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Marinated Mushroom Tapenade + Bonus Recipe

Mushroom Tapenade- Admittadly, I over-processed mine a bit & recommend leaving yours a bit chunkier:-)

This Mushroom Tapenade, inspired from the gorgeous, (I'm not kidding, see for yourself by clicking by clicking her name) Mimi Kirk's, beautiful cookbook, Live Raw, is one easy way to get the health benefits of a-mushroom-a-day into your diet. Or, if you're like me, you'll have a hard time eating less than half the recipe in one sitting. Not that it would matter, as this delicious twist on the Provencal original is incredibly light as well.

Anytime I've served this to guests as an appetizer presented with fresh vegetables, bread sticks or crackers, it's gone in the first hour. Of course it's a wonderful snack too – and makes a delicious spread for wraps and sandwiches.

Plus there's a Bonus! Simplifying the tapenade creates a fabulous marinated mushroom recipe, an addiction I've had since childhood when Mom made her amazing marinated mushrooms for potlucks at least once a year. For some reason she never served them at home, and there they'd be, tempting me from the fridge as they marinated away a day prior to her event. To this day, I still don't have Mom's recipe, but this one tastes just as I remember hers. However, mine are ready after an hour and take less than two minutes to prep. Jackpot!!

Please enjoy!

Marinated Mushrooms

Mushroom Tapenade

Ingredients:

2 large portobello mushrooms or 15 baby bella or white button or a combo
1/2 cup walnuts
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari, Bragg's or nama shoyu
freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

Clean mushrooms with a dampened kitchen towel. Chop coarsly. Marinate with the olive oil and nama shoyu for 30 minutes turning occasionally.
Pulse walnuts in food processor until broken down.
Add garlic and marinated mushrooms. Pulse until mixture is incorporated and slightly chunky mine pictured above could have been left a tad chunkier- so process yours a little less:-)
Taste for seasonings and adjust to taste.

Marinated Mushrooms (servings: makes 15 mushrooms)

Ingredients

15 baby bella or 15 white button mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp towel. Wild mushrooms are delicious too!
1 clove garlic, minced or garlic powder to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari, Bragg's, Coconut Aminos or nama shoyu
freshly cracked black pepper
a few dried red pepper flakes for an extra pop of color & spice (optional)

**For Marinated Portobello"Steaks" Use 2 Portobello Mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed of soiled portions. Slice tops into nice, thick 1/2" strips, and do the same with the remainder of stem. Adjust quantities of above ingredients as needed (you may need a bit more depending on size of your portobello, they really soak up the ingredients beautifully. (Serves 2)

Method

Marinate all the ingredients for an hour or up to 4 hours.
Check seasonings.
Serve in a beautiful bowl with party pics alongside for picking up.

Do you have a favorite family recipe you'd love to recreate?

You may also enjoy:

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans

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Food

Strawberry Shakes & Mini Pizzas

A Nutritarian Lunch You & Your Kiddos will Love!

Strawberry Shakes & Mini Pizzas

Strawberry Shakes and Mini Pizzas are the favorite go-to lunch around our house lately. Jim, a huge fan of strawberry "Quik" growing up, slurps these shakes down like he's back in second grade:-) Likewise, as a former NYC pizza fanatic, he devours these delicious thin-crust mini pizzas. It's a meal packed with everything you crave and all the nutrition your body needs to thrive. Plus, the pizzas are totally customizable to suit your and your kiddos' taste-buds!

My delicious Strawberry Shake is a detoxifying, low-calorie drink packed with disease-preventing strawberries and pomegranate. Check out the majorly impressive benefits of these two powerfoods, as stated by Dr. Fuhrman on www.diseaseproof.com:

"Antioxidant phytochemicals:

Anthocyanins (the most abundant antioxidants in berries) provide antioxidant protection on their own, plus they increase the production of cells’ own antioxidant enzymes.¹ A 1.5 cup serving of strawberries increased antioxidant capacity in the blood of human subjects, building protection against oxidative damage.²
Pomegranate contains a unique antioxidant called punicalagin; it is the most abundant antioxidant in pomegranate, responsible for more than half of the antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice.³ Pomegranate juice has been found to reduce oxidative stress markers in healthy humans.⁴

Detoxification:

Ellagic acid, an antioxidant derived from berries and pomegranate interacts with a protein calledNrf-2 to increase expression of the body’s natural detoxification enzymes.⁵

Anti-cancer effects:

Strawberry and pomegranate extracts slowed cell growth and induced cell death in human cancer cells from several cancer types.^6-9
Pomegranate and strawberries are both anti-angiogenic – strawberry extracts help to prevent growing tumors from acquiring a blood supply – preventing those tumors from receiving the nutrients that would allow them to grow larger.^10-13
Pomegranate is one of the few foods (mushrooms are another) that contain natural aromatase inhibitors – this means that they inhibit the production of estrogen, which can reduce breast cancer risk.¹⁴
Strawberries and pomegranate have anti-inflammatory effects that may protect against cancer and other chronic diseases.^5,15,16
Patients with precancerous esophageal lesions ate strawberries each day for six months. The results were amazing – 29 out of the 36 patients in the study experienced a decrease in the histological grade of their lesion – this means that the progression toward cancer began to reverse, and the risk of the lesions becoming cancerous had decreased.^17"

Cardioprotective effects:

Higher strawberry intake is associated with reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease.¹⁸
Human trials have found that daily consumption of strawberries decreases total and LDL cholesterol, and pomegranate phytochemicals reduce LDL oxidation (a contributor to atherosclerotic plaque development).^19-22
Strawberry and pomegranate phytochemicals have blood pressure-reducing properties.^23-25
In a study of patients with severe carotid artery blockages, after one ounce of pomegranate juice daily for one year, there was a 30 percent reduction in atherosclerotic plaque. In striking contrast, in the participants who did not take the pomegranate juice atherosclerotic plaque increased by 9 percent.²²

Anti-diabetes effects:

Strawberry and pomegranate phytochemicals have actions on certain digestive enzymes that can result in reduced glucose levels following a meal.²⁶
Ellagic acid, which can be derived from berries or pomegranate, reduced secretion by fat cells of an inflammatory molecule that is thought to contribute to insulin resistance.²⁷
Adding strawberries to a meal was shown to reduce the insulin response in overweight adults.^15"

I don't know about you, but all those amazing benies motivate me to drink this shake as often as possible! Well, ok, the fact it's outrageously delicious doesn't hurt:-)

Personal Mini Pizza

As for my yummy pizzas- they're made with crusty Ezekial 7 Whole Grain Pocket Breads, topped with out-of-this-world, organic marinara by the brand "Amy's," melty-stretchy, ooey-gooey non-dairy shredded mozzarella, your favorite chopped veggies (I love onions, olives, artichokes & a sprinkling of arugula) plus a few herbs (hot pepper flakes, garlic, oregano) for over-the-top pizza flavor. If you're new to non-dairy mozzarella, you'll be pleasantly suprised by how great it tastes & melts. Not to mention, you'll be very happy to avoid dairy when you learn what the multi-billion dollar dairy industry doesn't want anyone to know as explained at www.DrFuhrman.com and quoted below…

"Cow's milk is the perfect food for the rapidly growing calf, but foods that promote rapid growth promote cancer. Consuming dairy protein on a regular basis elevates blood levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).22 IGF-1 is known to stimulate the growth of both normal and cancer cells, and there is a strong and consistent association between serum IGF-1 concentrations and prostate cancer risk.23 One study showed that men who had the highest levels of IGF-1 had more than four times the risk of prostate cancer compared with those who had the lowest levels.24 If you choose to consume dairy, minimize your intake to small amounts – dairy products are not essential for good health and carries potential health risks."

"Dairy products contain many hormone-containing and -promoting substances. U.S. cheese consumption has increased 182% (almost 3-fold) in the past 30 years, and the incidence of our hormone sensitive cancers has also increased. There are strong associations between dairy consumption and prostate cancer.12,13,14 Interestingly, some studies have found that prostate cancer risk was elevated with increased consumption of low-fat milk specifically, suggesting that the potential threat to prostate health may be more closely linked to dairy protein than dairy fat.15,16 Ovarian cancer risk is also elevated by consumption of dairy products equivalent to three glasses of cow's milk per day.17,18 Butter use is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer in women.19 Eating larger amounts of dairy products during childhood is associated with adult testicular and colorectal cancer.20,21"

Recipe for Strawberry Shakes (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries (frozen or fresh)
4 tbsp pomegranate concentrate
8 oz or more almond milk – adjust while blending to achieve preferred consistency
a couple drops of liquid stevia to sweeten with ZERO calories (I like Sweetleaf, KAL & Vitacost brands- the brand you choose does make a difference in taste. PS. Stevia helps lower & control blood pressure!)

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix).
Serve with a wide-mouthed straw and enjoy!

Recipe for Personal Mini Pizzas (Makes 2 Pizzas)

Ingredients:

2 Exekial Whole Grain Pocket Breads (Store in freezer)
4 Tbsp Amy's Organic Low Sodium Marinara
dairy free shredded mozzarella
your choice of finely chopped/sliced toppings. I like sliced artichokes, thinly slivered onion, sliced black olives & a few greens sprinkled around on top
dried oregano- sprinkle to taste after cooking
dried garlic- sprinkle to taste after cooking
dried red pepper flakes- sprinkle to taste after cooking
sea salt- judiciously sprinkle to taste after cooking

Method:

Remove 2 frozen Pocket Breads from freezer.
While still frozen, spread 2 tbsp marinara over each pocket bread. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and add desired finely chopped/sliced toppings.
Place in a 400 F oven or toaster oven and cook until the veggies are soft and cooked through, cheese melted and the pocket breads crispy at the edges and heated through.
Sprinkle with dried herbs/seasonings to taste.
Cut each pizza into 4 wedges and serve. Enjoy!

Personal Mini Pizzas

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

What do your kiddos love on their pizza?

You may also enjoy~> Maple Cinnamon & Cocoa Crispies!

Food

Maple Cinnamon Buckwheat Crispies

& Cocao Crispies

Maple Cinnamon Crispies & Strawberries awaiting creamy Almond Milk

Maple Cinnamon Crispies (and Cocoa Crispies), a recipe from the beautiful book, Raw Food Real World, by the equally beautiful Sarma Melngailis, falls into the addictive category for me. Not only are they delicious served in a bowl of creamy Almond milk (they remain nice & crispy in milk too!) but, since I find myself daydreaming of their crisp, sweet deliciousness, they're currently my favorite snack as well… a perfect nibble alongside a cup of tea. Fortunately, they're also quick and easy to make!

Buckwheat isn't actually a grain, but rather, an edible fruit seed which is easy for the body to digest, unlike grains, which increase acidity in the body, upsetting its pH balance. An overly acidic body is a magnet for sickness, disease, cancer and aging. Eating more alkaline foods helps shift your body's pH and oxygenates your system, keeping your body healthy, functioning correctly and even preventing and combating cancer.

Maple Cinnamon Crispies (and Cocoa Crispies) is one of the first recipes I made using my Excalibur dehydrator, a raw foodist's tool for many recipes. The dehydrator achieves the ability to warm and "cook" ingredients in a processs which retains almost 100% of the nutritional content of the food as well as the alkalinity of fresh produce while simultaneously inhibiting the growth of microforms such as bacteria. If you don't have a dehydrator, you could substitute your oven on it's lowest setting, leaving the door slightly ajar (to achieve a temp. of 115 F). Be sure to purchase raw buckwheat groats for this recipe, not the toasted type called kashi.

Enjoy!

Maple Cinnamon Buckwheat Crispies

Maple Cinnamon Buckwheat Crispies & Cocoa Crispies (Serves 4-6)

Recipe from the beautiful book: Raw Food Real World by Matthew Kenney & Sarma Melngailis

Ingredients:

2 cups buckwheat groats, soaked for at least 1 hour (will yield about 3 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 packets stevia
2 teaspoons sea salt

Method:

Rinse buckwheat groats to get rid of extra starchiness.
Place groats in food processor along with remaining ingredients. Pulse until combined but not pureed, until it looks like soupy oatmeal.
Divide between two Teflex-lined dehydrator trays, spreading to about 1/8" thick with an offset spatula. Dehydrate at 115 F for 8-12 hours until top is dry to touch & teflex peels away easily. (If using your oven on lowest setting with door propped to achieve consistent 115F, spread on a nonstick baking matt or secured nonstick foil so doesn't slip when spreading.)
Set a second dehydrator tray lined with only mesh screen this time, over each partially dehydrated sheet of buckwheat crispies. Flip two trays over in order to then remove top tray & peel away teflex. Place flipped buckwheat back into dehydrator for an additional few hours until completely dry and crunchy.
Break into pieces and store in airtight container. You may also store in fridge for maximum freshness for up to a few weeks.

Cocoa Crispies: Replace the cinnamon with 2 heaping tablespoons of organic cocoa powder or carob powder.

You may also enjoy: Vibrant Pear & Fuji Salad with Pecans & Cheddar