip.
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 2 days.
March
2009:
Strawberry Pudding My
daughter and I are always trying to find ways to incorporate more
desserts into our days. With raw vegan foods, it's easy! We've had
apple pie for breakfast! We've even had ice cream for lunch! But the
cool thing is how quick and easy it is to prepare these dishes. This
recipe takes about 3 minutes to make. Really. I know some of you are interested
in
nutritional value, too, so I'll give you some info on that. The good
fats in avocados give this pudding its wonderful creaminess. Avocados
also have the highest fiber content of any fruit - which I think is
totally neat. Who would have put avocados and fiber together? Bananas
are loaded with potassium, of course, but they also pack in the fiber
and protein. Some yoga practitioners even believe that bananas increase
humility and calmness. Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C,
folate, and calcium. One cup of strawberries only has 50 calories! As
always, try to buy organic, fair-trade, and locally-grown produce when
possible. 1 avocado, pitted and peeled Throw everything in a Vitamixin
the order given and blend until creamy. A food processor may also be
used, but you may have to do a little more work to get it moving around
well. Serve immediately as is or top with dried coconut flakes, cacao
nibs, or goji berries. Why can't Brussels sprouts be
eaten raw?! Everyone seems to have a story
about how
someone they know maimed the poor sprout by cooking it. Brussels
sprouts have become a running joke in this culture. So what about
eating them raw? Besides being incredibly adorable,
Brussels
sprouts are high in fiber, vitamins A and C, and folic acid. Some
believe they help protect against colon cancer. They are of the
cruciferous family (think broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage), so if
you're sensitive to these types of vegetables, maybe you should start
with a small portion. As always, try to buy organic and/or
locally-grown produce when available. 3 c. Brussels sprouts, julienned Throw everything into a big bowl.
Toss and
serve immediately. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container
for up to 2 days. Always stir before serving. |
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on this website were lovingly crafted by Hope Leigh Becker. The logos for Rite Food and Company and its subsidiaries were created by Christine St. Pierre of Blue Wolf Design.
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