Antioxidant Jam

Antioxidant jam:

Yummy over oatmeal or Ezekiel toast.

makes a heaping cup of jam:

1 cup mixed berries (I used mostly black currants and some raspberries)
...
7 midsized dates, pitted (if using medjool dates 4-5 will be enough)

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

11/2 tsp Nordic Superfood mix(whole foods)

 

1. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend thoroughly.

Coconut Crunch Almond Meal Pancakes

   Thanks Serena
 
Ingredients:
3/4 c almond meal
1 egg (or vegan egg substitute)
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp coconut oil  
1 tbsp sliced almonds
1 tbsp shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
 
Mix everything together. heat pan to medium. pour batter into pan and cook pancakes till one side is brown and edges are bubbly, then flip. Enjoy topped with fresh berries, bananas or nut butter. (you should double recipe for a family) Enjoy!!

Cherry Cacao Energy "Bombs"

Thank you Jodi!!

Ingredients:

1 C. dates (sometimes a bit more to achieve proper consistency)
1 C. dried cherries (any dried fruit will do)
1/3 C. nuts (walnuts are my fave, but any will do)
1/3 C. pepitas (only because I had them)
1/3 C. organic raw cacao powder

Process dates first until a gooey mess. Then add other ingredients and process for a bit until it all forms into a ball. May take a bit of time and may need to add more dates.

Press into a dish (lined mine with parchment paper so they didn't stick) at your desired thickness. Put in fridge for approx. 30 minutes. Then cut into bars, squares, hearts, whatever. I store mine in a container separated by parchment paper in the fridge.

Roasted Veggie Primaverde

This recipe is from a dear friend of mine Margherita Stutz.  She gave my husband his first job out of college at a bank and subsequently hired me at a different bank several years later.  She is such a beautiful kind, nurturing woman, and EXCELLENT business woman and leader.  A true role model  for anyone, I love her!
This is a super easy recipe that will leave you feeling like a superstar italian chef.  Its sooooo yummy and so easy.  Lots of hands off time which I like with two littles running all over the place. 

To save time try chopping veggies earlier in the day or on Sunday before the week begins.

 Put any veggies you like in a large roasting pan with some minced shallots and garlic (when I made this I used 2 shallots and 6-7 cloves garlic) (I like broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, carrots, squash, and brussels sprouts mine)*. Toss with salt pepper and olive oil. I add red pepper. Flakes. But that might be too spicy for kids

 Halfway through roasting add grape tomatoes. 

While the vegetables are roasting prepare whole wheat pasta of your choice.  Reserve some pasta water for the sauce.

After all vegetables are roasted to your preferred doneness toss with wholewheat pasta and add back in some of the reserved pasta water to make a sauce. Top with a little extra olive oil and toasted pine nuts. A sprinkle of parm is good if you eat diary, or vegan parm if you don't!  Here's a recipe for vegan parm that I have made and I love (martina)

Cook your pasta a little underdone, then add it to the roasting pan or skillet that you cooked your vegetables. Add a little of the starchy pasta water and cook the veggies for a minute or so. The starch in the cooking water, coupled with the olive oil makes a sauce. If you want more flavor you can always add vegetable broth with the cooking water.

*If you like your vegetables al dente add them in the oven in the order of how long it takes them to cook so that the more fragile vegetables don't get overcooked.

Medjool Date Syrup

I have been looking for a way to make a syrup from medjool dates, but wasn't quite sure how to go about it.  Enter the lovely Ashlae at Oh Ladycakes.  This is a lovely simple recipe that I modified only slightly.  This syrup is so delicious I dare you not to eat it with a spoon!

What you need:
8-9 medjool dates
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Place the dates in the warm water and allow to soak for 30 minutes*

Place dates, water, and lemon juice in your blender and blend until smooth.  Transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Makes a little more than a cup.

*modification, recipe originally called for dates to be soaked in separate water and then drained and added to the blender with new water, but I found that for baking purposes you may want a little extra sweetness.

This syrup can be used for anything really yogurt, oatmeal, waffles and pancakes, or in baked goods.  Be aware that when substituting a wet sugar for a dry one you may need to add more flour to balance it out.

Try adding in vanilla or cinnamon or nutmeg or all of the above!!!!

Cheesy Cauliflower Bites

Cheesy Cauliflower Bites  Thanks Serena!

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 tsp of garlic salt
• 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast.  *You can add a little more if you want them extra "cheesy" 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and clean the cauliflower. Cut off and discard the stem. Cut the cauliflower up into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic salt and nutritional yeast. Add the cauliflower pieces and thoroughly coat each piece.
4. Place cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  If you want to add a little more "cheese" sprinkle it on top at this time.  Bake for one hour and turn 3 times during cooking until each piece has a nice brown coloring. The browner and more caramelized they are the better.
5. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Alexa

Almost Raw Peanut Butter Cookies with Cacao Nibs

Original Recipe from La Mesa which is a beautiful blog with lots of yummy recipes!  These "cookies" changed my life.  I've always been a HUGE peanut butter cookie fan and this tastes exactly like peanut butter cookie dough except no butter, sugar, or flour!  

Fair warning, these are MAJORLY addictive and you should plan to have lots of people to give them too so that you don't sit and eat the whole batch.  (I've never done that I swear)

1 c raw almonds
1 c pitted medjool dates
1/2 - 3/4 c peanut butter or raw almond butter or a combination of both
1 tsp plus an extra splash vanilla extract
sea salt to taste (if your peanut butter has salt you may not need this)
about a handful of raw cacao nibs (optional)

Chop up your almonds to a fine grain with a food processor.  Add in your dates, vanilla and salt if using and blend until a cookie dough consistency.  It will be crumby but when pressed together it should hold its shape well.  If it doesn't, then add more nut butter.  Once you have the consistency you like put the mixture in a bowl and mix in the cacao nibs if using with your hands to distribute them evenly.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls flatten slightly with your hands and cross hatch them with a fork like a traditional peanut butter cookie.  Store in the fridge for up to a week.

-Martina

Healthy Heart Green Smoothie

What you need:

• 1 1/4 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
•  Ice cubes
• 1 1/2 cups of spinach 
• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1 tbs of roasted flax seeds *they must be roasted for this recipe
• 1/8 cup date syrup 

Directions:Blend everything up in a blender. Enjoy!

LET US skip the LETTUCE salad :)

What you'll need:
2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 small limes, juiced1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil1 dried arbol chile or any small, spicy red dried chile, stemmed, seeded, and cut into rings1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:2 cups shredded peeled jicama (from 1 small jicama)3 medium raw beets, peeled and shredded1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated or thinly sliced

Directions:

Dressing: Mix the soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, chile, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Salad: In a large salad bowl, add the jicama, beets, and cucumber along with the dressing and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve cold.

Thanks Margherita Stutz :)

Hi, I'm Martina

Why I did it

Because for the last 10 years I've wanted to make a change like this but I lacked direction.  Since reading John Robbins "Diet for A new America" I've been floating between vegan and vegetarian but I've always relapsed for all sorts of "reasons" (family, peer pressure, convenience, etc.), but mostly because for me meat and dairy are an addiction.  But this past year I have said good bye to them for good.  I just cannot be a part of the animal cruelty that takes place in the food industry today and I don't want to live in a state of apathy.  I don't want to set that example for my children.

But it wasn't just meat and dairy I wanted out.  Since my oldest son Owen started solids I began to really notice how much sugar he was potentioally exposed to.  It was shocking to me how products that were marketed specifically to babies and children could contain added sugar!  I tried to limit sugar as much as I knew how, but it creeps in everywhere and before you know it it is in everything:  your coffee, oatmeal, peanut butter, tea, marinara sauce, yogurt, etc.  And that doesn't include the things we designate as "sweets". 

To cut out all sugar seemed impossible to me, and I was frustrated.  So when Alexa and Stephanie asked me if I wanted to do a "shred" with them, I said yes before I even knew what it entailed.  When I first started, I'll be honest, it was about losing that remaining belly fat.  But within a few days my inner conscience was awakened and I realized what an amazing opportunity I had in front of me.  I could finally take control of my family's diet in a real and profound way and teach my children what food really is and how to eat health and whole. 

And that excited me, because I love food and the closer it is to its natural state the more beautiful it is to me.  To me there is no greater way to express my love for my family and those around me than to cook or bake for them.  And when I am able to accomplish that and have it be something that is not only delicious and satisfying but also nourishing and healing I feel as if I am pouring my love directly into them, and I love that!

It hasn't been easy.  I remember as soon as I told my husband, the first thing he said was "What about coffee?", and I realized I hadn't even considered that I would have to give up my creamer.  It can seem extreme to the "normal" way of living, but really what is "extreme"?  Maybe the "normal" and accepted way is truly extreme.  Sugar, HFCS, and artificial sweeteners are directly linked to all sorts of very serious health problems which begs the question, why on earth are they in nearly every processed food offered in a grocery store.

So if you ask me why I'm a part of this my answer is for my children.  And for my husband, r myself, and for a future where the food industry cares about the health of the people consuming their products.  I feel now as if my eyes are wide open.  I'm awake, and I'm excited and I'm here to learn more, to help others and to be a small part of the change I would like to see in this world.  Even a drop in the bucket makes a difference.  I'm Martina, thank you for allowing me to take part in your journey!  Welcome, xoxo.

Hi I'm stephanie ...

So why? Why did I chose to eat this way? Why did I chose a way of life that my parents and some friends just don't understand? Why did I chose to make it incredibly more difficult to make meals for myself and my family? Because for me... it's MY truth. A friend at one point quoted this to me, "To believe something and not live it, is dishonest" It resonates every morning when I wake up... I became vegan about 7 years ago. I missed cheese and sometimes would certainly indulge, but as far as meats and eggs go, I never looked back. Once I learned the truth about slaughtering, it disgusted me how most animals were treated before, and during the butchering process. That to me is my truth. Then my research continued... I can't make any argument why processed sugar or much less processed ANYTHING is good for you. I believe that plant protein exceeds any animal protein in the reconstructive nature and nourishment to our bodies. I believe in whole food eating. Everything that nature provides, fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes are all amazing for you and put on this earth to nourish our bodies. I just can't contain my passion for cooking and baking things that are GOOD for me, that heal and restore my body. And now that I have a family, it is absolutely my responsibly to feed them what I know will benefit them, and keep them away from the things i've learned that can harm their bodies. I understand that my way of eating is extreme and very different from the way most people in this nation eat. However, I now look back at the way I had eaten before and find that way more extreme and risky. When I started this 'shred' with Alexa , Martina and Alaina we had NO idea that just maybe our little voice was going to make a difference. I'm not a nutritionist, I don't have a background education in it (besides a few nutrition classes), but I've spent hours and hours reading books, searching the Internet, and watching documentaries to satisfy my knowledge for REAL answers and understandings of how to feed my body best. You are totally welcome to all my knowledge, and I'm always open to learn what you know. This is my truth. This is my passion and this is WHY I made this choice. To me sharing this with even just one person feels like I'm changing the world. Welcome, I'm stephanie. (photo credit: livelovedphotography)

A seriously delicious brownie that's good for you??

Okay, here is the best thing you might ever taste.  I discovered these last summer when I was trying to eliminate as much sugar from my diet as possible..  Before the shred and the community and my life was enhanced for the better, you get the picture.

The original recipe is from My New Roots which is a fabulous blog for lots of fun recipes and especially yummy raw desserts.

The Raw Brownie

2 c whole walnuts
1 c pitted medjool dates
1 c chopped raw unsalted almonds
1 c raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

1.  chop up walnuts in your food processor until they are like cake crumbs.  Add raw cacao and salt and mix until thoroughly combined.
2.  add dates one at a time while running your food processor.  The resulting mixture should be like a very moist bowl of cake crumbs.  Maybe a little crumbly but should hold together if you press it.

3.  put mixture into a bowl and add chopped almonds.  Use your hands to incorporate the almonds into the brownie mixture

4.  press mixture into an 8x8 pan and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before cutting.  Cut and store in air tight tupperware with parchment paper between layers for up to one week (mine never have lasted that long!)

Enjoy,
Martina