Super Salads

May 10, 2014 by

Salads now offer an amazing range of lettuce leaves, from deep red bronze leaf to soft, delicate butterleaf. They also offer nutrient rich kale, watercress, rocket, shredded cabbage, baby bok choy, delicate sprigs of herbs, Swiss chard, and spinach, and the more colorful the pack, or the darker green the leaves, the more nutrients they will contain. And, of course, it all adds up to a delicious range of flavors, textures, vitamins and essential minerals. Let the wonderful salad creations begin!

Use all organic ingredients.

 

Kale Cantaloupe Blackberry Salad

Ingredients:

One large head of curly kale, stripped from center leaf spine and chopped into small pieces,

One red bell pepper chopped small

One and one-half cup blackberries

One cup raw cashew pieces

One cup sweet pea sprouts

One-half medium cantaloupe cubed

One-half cup other sprouts (beet, broccoli, spinach)

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-fourth cup olive oil

Three tablespoons orange juice

One tablespoon Miso paste

Two teaspoons honey

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine kale with all dressing ingredients, toss well, and let sit in refrigerator for 20-30 mins. After kale sits with dressing, mix again and add all other salad ingredients except blackberries. Toss lightly. Add the blackberries just before serving to the top of salad and as a garnish in the middle. Beautiful1! This recipe serves 6-7 people.

Kale Orange Salad

Ingredients:

One large head of curly kale, stripped from center leaf spine and chopped into small pieces,

One-half each red and orange bell pepper chopped

Two oranges peeled and cut into chunks

One-half cup raw sunflower seeds

One-half cup celery chopped

One ear raw corn cut off the cob

One-half cup chopped green onions

Two Tablespoons raw sesame seeds, reserve one teaspoon for garnish

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-fourth cup olive oil

Three tablespoons orange juice

One tablespoon Miso paste

One-two teaspoons honey, if desired

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine kale with all dressing ingredients, mix well, and let sit in refrigerator for 20-30 mins. After kale sits with dressing, mix again and add all other salad ingredients. Toss lightly. Before serving, garnish with reserve sesame seeds. Beautifu1! This recipe serves 6-7 people.

Purple Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

One/half medium head purple cabbage chopped

One cup orange and red bell pepper chopped

One small cucumber cut into fourths lenth-wise and sliced

One-half cup raw sunflower seeds

One-half cup sweet onion chopped, if desired

Creamy Dressing:

One-fourth cup balsamic vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

One teaspoons honey if desired

One-fourth minced garlic clove

Pinch of black pepper to taste

One tablespoon raw cashews, (soaked and drained of water- if not using a high speed blender)

Combine salad ingredients. Combine all dressing ingredients and place in a blender. Process for one minute, then toss well with salad ingredients. Garnish with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. Serves 6-7.

Strawberry Kale Salad
Ingredients

2 bunches fresh kale leaves (chopped)

2 cups strawberries, cored and sliced

Three-fourths cups raw pumpkin seeds

One-half cup green onions chopped

One cup orange bell pepper (chopped)

One-half cup raisens or currants

Dressing

One-half cup apple cider vinegar

One-half cup olive oil

Six tablespoons fresh orange juice

Two tablespoons Miso paste

Three teaspoons honey

One-eight teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Wash your fruit and vegetables. Chop and slice the ingredients as needed. Combine all dressing ingredients, olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, Miso paste, honey, and pepper. Combine the chopped kale with the dressing, toss gently, and let stand for 15-30 minutes. Toss kale mixture again, then add all ingredients, except strawberries, and toss well. Place kale salad in a serving bowl or individual bowls and place sliced strawberries around the edge of salad. Serves 6-8.

Romaine Salad with Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

One large head romaine lettuce, washed and torn into pieces

One cup slices carrots

One-half cup raw cashews

One avocado cubed

One apple diced

One cup fresh homemade cranberry sauce (link to recipe for my sauce on home page)

Dressing:

One-eight cup olive oil

Juice of two oranges

One-fourth rice wine vinegar

One-fourth teaspoon no salt seasoning (ie Braggs Seasoning)

Directions: Combine all salad ingredients (except cranberry sauce) and drizzle with combined dressing ingredients. Garnish with a few one-half teaspoons of cranberry sauce dabbed around on each plate of salad. Recipe serves 5-6 people. Beautiful and festive!

Harvest Pumpkin Salad

Ingredients:

Two cups grated raw pumpkin meat

One-half cup cranberries (I used apple sweetened ones)

One-half cup raw pumpkin seeds

One-half cup raw pistachio nuts

Four cups baby spinach

Two cups baby arugula

Dressing:

One-fourth cup olive oil

One tablespoon maple syrup

Juice of one lime

One-fourth teaspoon ground sage

Combine salad ingredients and toss well with dressing ingredients. Garnish with a few pistachios. Recipe serves 5-6 people.

Cabbage Golden Beet Salad with Orange Dressing

Ingredients:

One medium head green cabbage

Two medium raw golden beets, peeled and course grated

One-half cup raw pumpkin seeds

One cup mild cucumber chopped (I used lemon cucumber with skins)

Six green onions chopped

One orange sliced for garnish

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-fourth cup olive oil

One medium orange, juiced

Two teaspoons honey

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients with all dressing ingredients, toss well. Add slices of fresh orange to salad plates/bowls for garnish. Enjoy! This recipe serves 5-6 people.

Raw Beet Salad

Ingredients:

Two medium beets, peeled and grated

Four large carrots grated

One apple chopped

One-half cup raw slivered almonds

Four green onions chopped

One lime sliced, for garnish

Dressing:

One-fourth cup olive oil

Juice of two navel oranges

Juice of two limes

One-half teaspoon ground coriander

One-fourth teaspoon Braggs no salt seasoning

Combine salad ingredients and toss well with dressing ingredients. Garnish with a lime slice. Recipe serves 5-6 people.

Mexican Green Salad with Salsa Dressing (party size)

Ingredients:

Six cups spinach

Six cups butter leaf lettuce

One cup orange bell pepper chopped

One half cup raw pumpkin seeds

One-half medium purple onion chopped

One and one-half cup cherry tomatoes in halves

One-half cup black beans previously cooked

One cup fresh corn cut off cob

One cup lemon or Italian cucumbers chopped

Two avocados cubed

One cup jicama cubes

One cup cilantro coarsely chopped, reserve a few leaves fpor garnish

Dressing:

One-half cup olive oil

Two fresh limes juiced

Two tablespoons pablano chopped chilies

One medium tomato

Three cloves garlic

Three green onions with tops

One-half tsp cumin

Pinch of black pepper to taste, (and salt if desired)

Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process well. Drizzle dressing over salad ingredients, excluding avocado, and toss lightly. Arrange avocado cubes around edge of salad and garnish with cilantro leaves. This recipe serves 10-12 people. Fantastic!

Arugula Salad with Naturtiums

Ingredients:

Five cups baby arugula

Four purple carrots sliced

One-half cup pistachio nuts

One half cup greens onions chopped

Two Haas avocados pitted, peeled and cubed

One half cup raw almond cheese cubed

Two navel oranges peeled and sections diced

Three tablespoons orange juice

12 – 14 Nasturtium flowers

Orange Dressing:

One-fourth cup rice wine vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

One teaspoon minced fresh garlic

Three tablespoons fresh orange juice

Pinch of black pepper and sea salt to taste

Prepare all salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients together. Drizzle dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently. Garnish top of salad with edible nasturtiums. Serves six happy people.

Zucchini Carrot Salad with Miso Dressing

Ingredients:

Three medium zucchini with skin, spiralized or shaved with a peeler

Four carrots spiralized or shaved

One-half cup dried cranberries (apple juice sweetened)

One half cup yellow bell pepper chopped

One half cup raw pecans chopped

One half cup raw sunflower seeds

Three tablespoons raw sesame seeds, reserve one Tbsp. for garnish

Miso Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

One tablespoons sesame oil

Two tablespoons Miso paste

Two teaspoons agave syrup

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Prepare all salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients together. Add dressing to carrots and zucchini, toss well and let sit for 15 mins. Toss zucchini and carrots again adding other salad ingredients. Serve on plates and garnish with raw sesame seeds. You can also add bean sprouts and chopped mint leaves to salad, if desired. I added these to the leftovers the next night and it was very tasty. Serves five people.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

Two small bunches baby spinach leaves

One cup fresh strawberries cut in chunks

One cup artichoke hearts chopped

One half cup green onions

One half cup pecan halves

One half cup sugar snap peas chunks

Strawberry vinaigrette dressing

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Three tablespoons fresh strawberry puree

Two teaspoons agave nectar if desired

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Prepare all salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients together, drizzle over salad right before serving, and toss gently. Garnish with a whole strawberry sliced and fanned out and serve. This is a tasty, attractive and nutritious salad. The recipe serves six people.

Spinach Strawberry Salad Variation Ingredients: Three cupfuls baby spinach leaves One cup fresh strawberries cut in slices One-half cup raw unsalted cashews One-third cup cubed tofu, marinated in vinaigrette   Dressing: One-third cup homemade plain yogurt blended with one-third cup cubed ripe mango meat. I liked this recipe as much as the one above for Spinach Strawberry salad. Very special tasting.

Pomegranate Kale Salad

Ingredients:

One small bunch kale leaves stripped from center spine and chopped

One cup yellow bell pepper chopped

One cup pomegranate seeds

One-half cup raw pumpkin seeds

One-half cup sweet onion chopped

Dressing:

One-fourth cup balsamic vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Two teaspoons agave nectar if desired

One-fourth minced garlic

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 15 mins. Add strawberries and mango and toss again right before serving. Garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Simply gorgeous. Recipe serves 5-6 people.

Arugula Beet Pecan Salad with Miso Dressing

Ingredients:

Eight cups arugula greens

One cup yellow bell pepper chopped

Three-fourths cup pecans

Three red beetroots steamed, peeled and chopped

One cup mild purple onion chopped

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Two tablespoons sesame oil

Two tablespoons Miso paste

Two teaspoons honey

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 15 mins. and toss again before serving. This recipe serves 6-7 people. (I like a large serving for my complete dinner) Enjoy!

Mango Cashew Kale Salad

Ingredients:

One medium head of kale, stripped from center leaf spine and chopped into small pieces,

One red bell pepper chopped

One cup grated or spiralized broccoli stalk

One cup raw cashew pieces

One-half cup sliced green onions

One red mango peeled and chopped

Dressing:

One-fourth cup rice wine vinegar

One-third- one-half cup olive oil

Two limes juiced

Two teaspoons agave nectar if desired

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients, except mango, and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 30 mins. and toss again before serving. Add the mango just before serving and toss lightly. You will love this salad! This recipe serves 5-6 people.

Mango Strawberry Kale Salad
This salad will dazzle your family and guests!

Ingredients:

One small bunch kale leaves stripped from center spine and chopped

One cup cucumber chopped

One cup sliced strawberries

One mango skinned, seeded and chopped

One-fourth cup currants

One small head bronze leaf lettuce

Two tablespoons raw sesame seeds for garnish

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Three tablespoons fresh strawberry puree

Two teaspoons agave nectar if desired

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients, except sliced strawberries and mango, and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 15 mins. Add strawberries and mango and toss again right before serving. Garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Simply gorgeous. Recipe serves 5-6 people.

Cabbage Kraut Salad
My husband said this salad was one of his very favorites of all my salads. The sauerkraut adds a delightful “zing”.

Ingredients:

One-half head green cabbage sliced into “slaw”

One cup carrots chopped

One-half cup raw slivered almonds

One-half cup raw pumpkin seeds

One cup chopped cucumber with peel

One small purple onion chopped

Two cups fermented purple sauerkraut (A quality name store bought sauerkraut could be substituted)

One-half cup dried currants

Dressing:

One-fourth cup rice wine vinegar

One-third cup organic plant oil

One teaspoon minced fresh garlic

Pinch of black pepper and sea salt to taste

Combine all salad ingredients and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 15 mins. and toss again before serving. This recipe serves 6-7 people.

Boby Bok Choy Salad with Miso Dressing

Ingredients:

Three heads and stalks baby bok choy torn or cut in pieces,

One carrot peeled into curls

One-third cup sliced raw almonds

One cup sliced criminis mushrooms

One-half cup diced green onions

One cup mung bean sprouts

One-third cup raw sesame seeds

One-half cup chopped sugar snap peas

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Two tablespoons sesame oil

Two tablespoons Miso paste

Two teaspoons honey

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients.

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently. Let salad sit in refrigerator for 30 mins. and toss again before serving. I saved out the sesame seeds and just garnished the salad plates with the seeds on top. Beautiful! This recipe serves 4-5 people.

Purple Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

One head purple cabbage sliced into “slaw”

One cup orange bell pepper chopped

Three-fourths cup raw slivered almonds

Five green onions chopped

One large crisp apple chopped

One-half cup dried currants

Sesame seeds for garnish

Dressing:

One-fourth cup rice wine vinegar

One-third cup organic plant oil

One tablespoons sesame oil

Pinch of black pepper and sea salt to taste

Combine all salad ingredients and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 15 mins. and toss again before serving. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired. This recipe serves 6 people.

Kraut Kale Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

Two cups home fermented purple cabbage sauerkraut

One medium head of red kale, stripped from center leaf spine and chopped into small pieces

One-half cup sliced green onions

One-half cup sunflower seeds

Two cups sliced strawberries

One cup orange bell pepper chopped

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Three tablespoons fresh strawberry puree

Two teaspoons agave nectar if desired

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients, except sliced strawberriess, and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 15 mins. and toss again before serving. Add strawberries right before serving and toss lightly. This recipe serves 5-6 people. Sweet crunchy, and tangy, really nice!

Blueberries Kale and Garden Greens Salad

Ingredients:

One medium head of red kale, stripped from center leaf spine and chopped into small pieces

One cup fresh or thawed-frozen blueberries

One-half cup sliced green onions

One large Gala apple chopped

One cup raw walnut pieces

Baby mixed green lettuce torn in pieces to cover each salad plate

Dressing:

One-fourth cup balsamic vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

Two tablespoons fresh chopped basil leaves

Two teaspoons agave nectar if desired

Pinch of black pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients, except baby salad greens, and toss well with dressing ingredients.

Let salad sit in refrigerator for 30 mins. and toss again before serving. Pile blueberry kale mixture onto fresh baby greens arranged on salad plates. This recipe serves 4-5 people. Delightful!

Carrot Nut Salad

Ingredients:

Eight – ten medium carrots, grated or spiralized

One-half cup celery chopped

One-half cup green onions chopped

One-half cup dried cranberries

One-half cup raw cashew pieces

One-third cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing:

One-fourth cup grapeseed oil

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

Ten fresh basil leaves chopped fine and a few leaves for garnish

One lime, juiced

One teaspoon agave syrup

Sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside. Mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all. Garnish plates or bowl with fresh basil leaves. Serves 4-5

 

Cabbage Kale Cashew Salad

Ingredients:

One med bunch kale, center spine removed, leaves chopped

One small head purple cabbage chopped

One cup chopped carrots

One cup chopped yellow bell pepper

One cup raw cashew pieces

Two Tablespoons sesame seeds

Dressing:

One-fourth cup olive oil

One-fourth cup rice wine vinegar

Three clementines, juiced

One lime, juiced

Sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all. Let sit 15 minutes to soften kale and toss again. Garnish plates or bowl with a slice of clementine. Serves 4-6

Broccoli Cranberry Salad

Ingredients:

Four cups broccoli tops

One-half cup dried cranberries, sweetened with apple juice

One-half cup green onions

One cup apple chopped

One-half cup raw pumpkin seeds

Three-fourths cup walnuts chopped

Dressing:

One-third cup olive oil

One-third cup rice wine vinegar

Three tablespoons plain yogurt

Sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all. Let sit 15 minutes to soften broccoli and toss again. Serves 4-6 beautifully!

Cabbage Kale Salad

Ingredients:

One-half head cabbage shredded into slaw

One-half med bunch kale

One-half cup celery chopped

One-half cup chopped carrots

One cup sugar snap peas chopped

One cup apple chopped

One-half cup raw pumpkin seeds

Three Tablespoons sesame seeds

Dressing:

One-third cup grapeseed oil

One-third cup rice wine vinegar

One fourth teaspoon chopped garlic

Sea salt to taste, if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all. Let sit 15 minutes to soften kale and toss again. Serves 4-6 very happy people. 🙂

Avocado Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

Three cups baby spinach

One-half cup yellow bell pepper chopped

One ripe avocado cut into cubes

One cup sugar snap peas chopped

One-half cup raw slivered almonds

One-half cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

One-third cup grapeseed oil

One tablespoons sesame oil

One-third cup rice wine vinegar

One teaspoon honey

One fourth teaspoon curry powder

Sea salt to taste, if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all. Serves 4-6.

Mint and Kale Salad with Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

Two med. bunches any type kale, leaves removed from heavy center spine

One cup mint leaves chopped, with a few whole leaves for garnish

One-half cup chopped mild onion

One cup yellow, or red bell pepper chopped

One cup carrots chopped small

One-half cup raw chopped almonds

One-half cup raw sunflower seeds

One-half cup currants

Dressing:

One-fourth cup olive oil

One-fourth cup grapeseed (or any mild plant oil)

One-third cup rice wine vinegar

One- two limes juiced

One-fourth teaspoon tarragon, freshly chopped or dry

Salt to taste if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat all. Set salad aside for 20 mins. to allow kale to soften, then re-toss. Serve on plates with two mint leaves and a slice of lime to squeeze over top, if desired. Serves 6 (or 3 if they eat as much kale salad as I do). 🙂

Simple Green Salad for One

Ingredients:

Two cups baby spinach

Two cups bronze leaf lettuce

One-fourth cup garbanzo beans

One-fourth cup raw cashews

Two tablespoons currants

Dressing:

One tablespoon olive oil

One tablespoon red wine vinegar

Braggs- organic no salt seasoning

Place all ingredients on a large plate as shown. Sprinkle vinegar, oil, and seasoning over the top and enjoy a light, healthy meal!

Serves 1 as a meal, or 3 smaller salads.

 

Sprout Medley Salad

Ingredients:

Four cups mixed vegetable sprouts (sprouts of red kale, broccoli, celery, cabbage, and dino kale)

Three cups baby spinach leaves chopped

One cup yellow bell pepper chopped

One-half cup raw almonds sliced

One-fourth cup raw sunflower seeds

One-third cup currants One cup garbanzo beans

Dressing:

One-third cup olive oil

One-third cup red wine vinegar

One-fourth teaspoon dried basil

One tablespoon water

Salt to taste if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle over salad and mix to coat all. Serves 6 guests.

Super Bowl Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

Five cups shredded cabbage

Four cups broccoli slaw or grated broccoli stalks

Three cups grated carrots

Eight green onions and tops chopped

One large red bell pepper chopped

Six tangerines peeled and divided into sections

One cup sliced raw almonds

Three-fourths cup chopped cilantro

One-fourth cup sesame seeds

Dressing:

One-third cup olive oil

One-third cup apple cider vinegar

Two tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

One tablespoon miso paste

Two tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Two tablespoons water

One teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Two teaspoons honey or agave

Two teaspoons minced garlic

Salt to taste if desired

Mix all salad ingredients and set aside, mix all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle over salad and mix to coat all. Set salad in refrigerator for 20 minutes, then toss gently again. Sprinkle with a few more almonds and sesame seeds for garnish and serve. Serves 10 guests.

Redbor Kale Waldorf Salad (no Mayo)

Ingredients:

One large bunch Redbor kale, stripped from large stalk and chopped

Two small Persian cucumbers, quartered and sliced

One large apple diced

Five celery stalks, halved and sliced

One-half cup raw walnuts in pieces Dressing:

One-fourth cup Balsamic vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

One cup raspberries, pureed

Two teaspoons honey

Pinch of black pepper, salt to taste

Puree the raspberries and pour through a sieve to remove seeds. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until blended. Pour dressing over chopped kale, massage well and set aside while you prepare the other salad ingredients. Massage dressing and kale again, add all other salad ingredients, and toss gently. This salad generously serves 6 people.

Crunchy Broccoli and Seed Salad

Ingredients:

Three cups broccoli and carrot slaw (spiralized), I buy Trader Joe’s Organic Broccoli Carrot Slaw

Two small Italian cucumbers

One cup red /yellow bell peppers cut in strips

One-half cup raw cashew pieces

One-half cup diced purple onions

One-third cup raw pumpkin seeds

One-half cup chopped sugar snap peas

Dressing:

One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil

One teaspoon Dijon mustard

Two teaspoons honey

Pinch of black pepper and sea salt if desired

Combine all salad ingredients. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until blended. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently. This makes a large salad and serves 8 people.

Spinach Date Macadamia Salad

Ingredients:

Six cups baby spinach leaves

Three fourths cup sliced pitted dates

One cup macadamia nuts coarsely chopped

One cup sliced carrots

Two avocados cut in large pieces

One and one-half cup sugar snap peas chopped

Dressing:

One-third cup red wine vinegar

One-half cup olive oil

One teaspoon honey

Pinch of black pepper to taste, pinch of sea salt, if desired

Combine all salad ingredients, except avocado. Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently. Place salad on salad plates and add chunks of avocado. This recipe serves 6 happy people.

Kale Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

One bunch kale torn off the center spine chopped small

Five cups baby spinach chopped

Three fourths cup diced red bell pepper

One cup currants

One cup diced mild purple onions

One cup raw pumpkin seeds

Three tablespoons sesame seeds

Dressing:

One-third cup rice vinegar

One-half cup olive oil

One- half teaspoon sesame oil

Two teaspoons agave syrup

One teaspoon finely chopped ginger root

Pinch of black pepper to taste, pinch of salt, if desired

Combine all salad ingredients.

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently. Let salad sit in refrigerator for 30 mins. and toss again before serving. Garnish with a few more sesame seeds. This recipe serves 7-8 people. Great for a party!

Spinach and Cranberry Salad by Jennifer Harris

Ingredients:

Three cups baby spinach leaves

One-third cup dried cranberries

One-half cup artichoke hearts sliced

One-half cup raw walnut pieces

One-half cup diced purple onions

One-half cup chopped orange bell pepper

One-half cup chopped celery

Dressing:

One-third cup apple cider vinegar

One-third cup olive oil.

One teaspoon Dijon mustard
Two teaspoons honey
Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk to mix. Set aside. Combine all salad ingredients and toss gently. Drizzle with dressing and serve. A really nice blend of flavors and colors. Fantastic! The recipe serves 6 people.

Organic quinoa salad with tomatoes, green onions, pinto beans, corn, and cilantro

Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is a good source of Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Manganese. It also is a high protein and low fat food.

Ingredients:

One cup raw quinoa (I used 1/2 cup white,1/2 cup red quinoa)

One cup fresh cherry tomatoes cut in halves

One-half cup steamed corn cut off the cob

One-half cup cooked black beans

One-half cup green onions, chopped

Three-fourths cup chopped cilantro

Three tablespoons lime juice

Three tablespoons olive oil

One-fourth teaspoon sea salt if desired

Cover quinoa with water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain water off and rinse quinoa again. Cook quinoa according to directions( 1 cup dry quinoa to 2 cups water or vegetable broth, cooked until liquid is absorbed). Mix the cooked quinoa with all other ingredients. Chopped avocados are also good in this salad, but I did not use them this time. This is another salad that is hearty enough to be a complete meal. The recipe serves 6 people.

Southwest Salad

Ingredients:

Three cupfuls baby spinach leaves or lettuce of choice

One cup fresh cherry tomatoes cut in halves

One-half cup steamed corn cut off the cob

One-half cup cooked black beans

One-third cup thinly sliced sweet onion

One-third cup sliced black olives

One-third cup grated carrot

Mexican vinaigrette dressing: (Mix equal amounts of olive oil, white vinegar, and lime juice. Add one-fourth teaspoon each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and a dash of pepper. One teaspoon of honey can be added if desired ).

Mix the ingredients together and serve. Corn tortillas or chips is good on the side too. This is one of my favorite salads and is hearty enough to be a light complete meal. The recipe serves 4-5 people.

Golden Beet and Artichoke Salad

This golden beet salad was very simple to make and the beets are sweeter than the red variety. Delicious!

Ingredients:

One medium head Romaine lettuce torn in pieces

One cup cherry tomatoes cut in halves

One cup marinated artichoke hearts diced large

Four fresh golden beets boiled in 1-4 parts vinegar to water, cooled, peeled and sliced

One-half cup Feta cheese or nut cheese

Combine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, sliced golden beets, and cheese in large salad bowl. Set aside. Combine in a small bowl one-half cup olive oil, one-fourth cup red wine vinegar, one tsp. salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste, and one-eight tsp. dry basil. Whisk well and pour over salad mixture. Toss gently to cover. Serves 6 people.

Veggie and Apple Slaw

This beautiful salad was a great way to use up some grated zucchini after making zucchini bread.

Ingredients:

Three cups organic broccoli and carrot slaw (mine- organic from Trader Joe’s)

Two cups grated zucchini

One-half cup each- red and yellow bell pepper diced small

One large apple diced

One-third cup raw sunflower seeds

Combine all ingredients in large salad bowl. Drizzle with Annie’s Organic Red Wine Vinaigrette or your favorite vinegar and oil dressing. Toss gently to cover. Simple and so yummy! Serves 6 people.

Avocado And Mango Salad

Ingredients:

Two tablespoons honey or Blue Agave

One teaspoon Dijon mustard

Two tablespoons rice vinegar

Two tablespoons light olive oil

One third cup Annie’s Light Mango Vinaigrette Dressing (this can be omitted and first 4 ingredients doubled)

Two medium mangos – peeled, seeded and diced Two avocados – peeled, pitted and diced

One large head curly leaf or romaine lettuce

One-third cup raw sunflower seeds

One large cucumber peeled, if desired, sliced

Four green onions chopped

Combine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces, sliced cucumbers, green onions, and sunflower seeds in large mixing bowl. Set aside. Whisk first five ingredients together and pour most of it over greens mixture. Toss well to cover. Divide greens mixture onto 5-6 salad plates, then carefully spoon on avocado pieces and mango pieces. Drizzle with a little more dressing and sprinkle with a few more sunflower seeds. Garnish with edible flowers if desired, like Nasturtiums. Enjoy! Serves 5-6.

Grilled Asparagus Salad (Full of vitamins and minerals; Vit. C, Vit. A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Potassium, Calcium)

Ingredients:

Two bunches asparagus

One-half cup dried cranberries or golden raisins

One cup yellow bell pepper diced

One small purple onion

One cup broccoli tops diced

One-half cup homemade mayonnaise (see Cucumber Boat recipe below)

One-half cup Annie’s Mango Vinaigrette Dressing

Cut tough ends off asparagus. Grill tender stems of asparagus with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cool and cut them into one inch pieces. Stir homemade mayo and Mango Vinaigrette dressing together and toss with all other ingredients. Marinate in refrigerator and toss lightly 2-3 times over 4-5 hours before serving. This recipe serves six.

Cucumber Boats

Ingredients:

Four crisp cucumbers, center cucumber sections scooped out and diced

One cup celery diced

One-half small purple onion diced

One cup red bell pepper diced

Three tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves

One-half cup Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe below)

One half cup plain yogurt

Homemade Mayonnaise: one egg, one half tsp. salt, one half tsp. mustard powder, two tsp. cider vinegar, one cup canola oil. Put egg, salt, mustard, and vinegar in blender with one fourth cup oil. Blend on low for thirty seconds, then open lid and drizzle in the remaining oil as it blends. Makes one and one fourth cup.

Pare the cucumbers, if desired, and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the centers (use a small paring knife and cut out one inch sections of the center), leaving the remainder boat shaped. Mix the ingredients with the Homemade Mayonnaise and yogurt, season with salt and pepper and fill the cucumber cavities with this mixture. Serve the boats on crisp butter leaf lettuce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Cut filled cucumber into one-two inch sections for serving. This recipe serves eight people.

Cashew Orange Bell Pepper Salad

Ingredients: One-half cup roasted or raw cashew pieces

One cup orange bell pepper diced

One-half cup sliced baby Italian cucumbers

One-fourth cup shredded Romano cheese

Three cups baby spinach or baby romaine lettuce

Combine all above ingredients and lightly drizzle with Lemon Parsley Dressing.

Lemon Dressing: One-half cup canola oil, two tsp. cider vinegar, juice of one lemon, one-half cup chopped parsley, one-half tsp. salt, one-fourth tsp. marjoram, dash of black pepper, Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until parsley is fine. This salad serves 6 people.

Red, White, and Blue Salad

Ingredients:

Three cupfuls butter-leaf lettuce

One cup fresh strawberries sliced

One cup jicama cut in pieces

One cup fresh blueberries

Sweet-tart vinaigrette dressing: three-fourths cup cider vinegar, one-half cup grapeseed oil, three-fourths cup sugar, black pepper and salt to taste. Shake all dressing ingredients in a jar. Mix the salad ingredients together and serve, drizzled lightly with vinaigrette. The recipe serves 6 people.

http://www.buttonshut.com

This salad page is dedicated to my Mother, Almeta.

Excerpt

Filed Under: Other

Super Fermented Delights

May 9, 2014 by

Beets Turmeric Ginger Sauerkraut

Ingredients

Use all organic ingredients. This kraut is a little zesty with the turmeric and ginger, but not too hot.

  • 1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped
  • 2 outside cabbage leaves to use as a cover in jar/crock
  • 1 large golden beet, grated
  • 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 inch medium turmeric root, chopped fine
  • 2 inch medium ginger root, chopped fine
  • 3 tablespoons sea salt

Directions

Prepare chopped vegetables, mix all together with the salt in a large glass bowl. Cover bowl of veggies with a cloth and let sit for 5-6 hours. Pack vegetables into a ceramic crock or 1/2 gallon glass canning jar, pressing down ingredients tightly. Place the outer cabbage leaves over the chopped veggies and brine to help hold all ingredients under the weight.  Insert a glass jar, plate, or other food safe weight into your crock to keep the vegetables underneath the brine and large cabbage leaves. Visually check the brine surface each day for signs of surface growth, and remove if any appears.  Check the vegetables after one week – they can continue to develop much further, but have a great taste right now, too. They are ready to eat after 10 days, but can ferment for 6 weeks for a more tasty and beneficial sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut keeps in your refrigerator for 6 months. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Jennifer Harris at  http://www.farmtofermentation.com/

Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

Ingredients

Use all organic ingredients

  • 1 small head of purple cabbage (somewhat evenly chopped )
  • 1 large leek ( white and greens)
  • 2 medium carrots, grated or thinly sliced
  • 1 medium apple, chopped or shredded
  • 1 golden or red beet, grated
  • 1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh dill top
  • 2 teaspoons Braggs Season Shake
  • 3 tablespoons sea salt

Directions

Prepare chopped vegetables, mix all together with the salt and spices in a large glass bowl. Cover bowl of veggies with a cloth and let sit for 5-6 hours. Pack vegetables into a ceramic crock or 1/2 gallon glass canning jar, pressing down ingredients tightly. Insert a glass jar, plate, or other food safe weight into your crock to keep the vegetables underneath the brine. Visually check the brine surface each day for signs of surface growth, and remove if any appears.  Check the vegetables after one week – they can continue to develop much further, but have a great taste right now, too. They are ready to eat after 10 days, but can ferment for 6 weeks for a more tasty and beneficial sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut keeps in your refrigerator for 6 months. Enjoy!!

 

 

Filed Under: Healthy Salads

Vegetable and Fruit Smoothies

October 21, 2013 by

Use all organic ingredients.

Veggie and fruit smoothies, or a combination of both, are a quick, nutritious, and delicious way to snack or enjoy a meal. All you need is a high powered blender, and the organic foods you want to use. Other things to add besides beautiful fruits and veggies can include nut milks, silken tofu, soy milk, coconut milk, coconut water, whole nuts and seeds, and endless other choices. It’s a fun, easy, and super healthy way to enjoy taking care of your body. Let’s get to creating organic smoothies!

Blackberry Blueberry Green Smoothie

One cup coconut water
Five large purple or green kale leaves
One cup frozen blueberries
One samll zucchini
One cup fresh frozen blackberries
One-half cup filtered water, if smoothie is too thick

Combine all organic produce in a high speed blender until smooth, then enjoy! Makes 20 oz.
 
 
 

Spinach Banana Cacao Smoothie

One-third cup raw cashews
Eight large spinach leaves
One frozen banana
One small apple, cored
One cup filtered water
One-eighth teaspoon cinnamon
One – two tablespoons raw cacao powder

Combine all in high speed blender until smooth and enjoy. Makes 20 oz. Divine!
 
 
 

Pumpkin Smoothie

One cup raw pumpkin meat, no skin, in 1/4 slices
One large ripe pear
One small apple, cored
One and one-half cup coconut water
One-eighth teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg
Cinnamon for garnish

Combine all in high speed blender until smooth and enjoy. (If using a lower powered blender, grind up the pumpkin and apple in a food processor first, then add to blender with other ingredients.) Makes 20 oz. Tastes like a pumpkin pie and is very filling for a breakfast or lunch.

 

Golden Beet Sprout Mango Cantaloupe Smoothie

1 cup cantaloupe
1 1/2 cups baby golden beet sprouts, or beet tops
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cucumber
1 mango peeled and seeded

Combine all in high speed blender until smooth and enjoy. Makes 20 oz. What a nutritional powerhouse!!

 

Berries and Bronze Smoothie

1 cup frozen olallaberries
1 1/2 cups baby or mature bronze leaf lettuce
1 cup coconut water
1/2 frozen banana

Combine all in high speed blender until smooth and enjoy. It just bursts with wholesome flavor!

 

 
 

 

Creamy Green Juice Mango and Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

Three-fourths cup strawberries with tops

One yellow mango peeled and pitted

One-half cup soaked raw cashews

One-half cup coconut water

One cup green juice (kale, chard, cucumber, apple)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend together until very smooth. Add a little more coconut water if smoothie mixture is too thick, or a few more berries if too thin. Truly divine!

 

 

Cocao Pudding Smoothie

Two cups spinanch
One half avocado, no skin
One and one-half cup coconut water
One cup frozen blueberriews
One-half cup frozen raspberries
Two full tablespoons raw cacao powder, or cocoa
(Add more coconut water or distilled water for a thinner smoothie. You can also add a teaspoon stevia if you like a sweet smoothie.)

Combine all in high speed blender until smooth and enjoy. Makes 20 oz. This smoothie has a very creamy, slightly thick consistency. It is dreamy!

 

Blackberry blueberry almond milk smoothie Blackberry Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

Three-fourths cup wild blackberries

One-half cup frozen blueberries

One-half banana

One cup almond milk

One cup spinach leaves

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend the ingredients together until very smooth. Add a small amount of water if smoothie mixture is too thick, or a few more berries if too thin. Enjoy! This smoothie is loaded with vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, iron, protein, and fiber.

Mango Mint Tangerine Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

One cup mango

Three small tangerines peeled

One cup spinach

One cup romaine lettuce

One cup mint leaves

One-half cup purified water

 

 

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Makes one 16oz serving. The mango and tangerine are a beautiful flavor combo with the mint and mild greens. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Very Berry Mint Smoothie

Ingredients:

One cup frozen blueberries

One cup frozen blackberries

Five leaves rainbow chard

One cup mint leaves

One cup homemade spinach apple juice

One cup purified water

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Makes one 16oz fantastic brain-building serving!

 

Mango Cucumber Smoothie

Ingredients:

One cup mango
One-half cup raw cashews
One cup apple spinach juice (homemade)
One cup spinach leaves
One small cucumber
One-half cup purified water
One frozen banana

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Makes one 16oz delicious serving.

 

 

Creamy Acai Blueberry Smoothie

One cup frozen blueberries

One and one-half cup spinach

One cup acai juice

One-half cup raw cashews( you can soaked in water for 1 hour, or not)

One-fourth cup purified water if mixture is too thick or add one cup ice to make this smoothie into Berry Ice Cream. YUM

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Makes one 16oz serving of creamy berry delight!

 

Pineapple Spinach Golden Beet Smoothie

Ingredients:

One cup golden beet pulp (left from juicing yesterday)

One and one-half cup coconut water

One and one-half cup fresh pineapple (with core)

One and one-half cup fresh spinach

One-fourth tsp. cinnamon

One-half cup ice

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Tastes like a Pineapple-Upsidedown Cake! Makes two 12oz servings.

New Year Smoothie

Ingredients:

Three cups spinach

One-half cup water

One peeled ripe persimmon

Four pineapple guavas

One peeled seeded orange

One inch piece peeled ginger root (more if desired)

One–half teaspoon cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend together until very smooth. Add a little more water if smoothie mixture is too thick. This smoothie is very creamy with a hint of warmth and spice. It contains an abundance of vitamins (all the B vitamins are covered) and minerals. Recipe makes one 16 ounce serving. Very satisfying!

Spinach Banana Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

One and one-half cup blueberries (I use organic frozen berries)

One cup almond milk

One cup water

One frozen banana

Four cups fresh spinach leaves

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend together until very smooth. Add a small amount of water if smoothie mixture is too thick. This smoothie tastes very little like a green smoothie (spinach), but it is loaded with amazing spinach nutrition. It contains Niacin and Zinc, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper, Manganese, and fiber. Kids will love this luscious smoothie! Makes two 12 oz. servings.

Carrot Mango Zucchini Tangerine Smoothie

Ingredients:

One Mango peeled and pitted

Three clementines

One small zucchini

One cup coconut water

One cup carrot pulp, or one med. carrot

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend the ingredients together until very smooth. Add a small amount of water if smoothie mixture is too thick. You will love it!

Persimmon Smoothie

Ingredients:

Two ripe persimmons

One cup almond milk, coconut milk or coconut water

Two carrots or one-half cup pulp from juicing

One small zucchini or one-fourth cup zucchini pulp

One-fourth teaspoon cinnamon

One-eighth teaspoon nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend together until very smooth. Add a small amount of water if smoothie mixture is too thick. This made enough for my lunch and a late afternoon snack. I LOVE persimmons!

Carrot Cake Smoothie

Ingredients:

One large carrot or one-half cup pulp from juicing

One cup almond milk or coconut water

One cup fresh pineapple (or pulp) with core

One-third cup walnuts, soaked in water 1 hour, drained

One-fourth cup coconut flakes

One-half banana

Four shakes each ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, or more to taste

One-half teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend together until very smooth. Add a small amount of water if smoothie mixture is too thick. Enjoy this delicious way to drink a piece of carrot cake!

Green-Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

One cup frozen wild blueberries

One cup almond milk or water

One head baby bok choy

One apple cored

One half cucumber

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend together until very smooth. Add a small amount of water if smoothie mixture is too thick. Delicious and so healthy! After you try this smoothie, leave a comment how you liked it.

Pumpkin Mango Smoothie

Ingredients:

Three-fourths cup organic canned or fresh cooked pumpkin

Three-fourths cup mango meat no skin

One-half cup almond milk

One small apple with skin

Three shakes of each; cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger spice. (I went back and added more cinnamon which I never get enough of)

Blend all the ingredients together and enjoy! This smoothie is loaded with fiber, over 10 g. vitamin A, iron, and vitamin C.

Filed Under: Salad Recipes

Special Recipes

February 22, 2012 by 2 Comments

These are some of my favorite recipes made from organic ingredients that are healthy, special treats!

Use all ORGANIC ingredients

Macadamias and Almonds in Dark Cacoa

Ingredients

One cup organic coconut oil
Two cups organic cacao powder
Three Tbsp. raw honey
One tsp. vanilla, if desired
Two cups raw nuts, I like raw: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or cashews
Pinch of sea salt if desired
Small amount of Grapeseed oil if making nut bark

In a bowl over a pan of water that was boiling, melt the coconut oil. Add next three ingredients and stir well to incorporate cacao powder. Remove bowl from hot water bath and stir in the nuts separately. Lightly spread grapeseed oil in mini muffin pan with a cloth. Spoon nut mixture into the mini muffin pan. Place pan in freezer for 30 mins. or refrigerator for two hours. Pop the Cacao nuts out of the muffin pans and enjoy.

If making nut bark, lightly oil a cookie sheet or cake pan. After adding nuts into the cacao mixture, spread all on the cookie sheet, allow nuts to stay close to each other to create a solid bark. Place in refrigerator or freezer for two hours or 30 mins. Remove from refrig and break into bite size pieces. What a great way to get your daily dose of organic coconut oil and antioxidants!

For a delicious alternative, stir in one-fourth cup date paste (processed into a paste) to the cacoa mixture when you add the nuts. It makes the bark or candies a little sweeter and rich tasting, with a softer texture. Yum!

One more very nice alternative for this recipe is:
Raw Dark Chocolates with Nuts, Seeds, and Coconut

Changes to the original recipe above is to substitute the following for the two cups raw nuts:
One and one-half cup raw cashews
One-half cup raw sunflowers seeds
One-fourth cup raw sesame seeds

Also, sprinkle the top of the chocolate with unsweetened coconut when it is in the muffin pans or other container, before placing in the freezer.
This is my very favorite variety for this recipe! Incredible!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Blackberry Cashew Ice Cream (non-dairy)

Ingredients

One and one-half cup cashews
Two cups fresh blackberries
Two Tbsp. agave nectar
One tsp. vanilla, if desired
About one cup coconut milk to cover nuts in processor

Soak cashews in filtered water for 1-2 hours. Drain cashews rinse and drain again. Place cashews in food processor or high speed blender. Add coconut milk to cover nuts. Add vanilla, if desired, and agave nectar. Process nuts until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes.

 

Spoon cashew cream mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze for 2 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

When cream is frozen, place berries first and then cashew cream “ice cubes” into the high speed blender. Add about 3 tablespoons of coconut milk. (I did not blend in this order and my blender started very slowly.) Blend berries and cream for 1-2 minutes until very smooth. Spoon into serving bowls or parfait glasses, garnish with a berry or a few. Get ready to enjoy this heavenly fresh Berry Ice Cream! Serves 4-5. Freeze any leftovers to thaw slightly and enjoy later.

 

Mango Ice Cream (non-dairy)

Ingredients

One cup cashews
Two red mango or four champagne mango
Two Tbsp. agave nectar
One tsp. vanilla, if desired
One cup fresh pineapple
About one cup coconut milk to cover nuts in processor

Blend fresh pineapple with a little water to make a juice mixture, set aside. Peel, seed, and cut mango into one inch chunks. Place mango chunks on a large glass dish or deep plate. Drizzle pineapple juice over mango and brush on top of chunks to cover fruit to preserve color while freezing. Place mango/pineapple chunks in freezer for at least 2-3 hours.
Soak cashews in filtered water.
When mango is frozen, turn it out onto a large cutting board and separate chunks. Drain cashews and place in food processor or high speed blender. Add coconut milk to cover nuts. Process nuts until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla, if desired, and agave nectar. Add mango/pineapple chunks a few at a time as mixture is processing. Use tamper tool to keep mixture blending evenly as it gets thicker. Add one additional tablespoon coconut milk if processor won’t blend last bit of mango.
Pour finished mango ice cream into serving bowls and enjoy! Fresh berries are also excellent with this treat. Any leftover ice cream can be frozen in a BPA free container to be enjoyed later. I froze mine in ice-cube trays, so I can pop out and re-blend with a little coconut milk tom get the fabulous creamy texture. You will LOVE this recipe! Makes four generous bowls mango ice cream.

Cranberry Oat Nut Bars

Ingredients

One and one-half cups organic oats
One-half cup oat flour
One-half cup each coarse chopped raw walnuts, raw almonds, raw sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds
One tsp. cinnamon
One-fourth tsp. nutmeg
One-third cup fresh ground nut butter (I used almond butter with flax seeds)
Three Tbsp. raw honey
One cup date sugar
Two Tbsp. coconut or grape seed oil
Two cups prepared cranberry sauce. ( Three cups fresh cranberries, one and one-half date sugar, four Tbsp. raw honey. Boil over medium heat for ten minutes. Set aside to cool.)

Combine first five ingredients together in a large bowl. Use one-eight tsp of coconut oil to coat bottom and sides of a 13 X 9 inch cake pan. Place nut butter, honey, date sugar, and oil in small saucepan and heat, stirring to melt nut butter to make a smooth consistency mixture (about 3-4 minutes). Pour hot mixture into bowl with dry ingredients. Mix together until dough forms large clumps. When mix can be handled, spoon about two-thirds of mixture into the oiled cake pan. Press down well with fingers and hands to make a condensed layer. Cook in 330 degree oven for 25 mins or until slightly golden on top. Take out of oven and spoon cranberry sauce onto bar layer. Crumble the rest of the oat nut dough over the cranberry sauce layer and cook another 25 mins at 330 degrees, until top is slightly browned.
Remove from oven, cool for at least two hours before cutting into bars. (Cuts better if completely cooled)
Makes 20 bars that everyone will love! My family and friends did!

 

http://www.buttonshut.com

Fresh Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients
One medium size pumpkin (I used an 8″ beauty)
Four cups vegetable stock
Three cups almond milk
One large onion, chopped
Six stalks celery, chopped
One-half pound mushrooms, chopped (I used shittake)
Three tablespoons olive oil
Two -three tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
One teaspoon ground cinnamon
One-half teaspoon ground nutmeg
One half teaspoon salt if desired
Braggs No Salt Seasoning for garnish

Cut pumpkin into halves and scrape out seeds. I roasted the seeds to snack on later, as I was preparing the soup ingredients. Cut cleaned out pumpkin shell into fourths, place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 45 mins at 350. If pumpkin has a thin shell, baking time will be less.
When pumpkin meat is cool enough to handle, cut off thin outer skin and cut pumpkin meat into 1″ cubes. Place pumpkin cubes, vegetable broth, Chopped ginger root, and almond milk in a large blender and blend until smooth in 2-3 batches. Pour puree into a large cooking pot. In a separate large skillet, saute chopped onion, celery, and mushrooms together with olive oil for 7-8 mins. Add the sauteed vegetables to the pumpkin puree, with cinnamon and nutmeg, salt if desired. heat gently and let simmer together on low for 8 mins. Serve in bowls with a dash or two of Braggs No Salt Seasoning, or a sprinkle of your favorite fresh herb. Serves 7-8 people.

Fresh Blackberry Tart

Ingredients
Pie filling:
3 cups berries, (blackberries, raspberries, ollalaberries, etc. )
3 tablespoons flour, wheat or partially wheat with other healthy alternatives such as coconut flour             2 tablespoons – one-half cup sugar

Crust:
1 1/4 C organic unbleached white flour
1 stick COLD organic pastured butter
1/2 t salt
2 T sugar (less if you like a more savory crust)
3 T ice cold water

For the crust: I put the flour into a bowl and mix it with the (probably 1/2 tsp) salt and sugar.
I take my one (1/2 C) stick of butter which is very cold (I even put it into the freezer for 10 minutes usually) onto a cutting board, and I cut the stick in fourths lengthwise, then dice it, to get little cubes. (I have made a habit of doing this because then you don’t have to use a mixer or a food processor.) With my hands I break the little cubes up into tiny pieces throughout the flour, evenly crumbling it. Then, I sprinkle in about 3 tablespoons of water from a cup that I have put water and ice into (the colder the water, the better!) and slowly press the dough into itself until it turns into a ball. When you can gather and press it into a ball, stop mixing and flatten it to approximately a 5 inch disc and put it into the freezer (if you want to use it soon) or fridge (if you will be using it tomorrow). I learned that the flakiness comes from the butter and flour not completely mixing, so it’s good to see “marbling” of butter and flour!

After the dough has firmed up for about 30 minutes, I roll it out to cover the dish I will be using. If your “innards” of your pie are not too juicy, you can make a free-form tart by simply putting the filling in the middle of this flat crust and folding the sides over so that they form a small lip. This is usually served in high end cafes and called “rustic fruit galette.” I call it “too lazy to make a nice pie crust,” but they taste the same.

For the filling, the recipe changes depending on the fruit. When you have something with a lot of natural pectin, such as apples, you hardly need to add any thickener to the fruit. For berries, I used about 3 Tablespoons of flour sprinkled over the fruit. The same rule applies for sugar. If you have a very ripe and sweet crop, you may use hardly any sugar at all. I hand picked and hand selected these berries and I knew that each one was very sweet. I only used about 2 tablespoons of sugar for my 3 cups of berries. If I were using mixed berries or fruit that had a tartness to it, I would increase the sugar to up to 1/2 cup for 3 cups of fruit.

Gently toss the flour and sugar into the fruit and pile it into the center of your pie crust. If you are not pre-baking your crust, I always dot the bottom of the crust with a fork before adding the fruit, or else you may find that the center actually rises and forms an air pocket under the crust. The last two touches (from my Grammy) are always to dot the top of the pie with butter and brush the crust with an egg or milk wash. I like the egg wash best.

For most fruit pies, I generally cook them for one hour at 425 degrees F.
This pie cooked a bit less than that (about 50 minutes) as it was a thin, open-face tart. Hope you enjoy making and sharing this fresh berry tart!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Gathering Wild Blackberries video

 

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roasted Veggies, Raw Pasta, and Quinoa

January 29, 2012 by 1 Comment

Zucchini Pasta and Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Ingredients-

Four medium (6-7″) zucchini spiralized, or ribboned with a vegetable peeler

One yellow bell pepper chopped

One cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for two hours and drained

Five medium cloves garlic

One cup fresh basil leaves

Juice of one lime

Sea salt to taste, if desired

One-fourth Braggs no salt seasoning

Two tablespoons olive oil

Two tablespoons filtered water

One-half cup fresh parsley or cilantro leaves

A few whole basil or parsley leaves for garnish

This dish should be made right before it is to be eaten, as the fresh basil begins to lose it’s beautiful bright green color quickly as it sits. First, spiralize or ribbon the zucchini and place in a bowl in refrigerator. Combine all other ingredients in a high speed blender and process for one-two minutes until smooth. You may add a little more water if mixture is too thick, but be careful not to get it too thin. Toss raw zucchini pasta with pesto mixture to coat zuchini well, garnish with basil leaves and enjoy. Serves 5-6.

Sprouted Quinoa Veggies and Oranges

Ingredients-

One cup sprout tri-color quinoa, cooked

One red bell pepper chopped

Three small leeks chopped

Two navel oranges, sections chopped

Sea salt to taste

One-fourth Braggs no salt seasoning

Two tablespoons cup olive oil

Cook sprouted quinoa 12 minutes. I like to pre-soak my quinoa for 30 minutes and drain the water off. In a separate saute pan cook bell pepper and leeks gently with olive oil for 5-6 minutes with seasonings. Add veggies to finished quinoa with oranges and gently fold all together. Garnish with orange slices. This is a very colorful and bright tasting dish, combined with a green salad for a full meal. Serves 5-6.

Roasted Eggplant and Vegetables

Ingredients-

Two medium eggplants chunky chopped

Two large zucchini sliced

one large onion chopped

Two cups chopped purple cabbage

One each red and yellow bell pepper chopped

Himalayan rock salt to taste

Four cloves garlic chopped

One-half teaspoon dried margaram

One-half teaspoon dried oregano

One-half cup olive oil

Add the first three ingredients to baking tray, mix up with oil, garlic and spices and bake for 25 mins at 390 degrees. Add bell peppers and cabbage , mix in gently and bake 20 more minutes. Serve warm or let cool and serve on a bed of fresh greens. Serves 8 happy people.

Video: How to make Raw Butternut Squash Pasta with Alfredo Sauce. (Sauce recipe in next video)


Filed Under: Other

Juicing Recipes

January 28, 2012 by 10 Comments

Vegetable and Fruit Juicing.

Juicing has many benefits for promoting good health, as well as providing an enjoyable practice to create delicious, nutritional drinks. Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables and fruits. Fresh juicing will help to “pre-digest” the nutrients for you, so you will receive most of the nutrition in the fastest, most complete, and efficient manner. Some people may find eating many vegetables in one day difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice. You can also add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet. Many people eat the same vegetables in their favorite salads each day. But with juicing, you can juice a wide variety of vegetables and nutrients that you may not normally be getting in your diet. Some people may be on a vegetable and fruit diet, with smaller amounts of carbohydrates at times. Juicing is excellent for vegetable and fruit diets.

Juicer machines come in many sizes and prices. I use a Jack Lalanne Power Juicer. It was less than $100.00 on amazon.com. This juicer has a large feed tube, is not noisy, is easy to clean, and creates very dry pulp. Dry pulp is important to insure the most nutrition and flavor is in the juice.
Juicing is fun, delicious, healing, and healthful, no matter if you are two or ninety two years old.

Use all organic ingredients.

Vegetable Apple Lime Juice

Ingredients:

Two large cucumbers, unpeeled

Four golden beets in chunks

6-8 zucchini

One bunch rainbow chard

One bunch carrots

Five green apples (not shown)

Juice of two limes or lemons

Wash all vegetables and fruits, then cut beets into chunks. Cut out the apple seeds and stems. Hard seeds do not juice. Juice the limes, as the peel is very bitter. (Some people like this flavor though. I use the juice of citrus.)

When all the vegetables and fruit are juiced you are ready to pour yourself and your family or friends some glasses of pure delicious nutrition. Juice is best when it is enjoyed immediately. It can also be kept in refrig in a sealed glass or BPA free jar for 2 days. I also freeze mine sometimes for a few days, but fresh is best! To your health and wellness!

Cucumber, Broccoli, Celery, Apple, and Lime Juice
one of my favorite recipes for vegetable and fruit juice

Ingredients:

Two large cucumbers, unpeeled

Two heads of broccoli with stalks

One bunch celery

Two limes

Five apples of choice

Wash all vegetables and fruits, then cut into chunks that can easily fit in feeder chute on juicer. Cut out the apple seeds and stems. Hard seeds do not juice.

After cutting vegetables into chunks, place your juicer on a large towel near your vegetables /fruits and turn on the machine. Place fruits and vegetables into feed tube and let juice run out of spout into a large bowl. I taste my juice mixture as I go along and modify the ingredients. If I want it sweeter or more tangy then I add more celery, or more limes. This recipe can be adjusted to individual likes. One noted quality of this mixture is the broccoli flavors are very subtle and mild. The juice is vibrant tasting with a slight sweetness.

When all the vegetables are juiced, you have sampled the juice and are happy with the flavor, you are ready to pour yourself and your family or friends some glasses of pure delicious nutrition. Juice is best when it is enjoyed immediately.

I also like to save what is not drank the same day into glass or BPA free plastic bottles and freeze for a few days. When you are ready to enjoy your juice, simply place a bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to thaw.

After drinking, sharing, or bottling the fresh juice, you can empty to pulp container out. I like to save my pulp, freeze it, and use it later in omelets, soups, or sauces. I spoon out any hard vegetable pieces I do not want to save and place them in the compost pile.

I hope you enjoy this juice recipe as much as I have and also share it with other friends. When I drink this vegetable-fruit juice I immediately feel energized, my mind feels alert, and my emotions feel balanced. This is pure nutrition releasing it’s power in your mind and body systems. Enjoy in good health!

Let me know how you liked this juicing recipe by leaving a comment below.

Pear Veggie Smoothie

Ingredients:

Six medium zucchini, unpeeled

Five broccoli stalks (I didn’t use the heads this time)

One bunch celery

Two limes

Five green apples

Five ripe pears

Wash all vegetables and fruits, then cut into chunks that can easily fit in feeder chute on juicer (except the pears). Cut out the apple seeds and stems. Juice all veggies and apples with one peeled lime. Set aside.

Cut pears off the core, including the peel, into a large blender pitcher. Add one cup veggie-apple juice and the lime. Puree all until very smooth.

Pour the pear puree into the large bowl of veggie apple juice and stir to blend. Serve yourself and your family or friends glasses of delightful, smooth, veggie fruit juice.

If you have leftover juice, store in glass or BPA free bottles in the freezer until ready to use. Thaw frozen juice in a bowl of luke warm water. Makes 6 pints of veggie-fruit juice. Really heavenly!

http://www.buttonshut.com
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Filed Under: Other

Dehydrated Foods

January 15, 2012 by 4 Comments

Use all organic ingredients for recipes

Dehydrating foods is an easy and convenient way to preserve nutritional foods you want to enjoy for weeks and months ahead. Dehydrated fruits and vegetables retain their nutritional value for several months when packed in airtight containers. The energy and sugars are concentrated in the dehydrated foods, so it takes less of the food to feel satisfied. Your home dehydrated fruits are better than the ones purchased in the store: they are less expensive, you know exactly what has been added (no sulfur) and you can package them in individual serving sizes you choose for you and your children.

Next time you are shopping and find a great sale on organic fruits or certain vegetables, buy enough to dehydrate and be able to enjoy for months. Dehydrators can be easily purchased in the range of $40.00 to $220.00. And, at the bottom of this page I share a link that tells how to dehydrate in your oven. Have fun dehydrating!

Raw Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

Two cups grated raw pumpkin, no skin

One half cup dark orange pumpkin membrane that surrounds seeds

One large apple cored

One-half cup coconut flour

One-fourth cup golden raisins

Two tablespoons raw honey

One teaspoon stevia, if desired

One-half cup chopped raw walnuts or other nut of choice

One-eight teaspoon each; nutmeg, cinnamon, and dash of sea salt if wanted

One or two tablspoons purified water or coconut water if needed for moisture

Grate pumpkin meat and set aside. In a high speed blender or food processor, blend the dark orange pumpkin flesh, apple, honey, stevia, and dates until smooth and completly blended. Add raisins and pulse several times to chop. Scrape mixture out of the blender and into a medium bowl. Add grated pumpkin, coconut flour, walnuts, spices, and sea salt if desired. Mix gently to incorporate all together. Mixture will be moist and will clump together. Drop tablesppon size mounds of pupkin cookie mixture onto dehydrator Paraflex sheets or parchment paper covered trays. Flatted cookie mounds with a fork so they are about 1/4 inch thick. Dehydrate for 10 – 13 hours at 105 degrees. Your house will smell incredible! Makes 3 – 4 dozen cookies.

Cheesy Garlic Kale Chips

Ingredients

(I like to make large batches of Kale Chips, but this recipe can be “halved” by using one-half all the ingredients and one bunch of kale.)

Two large bunches curly kale washed and spun dry

Two cups raw cashew, soaked in water at least 2 hours and drained

Two red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, cut up

Two lemons juiced

Two teaspoons agave syrup if desired

Two tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

One-half teaspoon cumin powder

Five cloves garlic peeled

One-fourth to one-half teaspoon sea salt (your preference)

One-third cup water or more for “thick soup” consistency

Blend ingredients together, excluding kale, in a food processor (Cuisinart, Vitamix, Omniblender, etc). Pulse machine to get mixture to blend up smoothly. Add additional water if needed to make mixture a “thick pea soup” consistency.

Set cheesy coating mixture aside. Remove curly kale leaves from large center spine and tear leaves into large bite-size pieces. I make my pieces about two-three inches across. They shrink in the drying process.
Place kale pieces in a large mixing bowl (I do about half the leaves at a time with half the cheesy mix, to get a more evenly coated leaf).

Pour the cheese coating mix over the leaves and massage gently into all sides of the leaves with your hands. When kale leaves are evenly coated on both sides, transfer pieces to dehydrator shelves. Place kale pieces in single layers. Dehydrate for 7-8 hours at 120 degrees until kale is very crunchy. When kale chips are dry and crunchy, use a spatula to transfer chips to air-tight containers to keep them crunchy. Recipe makes 3-4 quart sized containers full. They will keep for months. Of course, eat a few right away as they are simply irresistible!

Enjoy and share. People love Cheesy Garlic Kale Chips!

Sweet Potato Coconut Haystacks

Ingredients

Two large sweet potatoes peeled

One-third cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut

One-third cup raw almonds ground

Two tablespoons light olive oil

One tablespoon agave syrup, if desired

One-eight teaspoon each; nutmeg, cinnamon, and dash of sea salt if wanted.

sweet potato, coconut, ground almonds, oil, agave, and spices mixed together

Grate sweet potato (or spiralize) into a mixing bowl. Add finely shredded coconut and ground almonds, oil, sweetener, and spices. Mix well with hands or spoon. Mixture will be slightly moist and will clump together. Drop heaping teaspoon size mounds (“haystacks”) of sweet potato mix onto dehydrator screens, with a little space between mounds. Mounds can be slightly flattened with a fork so they are not too high to fit into dehydrator without getting smashed by other shelves.

After all sweet potato mixture is mounded on screens and loaded in dehydrator, set temperature for 120 and dehydrate for about 7 hours. Check after six hours, as dehydrator models heat differently. When Haystacks are crunchy and completely dry, gently remove from screens with a small spatula and store in layers in an airtight container. These will last for months in the refrig, or two months stored in container at room temperature. Makes 60-70 small haystacks. Delightful for snacking, as an appetizer, or a luncheon side.


Strawberry Mango Fruit Leather

Ingredients

Four cups strawberries, (I used frozen organic berries thawed for 1 hour)

Two small or one large tangerines, peeled

One and one-half tablespoon lime juice

Three mangoes peeled and pitted, or two cherimoyas

Blend all ingredients together, in a high speed blender, (Health Master, Cuisinart, Vitamix, Omniblender, etc). I did not add any water, but the thawed strawberries did included some juice. (I love my Health Master blender!)

Coat your Paraflex sheets, (or parchment paper) with a thin film of grape seed oil. Spread oil with a thin towel. Pour the berry mix over out onto Paraflex sheets into two inch circles. Flatten the mounds into four inch patties about 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. Dehydrate for 7-8 hours at 110 degrees until berry circles are dry to the touch. Turn fruit leather circles over onto regular mesh screens (using a thin spatula to loosen leather) and dehydrate another 45 mins. until dry on top again. Remove from trays and place in an airtight container. Fruit leather keeps at room temperature for 6 weeks or in the refrigerator for 6 months. Great idea to include with your Valentine goodies! <3

http://www.buttonshut.com

Seeded Veggie Pulp Crackers

Ingredients

Three cups vegetable pulp after juicing, (I used zucchini, cucumber, broccoli, rainbow chard, and carrots)

Three fourths cup raw pumpkin seeds

One cup raw yellow corn cut off the cob (I used some organic frozen corn as it’s not corn season)

Two tablespoons raw sesame seeds

Juice of two lemons

One-fourth teaspoon cumin

One-fourth teaspoon sea salt

One-half to one cup water as needed to get blender to process the mixture

Blend all ingredients together, in a high speed blender until mix is mealy looking but evenly colored (Health Master, Cuisinart, Vitamix, Omniblender, etc). Spoon cracker mixture out, in large squares or circles, onto Paraflex dehydrator sheets. Flatten the pulp mixture to one-fourth inch thick with the back of a large spoon. Or, you can lay a piece of parchment paper over the mixture and using a rolling pin to flatten the shapes to one-fourth inch thick. Take parchment paper off before dehydrating. Score the pulp mixture as in the photo, to be able to turn them over when surface feels dry to the touch.

Dehydrate the crackers for six-seven hours at 110′, until top side of cracker feels dry. Flip the crackers over and dehydrate the other side another one- two hours until completely crispy. Remove racks to cool for ten minutes, break crackers into pieces, and place in an airtight container. Crackers will keep for three weeks room temp. or five months in the refrigerator. I bet they don’t last more than a week or so! Makes enough for eight generous snack servings.

Blueberry Raspberry Fruit Leather

Ingredients

Four cups blueberries, (I used frozen organic blueberries thawed for 1 hour)

Two cups raspberries

One banana

One and one-half tablespoon lime juice

Two teaspoons agave syrup if desired

Blend all ingredients together, in a high speed blender (Health Master, Cuisinart, Vitamix, Omniblender, etc). I did not add any water, but the thawed blueberries did included some juice.

Coat your Paraflex sheets, (or parchment paper) with a thin film of grape seed oil. Spread oil with a thin towel. Pour the berry mix over out onto Paraflex sheets into two inch circles. Flatten the mounds into four inch patties about 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. Dehydrate for 7-8 hours at 110 degrees until berry circles are dry to the touch. Turn fruit leather circles over onto regular mesh screens and dehydrate another 45 mins until dry on top again. Remove from trays and place in an airtight container, (after you enjoy some fresh warm fruit leather, of course!) Fruit leather keeps at room temperature for 6 weeks or in the refrigerator for 6 months. This fruit leather truly sparkles with flavor, vitamins, and nutrients in your mouth! Great for lunch boxes!

Almond Coconut Mango Fruit Leather
(a variation of an earlier fruit leather recipe with mangoes)

Ingredients

Five ripe mangoes

One-half cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Four limes

One-half cup raw almonds ground

Juice limes over a screen (to catch seeds) into a small cup with a spout. Peel mangoes thinly, cut each one off the large seed and into a food processor or blender as you go. Drizzle cut mango with lime juice before peeling and cutting more mango. Do for all five mangoes.

Blend mangoes and lime juice until smooth. Add shredded coconut and ground almonds and process until mixture is smooth. Ground almonds should be in very small bits, but not ground into almond meal.

Spoon blended mango mixture onto dehydrator screens covered with parchment paper. I made 3 to 4 inch wide mango patties to be able to control the thickness of the mixture and make drying more consistent. I like this strategy, as opposed to a large layer of leather that is thicker in parts.

Turn dehydrator to 130 degrees and dry fruit leather for 8 hours. Fruit leather may need to be turned over to let other side dry for 45-60 mins more. Leather will be dry and not sticky to the touch when finished.

Peel fruit leather off the parchment paper and store in airtight containers. Layers of leather can be separated by the sheets of parchment when stored, if desired. I store mine without separating the layers. Fruit leather will keep in the refrigerator for a year or more, or at room temperature for 1-2 months.

Enjoy the rich, tropical, and chewy flavor surprise of this fruit leather!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Chocolate Kale Chips

Ingredients

One large bunch dinosaur or curly kale

One cup raw cashews soaked at least two hours

One-third cup agave syrup

One-third cup cocoa

Two tablespoons coconut or canola oil

One tablespoon vanilla

Three or four tablespoons water

One-third cup unsweetened coconut flakes, if desired

Wash the kale in cold water. I rub each leaf gently with my fingers on each side to get any hidden soil from the curly leaves. When kale leaves are clean, shake excess water off leaves and place them in a salad spinner, or dry leaves with a soft towel. I break the leaves in half before I put them in the spinner. They seem to get more dry that way. Remove the large center spine of the dry kale leaves by tearing the leaf off in bite size pieces. Set dry kale pieces aside and blend the chocolate coating ingredients.

Drain the water off the soaked cashews and add all the other ingredients (except the kale and coconut flakes) to a Vita-Mix or blender. Pulse the blender and alternately stir the mixture, to incorporate all ingredients and make it a smooth cocoa mixture. You may add small amounts of water if needed. Pour this mixture over the bowl of washed, de-stemmed kale leaves.

The best way to coat the kale with the chocolate mixture is to massage the sauce gently on all sides of the kale. Yes, your hands get all chocolatey. If you have children, they would love to help with this part!

When kale is evenly coated on both sides of leaves, transfer pieces to dehydrator shelves. Place kale in single layers, to dry completely. Dehydrate for 8- 10 hours until kale is slightly crunchy. If you want coconut on the chocolate kale, sprinkle each tray of kale with coconut flakes BEFORE dehydrating.

If you do not have a dehydrator, transfer chocolate kale to a cookie sheet sprayed with canola oil and bake at 300F for about 20 minutes. Flip, and bake for another 10 minutes, give or take. Be careful to not let the kale burn. You will be able to smell if it is burning.

Move the finished kale chips to air tight containers, but also serve some to friends and family while they are fresh. This is a delicious, decadent, and nutritious treat!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Dehydrated Mango with Coconut

Ingredients

Five fresh ripe mangoes

Two limes

One-fourth cup agave syrup, for a sweeter product (if desired)

One-third cup water

One-half cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Juice the 2 limes into a medium bowl, strain out any seeds or pulp. The lime juice keeps the fruit from turning dark during the drying process. Add the water (and agave nectar if desired) to the bowl. Set aside. Remove peel from the mangoes with a sharp paring knife, being careful to not cut deeply into mango fruit. As you peel each mango, cut the fruit away from the pit in bite size portions and carefully place them in the lime/water mixture.

When all the mangoes are peeled and cut up in the lime/water mixture, let them sit for 5 mins while you get your dehydrator shelves ready to load. After mangoes have all soaked in lime water, use a small spatula to carefully lift them out and place them on the dehydrator shelves. (Some people like to spray the shelves with a light organic spray oil first.) As each shelf is filled with mangoes sprinkle the coconut on each piece with your fingers. I have also made these and added the coconut into the lime water mixture at the end before putting fruit into the dryer. Both methods work great.
Dehydrate the fruit for 10 – 12 hours, or until the mangoes are dry to the touch and reduced in size. Transfer to airtight containers to store for the future, but enjoy some immediately as well!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Dehydrating In Your Oven

Here’s the method to dehydrate in your oven. Thanks to E how Food.

Preheat oven to lowest temperature (about 140 degrees.) Your oven may not go that low but temperatures up to 170 degrees can be used. Prop the oven door open about two to three inches by putting a folded kitchen towel in the door. This will allow moisture to escape, air to circulate and prevent the oven from getting too hot if you can’t set it to 140 degrees. Be sure to turn the food occasionally to allow for even drying.

Read more: How to Dehydrate Food in An Oven | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4964887_dehydrate-food-oven.html#ixzz1lkvka8nG

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Recipes for Organic Cooking

September 15, 2011 by 2 Comments

Use all organic ingredients

Sesame Seed Balls with Coconut

Ingredients:

One cup raw sesame seeds, I used the unhulled seeds for more fiber

Three tablespoons raisins, golden or Thompson

One-fourth cup unsweetened coconut flakes, reserve one tablespoon for garnish

One teaspoon grapeseed oil

One teaspoon honey

One-half teaspoon ginger powder

One-half teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Grind mixture with some pulsing for two – three minutes. Mixture should look very moist, mealy, and close to a paste, but will clump on a spoon easily, continue pulsing if needed. When mixture is ready, place half teaspoon size amounts into ball molds, or roll into balls by hand. If using a mold, sprinkle some coconut flakes into bottom of mold, then drop small amount in and press down with your finger. If rolling balls by hand, place balls on pan and sprinkle each with a bit of coconut flakes. Place sesame balls into refrigerator or freezer for at least 2 hours, then un mold or remove from pan and enjoy! Store leftover balls in a glass container with sheets of wax paper between layers for up to two weeks. Makes 35-40 small balls. What a perfect little nutritious treat!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Cranberry Sauce (low sugar)

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh cranberries

Two apples, peeled and diced

One-half cup white cane sugar

Juice of two oranges

One cup apple juice

One teaspoon cinnamon

One-fourth teaspoon allspice

One eight teaspoon nutmeg

Combine sugar, orange juice, and apple juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in the cranberries and mix well. Add spices. Return cranberry sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and boil gently for 7 to 10 minutes and all berries pop. During the last 2-3 minutes, use a potoato masher to gently smash berries and apple pieces. (Skip this step if you like whole berry sauce.) After cooking for 10 minutes, remove from heat and place in one or two serving dishes. Chill until ready to use. The cranberry sauce will thicken as it chills. This can be made several days in advance. Makes 2¼ cups of yummy, mild flavored, less sugar cranberry sauce.

http://www.buttonshut.com

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (non dairy)

Ingredients:

Four cups butternut squash with seeds, no skin

One cup no sugar apple sauce or two large raw apples cored

One – two cups filtered water or vegetable stock

One-half cup raw cashew pieces

One-half teaspoon sea salt or non salt seasoning if desired. I use Braggs seasoning.

Cinnamon and nutmeg powder for garnish

Bake the butternut squash, cut in chunks (with seeds) in one-half inch water for 30 mins. at 400 degrees. Remove squash from baking dish and place on a cutting board to cool 10 mins. Use a sharp knife to cut skin off squash, then place the rest with seeds, into a food processor or high speed blender with other ingredients. Process until smooth. If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can put the apples and cashews in your food processor and grind to a meal, then add to blender mixture. I needed to use my tamper to stir the mix as it was blending. I just used water to make mine, but vegetable broth would add more savory flavors. If you want a truly hot soup, pour into a saucepan and heat on a low flame. If you’re using a Vitamix blender, just by processing on high until the mixture is smooth will heat it gently.
Pour out soup mixture into soup bowls and garnish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg. I happen to like love these spices and add a bit more. Serves 4-5. Happy Harvest!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Cashew Cheese with Dill

Ingredients:

Two cups cashews, soaked two hours and drained

Two large cloves garlic

Juice of one large lime

Three tablespoons olive oil

One-half teaspoon sea salt

One-third cup filtered water

Two tablespoons acidofolus culture with bulgarus (or use whey)

Two medium sprigs dill tops, or two tablespoons chopped

Place all ingredients except dill in a food processor or high speed blender and process until smooth. I needed to use my tamper to stir the mix as it was blending. Taste after it is smooth to adjust for more lime juice, salt, or garlic to your desire. When nut cream mixture is smooth, add dill and process for only a few seconds.

Scrape out mixture  into a cheese mold or screened bowl that is lined with cheesecloth. Smooth mixture and flatten top surface. Place container of cheese ( with a container under cheese to catch any moisture leaking out) into a dehydrator for 14 hours at 105 degrees. Remove cheese and refrigerate for atleast 24 hours. Un-mold cheese and serve with vegetables, fruits, crackers, etc.  This Cashew Cheese is soft like a hummus spread. Enjoy the creamy, cheesy, probiotic goodness!

http://www.buttonshut.com

Pickled Asparagus recipe by Dan McShane fresh asparagus bunchesSometimes you don’t always need a new recipe to make a delicious organic food or beverage. This pickled asparagus recipe by my husband, was perfected over several batches. It is just the right combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy. The short processing time keeps the asparagus spears firm and full of nutrition. Ingredients: Brine- combine the following 4 items and bring to a boil, keep the brine at low simmer until ready to use in the jars. Four quarts water One quart white vinegar Three-fourths cup sea salt Three tablespoons sugar or agave syrup Assemble 8-10 washed and sanitized (dishwasher or boiled) twelve ounce glass jars, lids, and rims. Boil clean lids for five minutes and keep covered in water, ready to seal up filled jars of asparagus. Place in each jar, spices first: One-half teaspoon dill seed Two or three peeled garlic cloves Two pinches red pepper flakes, (adjust to your own tastes) Washed and halved tops and bottoms of asparagus spears, tightly packed (trim bottom one or two inches of asparagus stalk if tough, and discard) Home canned pickled asparagus spears with spices Pour brine mixture with a large ladle, until jar is filled to within one-half inch from top. Place clean, hot lid on jar, place rim on jar and tighten. When all jars are filled and sealed, slowly place them on the canning pot wire rack, and into a canning pot filled with boiling water that just covers the top of the jars. (Most canning pots only hold 7 jars, so two batches will need to be processed.) Return filled canning pot back to a boil and then boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and carefully lift jars out of pot with the metal rack, then place them flat on a cutting board or towels. Placing the hot jars on a cool counter, like granite, can crack the jar. Allow them to cool, then store at room temperature for at least 5 days, before opening to eat them. The longer they sit, they more spicy flavored they will be. I hope you love these pickled asparagus spears as much as we do! http://www.buttonshut.com

Refreshing Organic Beverage.

 

This Organic Iced Sun Tea favorite recipe works beautifully with high quality Organic Yerba Mate by Guayaki.

Guayaki Sun Mate with Lime: Fill a glass pitcher with 5-6 cups of distilled water. Add 5 Guayaki Mate bags and let stand in the sun for 2-6 hours, for desired strength of tea. Bring mate in, remove bags, add one organic lime sliced, and 3 teaspoons Organic Blue Agave, (more or less as desired). Mint leaves can also be added for a different flavor. Place sun mate with limes in refrigerator to cool for 1-2 hours. Serve over ice with a lime wedge for a delicious organic, energizing beverage.

With global warming staring us in the face and the growing trend toward more ecologically friendly lifestyles, more and more people are including local organically grown food in their diets. Organic farmers rely on natural ways to fertilize their soil and combat pests, rather than synthetic chemicals, resulting in stronger, healthier (and many say tastier) vegetable plants. If you are new to organic cooking and already own a number of cookbooks, you may ask yourself ‘do I need new recipes for organic cooking?’

Anyone new to cooking requires recipes they can follow to prepare healthy meals, and if those meals include organic ingredients, having one or more organic recipe books will make cooking tasty side dishes and main courses a lot easier. Anyone using organic ingredients in standard recipes may discover that they need to modify the recipes to accommodate the richer flavors. Recipes created and perfected by long time organic cooks take advantage of the fuller flavors and higher nutritional values of organic foods.

Even old hands at cooking organic food often discover the need to find new ways of preparing dishes to keep the family interested in the meals they make. Anyone that wants to introduce more organic vegetables into their family’s diet will need tasty ways to get the family to eat them. Those that have joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) as a way to save on fresh vegetables and fruit may well receive vegetables that their current cookbooks do not have recipes for.

Many families have one or more members that choose not to consume meat products, requiring vegetarian/vegan recipes designed to supply al l the required nutrients, including sufficient vegetable proteins to replace the protein that would normally be received from meat. Serving tasty organic vegetarian dishes will ensure that the family member remains healthy and happy.

New mothers who are concerned about the possible effects pesticide residues and food additives may have on their babies can now find organic baby foods in the local supermarket. These are most likely more expensive than regular baby food and there is no way to determine how much sugar and salt they contain.  Babies are more sensitive to pesticide residues and other chemicals as their organs are still developing, and some studies have indicated possible correlations between pesticide residues and developmental disorders in children. The best way to give your child the best start in life is to give him homemade organic baby food where you control the amount of salt and sugar while eliminating synthetic chemicals.

Someone new to cooking organic food may well ask ‘do I need new recipes for organic cooking?’ If you are satisfied with substituting organic ingredients into your standard recipes, perhaps you do not. If you are a novice cook choosing to go organic, you should consider getting one or more organic recipe books instead of standard cookbooks. Having an organic vegetarian cookbook will enable you to prepare delicious vegetarian fare for the non meat-eater in your family. Homemade organic baby food will give your baby his best start in life, and you’ll need good recipes to work from.

Filed Under: Other, Salad Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

You Can Build A Better Salad

June 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Putting together your own recipe for a delicious and healthy salad is easy and even fun. Try to have salads most nights, at least during the weekdays. Salads are better than cooked veggies because they maintain more nutrients. Combine as many varieties of the following ingredients as possible: lettuce; vegetables; fruits; cheese/olives; seeds/nuts; , beans; and dressing/herbs. If some is left over, take it to lunch the next day.

Organic Lettuce. Have at least two of the following three: Romaine, Baby Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Mixed Lettuce, and many other choices of greens. Forget Iceberg lettuce: its nutritional value is much lower than Romaine, Spinach and other greens. You can find packages of all three types at Trader Joe’s, Dominick’s or Whole Foods. For the mixed, look for “spring mix”, “mixed greens” or any type with ingredients like arugula, parsley, cilantro, dill, etc. You’ll get a variety of tastes, textures and colors/nutrients. Don’t bother cutting the lettuce, just tear it with your hands.
Organic Vegetables.Fresh, organic vegetables such as: tomatoes, cucumbers (with peel on), sugar peas, green beans, bell peppers, onions of all varieties, spinach, kale, carrots, broccoli, and many other vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They also add fiber to your meal which is important for digestive health.
Organic Fruits. Try strawberry or apple pieces, grapes, mangos, pears, oranges, or kiwi. Fruits are loaded with nutrition, taste, and fiber. You’re limited only by your imagination, so get creative!
Cheese/Olives. Try a lower fat cheese, like feta or skim mozzarella. If you add olives, try to avoid canned olives (and cans generally) since most have harmful phthalates. Try kalamata olives, which come in glass containers.
Seeds/Nuts. Since organics are usually almost double the price, you may be tempted to cut corners here. Try adding sunflower kernels, whole or slivered almonds or cashews. How about Flaxseeds, which is like a wonder food. Or try a trail mix with nuts and dried fruit pieces if you’re really daring. Any or all of these will add great texture to your salad!
Dressing. Extra virgin olive oil and organic lemon juice are an excellent dressing. Or substitute any type of vinegar for the lemon juice. Add oregano, pepper or a touch of organic Agave Syrup for flavor if you mix your dressing separately.

If you don’t usually eat salads very often, maybe it’s because they seem so blah. Try some of the above ingredients and you may be surprised how often you begin to crave them. The more tastes, textures, and colors you add to your salads, the better. Bon apetit!


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Start to Finish Gardening

June 3, 2011 by 8 Comments

If you are looking to save a few extra bucks at the grocery store and have some fun at the same time, then I can think of no better activity than planting a vegetable garden.  It might seem on the surface like a lot of work, but with some of the techniques and tips I am about to give you, you will have no problems, or at least keep them to a minimum.

Gardening is a great activity, especially if you have kids and get them involved.  Some of the special moments I had with my own father came when he was teaching me how to plant and nurture his own vegetable garden.  Now with children of my own I plan on doing the same. 

There is also a lot bending and moving with gardening so you will get some exercise, just don’t plan on it being enough to compete in the Olympics though.

My first tip is to start your garden indoors.  If you have a room with some windows where the sub hits first thing in the morning than that is the perfect area.  You can start your plants in a variety of ways but I found what works best is buying one of those miniature green houses from Home Depot or Lowes and starting them that way.  These miniature greenhouses range in price depending on size, from 6.99 to 20.00.  They are really more like plastic trays with a clear plastic top.  They come with rock hard pellets made from a variety of soils that when you add water they expand to create a great starting environment for your seeds.

It’s best, as I found the hard way, to not start your plants too early indoors.  You want to time it just right so that when the plants are ready indoors to be moved, you can take them directly to your garden.

Here in New Jersey, I start in indoors on April 1st, so that by May 1st, I am ready to go.  I tried starting earlier one year, and halfway through the month of April it snowed and wiped me out.  Now I wait out April and have never had any problems since.

Once I have moved my indoor plants to the outdoors I then put down my weed barrier made from wet newspaper, because lets face it, I hate weeding, and if you don’t do this step you will be doing plenty of it.  Simply take two pages of your newspaper and lay them down, making sure you overlap the edges until your garden is covered.  Just make sure you don’t cover up your plants.

I am also very fortunate that in my area our township has a recycle center where you can pick up leaf mulch absolutely free.  I grab a few buckets and lay it over top of my newspaper weed barrier and I am done, and the garden looks great.  If you do not have access to leaf mulch as I do, you can always buy some from a local nursery, or you could just mow your lawn and throw the grass clippings on top. My roses also love the grass clippings and all the nitrogen the clippings release.

Putting the mulch on afterwards will allow for better water drainage, it will keep the soil underneath a lot cooler and as the mulch and newspaper biodegrades it will add nutrients to your soil.

Once the garden season comes to an end, and the plants have stopped producing vegetables and fruit, do not throw them away.  Start your own compost pile.  Although it goes beyond the scope of this article, in essence a compost pile is where you add leaves, grass and other biodegradable material, turn it over every so often and when it’s done, you have great compost that you can use the following year for your top layer above your newspaper weed barrier.

One final note that I want to get across that I can’t stress enough and that is to compost your food waste.  What this means is, instead of throwing away leftovers or uneaten food, dig a hole about a foot to two feet deep and bury it.  Worms and other earthly creatures will find it and eat and their castings create compost that far outweighs the benefits of any chemical fertilizer.   Do not, however, add food waste to your compost pile explained in the previous paragraph.  It will create a fowl smell and I don’t think your neighbors will appreciate that.

Learn how to create good growing soil when growing a garden in this free gardening video.. Expert: Tia Pinney Bio: Tia Pinney is a Teacher Naturalist and Adult Program Coordinator at Mass Audubons Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

This is an excellent short video about helping beneficial insects in your garden.

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