Thai Coconut Bliss Soup

Oh my goodness this soup is delicious!  When I make a raw dinner for friends I often start with this soup, then serve Thai Veggie Wraps and finish with the Coconut-Hazlenut Chia Pudding.  Yummy!

I've found this soup will also freeze well - just freeze the marinated mushrooms separately.  This recipe comes straight from one of my favorite raw info/uncook books: The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose.

Makes about 5 cups serving 2-5 people depending on how much of a meal you make it :)

Marinated Mushroom Topping
1 Cup Shiitake Mushrooms thinly sliced
3 Tbsp Fresh Basil chopped
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1 tsp Sun Fire Salt (or less - add salt to taste)

Place all ingredients in small bowl and mix well.  Set aside (or refrigerate if making far in advance of eating).  The mushrooms will "melt" or shrink as they marinate.  Note: I often double the recipe for the topping because I love the mushrooms so much.

Soup
Meat of 3 Young Coconuts
1.5 Cups Coconut Water (or add a bit more for a thinner soup)
1 Tbsp Ginger minced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
4 Dates
1 Tbsp Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce)
1 clove Garlic

Blend all ingredients in high powered blender (I use a Vitamix) until smooth.  Pour into bowls and scoop marinated mushrooms on top.

I serve this soup at room temperature - it's a very creamy, warming soup.  You can refrigerate it for a bit under a week or freeze it for months.  Just blend the soup again when you're ready to serve.

Tip: I've found the meat of young coconuts frozen without additives (you have to read the labels closely) at my local Asian market in their frozen food section. You can also get 100% young coconut water in juice box form at Whole Foods and other natural grocery stores (and at Asian markets).  This could save you some of the work of opening young coconuts if you can find these sources.  Though it's also a lot of fun to whack the heck out of the coconut. :)

Enjoy!

Savory Fiesta Mole Smoothie

Do you like V8?  Or another version thereof?  I think I've got something you'll really like.  I've created this savory smoothie that uses our yummy Fiesta Mole raw superfood mix and it's super-delicious.

Here's the recipe:

In a Vitamix or other high-powered blender add these ingredients:

2 Tomatoes (about 2 cups)
2 Celery Stalks
1 Granny Smith Apple (or other tart apple) quartered
2 Tbsp Fiesta Mole Mix
2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Cucumber (optional)
Ice as desired for a chilly drink (optional)

Blend on high until smooth. Just like the Boutenko-Style Green Smoothies, this smoothie can last for about 3 days in the fridge or otherwise kept cold.  You can also play with the ingredients ... we're experimenting with adding cucumbers in since we have so gosh darn many of them from our garden right now.

We just tried the cucumber in the smoothie at our raw food dinner tonight and it was scrumptious!  Made for a delightfully refreshing smoothie!

If you don't have a high-powered blender I suggest you cut the ingredients into smaller bits (and core the apple). You might have to blend it longer than you would in a vitamix, but it should still work out great.

Enjoy!

Green Smoothies Boutenko Style

Dan and I went to see Victoria Boutenko and her kids talk when they were in Dallas/Fort Worth this last year.  I really like them.  They've got great information and their green smoothie concept/recipes are awesome!

I encourage you to check them out directly for all the details behind why this style of green smoothie is so great:  http://www.rawfamily.com/

In a nutshell, or an apple seed, here's why this style of smoothie works so great:
1. They taste great.  It might look green, but all you taste is the sweetness of the fruit. YAY!

2. The ratio of 60% ripe fruit with 40% leafy greens is optimal for humans

3. Blended foods are easy for your body to digest.

4. Green smoothies are a complete food (as compared to juices) because they have all the fiber which is important for your elimination system.

5. Green smoothies are really easy to make (especially with a Vitamix) and way easier to clean up after than juicing!

6. Green smoothies can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days (fresh pressed juices are only good for about 30 minutes).

OK, enough singing praises, here is the basic principle recipe:

• 2-4 fruits or about 3 Cups.
  For the Vitamix I suggest you cut fruit into quarters (keep the seeds in apples and the like, remove pits from peaches and the like).
• 1 large handful of green leaves.
  This is usually 5 large leaves.  Don't use roots - the value here is in the minerals and chlorophyll in the green leaves.
• 2 cups water or liquid.
  I love using young coconut water.

In a  Vitamix you can add all these ingredients whole.  For a less highly powered blender, you may want to cut out the seeds of the fruit (like core the apples and pears) and chop things into smaller bits in order to help your blender along.  Blend until smooth.  Optionally add ice if you'd like it cold.  Sip and enjoy!

Here are some of the recipes I particularly like:

1 apple quartered (or 2 if small)
1 pear quartered
1 handful of Kale leaves (about 5 leaves)
2 Cups young Coconut Water

1 mango (no pit)
1 sweet apple quartered
1 handful of carrot tops
2 Cups Water or Coconut Water

2 peaches (large)
1 handful of spinach or lettuce leaves
2 Cups Water

2-3 apples (mix varieties)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 handful of Kale leaves
2 Cups Water

2 Cups blueberries
1 handful parsley (or mix parsley and lettuce)
2 Cups Water

As you can see, the possible recipes are endless.  The key is to keep mixing up which fruits and veggies you use so that you get a good variety.  Variety is important in your diet, especially when it comes to greens which have alkaloids that can build up in your system if you eat the same raw greens all the time.

If you'd like more recipes and all the research details behind Victoria's green smoothie discovery, check out her Green For Life book.

And in the meantime, start playing with green smoothie combinations.  Yummy!!

Goji Lemon Bars: Chewable Goji Lemonade

If you like lemon bars, or you like Goji Lemonade, I think you'll really like these Goji Lemon Bars.  This is an adaptation of Ani Phyo's Lemon Coconut Bars recipe.

I've clarified some of her recipe and added in goji berries.  It's pretty darn yummy.  Try it and taste for yourself!

This recipe makes about 12 bars in a 9x9 inch pan.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Almonds (soaked 8 hours and rinsed is best)
1 tsp Sun Fire Salt
1.5 Cups Dates
1 Tbsp Vanilla (or 1 vanilla bean - scrape the insides)
Zest of 1 Lemon (optional)
2-3 Tbsp Lemon Juice (juice one lemon or use juice from a jar which is way easier)
1 Cup Finely Shredded Coconut
2 Tbsp Goji Berries

In food processor, grind 1/2 Cup of the almonds until coarse.  Spread evenly across bottom of 9x9 inch pan.  (Tip: put the pan in the fridge or freezer to help this almond bottom set while you work on the rest).

In food processor, add remaining 1/2 cup of almonds and salt.  Process until finely ground - like a flour.  Add the dates, vanilla, lemon and goji berries.  Process until a dough-like consistency.  (Tip: you can add a little water or a little extra lemon juice to facilitate the processing, but you want it to be pretty thick dough).

Spread lemon filling on top of almonds.  The lemon filling is pretty sticky, so you may want to dollop the filling across the pan and use wax paper to press the filling in evenly across the pan.

Optionally, sprinkle with some additional coconut flakes on top and press in with wax paper.

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting into squares and serving.

Ani says this will keep for 6 days in the fridge, but we've had some keep for more than a month in the fridge.  You could also freeze bars for longer storage and defrost them before eating.

Enjoy!

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

This is well worth watching to learn how sugar has infiltrated our processed foods and what it does to your body.  You can fast forward through the biochem details and still get the powerful message: stay away from sodas and processed foods.  Use natural sweeteners.

All About Chia Seeds - An Intro to Superfoods Part 7

Here's the last installment of our introduction to superfoods evening where we talk all about ch-ch-ch-chia seeds.  A great source of protein, Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's), fiber, and delicious as a pudding!  Enjoy!

All About Hemp & Hemp Seeds - An Intro to Superfoods Part 6

I love hemp!  I don't mean marijuana, I mean hemp and hemp seeds - an awesome superfood full of protein and void of any THC hallucinogen. Awesome stuff.  Watch this part 6 of our intro to superfoods to learn more ...

All About Coconut Products - An Intro to Superfoods Part 5

Here's part 5 of our intro to superfoods all about Coconut Products like Coconut Oil, Coconut Butter, Coconut Flakes, young coconut water, etc.  Watch and Enjoy!

All About Maca - An Intro to Superfoods Part 4

Here's Part 4 of our introductory session on Raw Superfoods. This one is all about Maca, a Peruvian root that enhances strength, stamina, libido and helps your body build hormones. Great stuff!

All About Goji Berries - An Intro to Superfoods Part 3

Here's Part 3 of our introductory session on Raw Superfoods. This one is all about Goji Berries, their superfood properties, how to identify good quality goji berries, and how to use goji berries in raw food recipes.

If you'd like a demo of our favorite goji berry recipe, Goji Lemonade, check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FosgSV...

Enjoy!

All About Cacao (Raw Chocolate) - An Intro to Superfoods Part 2

Here's Part 2 of our introductory session on Raw Superfoods. This one is all about Cacao (Raw Chocolate). Enjoy!

An Introduction to Raw SuperFoods - Part 1

As if you were there with us at Move Studio the other night when we introduced our audience to the yummy, healthy delights of Raw Superfoods, here's part 1 of our discussion. Stay tuned for more video parts about raw Cacao, Goji Berries, Maca, Coconut Products, Hemp Seeds and Chia Seeds.

Enjoy!

And here's the book I reference in the talk: