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Raw Vegan Avocado BLT Wraps are over the top YUM!  Shown here using a Collard Wrap.

Avocado BLT Wraps are so over the top delish it’s insane!  We’re talking when I served them to my friend she couldn’t believe it wasn’t actual, real bacon inside!  Loaded with strips of meaty, thick-cut ‘bacon’ brimming with smoky-sweet-salty deliciousness tucked alongside fresh, juicy heirloom tomato, buttery avocado, crisp green lettuce and a thick creamy hemp mayo –  these Avocado BLT’s are built to please!

Avocado BLT Wrap shown here wrapped in Raw Nori Wrap – Jim’s fav! 

While the best part about these dreamy Avocado BLT wraps is definitely their amazing flavor, these high-vibe living food wraps also deliver potent immune-boosting, beauty enhancing power to make our cells sing and our energy soar!  Here are just a few of the fabulous gifts your body, mind and spirit will be receiving from this decadent Raw Vegan BLT Wrap…

Shiitakes: Widely referred to as “medicinal mushrooms”, shiitake mushrooms are able to enhance immune function bi-directionally, giving it a boost when needed, and cutting back on its activity when needed. Shiitake mushrooms provide what researchers refer to as “anti-cancer immunity” and are able to help macrophage cells achieve an activated profile so they can do a better job clearing potentially cancerous cells by suppressing their production and multiplication due to a compound in Shitake called lentinan. They’re rich in B vitamins—an excellent of pantothenic acid, a very good source of vitamin B2, and a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, choline, and folate. Shiitake are high in concentrated minerals, an excellent source of selenium and copper and a very good source of zinc.  Shiitake mushrooms are also rich in highly absorbable iron which is useful in the body for improving oxygen circulation, production of blood in the bone marrow as well as healthy bones and gums.

Avocado: Rich in healthy monounsaturated fats. Provides close to 20 essential nutrients such as potassium (1 avocado has twice the potassium of a banana) which helps balance your vitally important potassium/sodium ratio. 

Tomato: Excellent source of antioxidants such as lycopene, a carotenoid pigment which has recently been found to have an important connection to bone health.  Tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together of platelet cells in the blood, a factor especially important in lowering risk of heart disease like atherosclerosis. High in Vitamin C (33% RDA per serving) & Biotin (24% per serving). 

Nori: The seaweed that wraps sushi and our BLT Wraps! Nori is very rich in protein containing between 1-2 grams of protein per 2 gram serving making it the world’s richest source comparable in density to spirulina, chlorella and soybeans. Nori is high in fiber, comprised of approximately 33% fiber.  It’s also high in iron, with 100 grams containing 88% of our daily value. Nori improves bone health as 100 grams of nori contains 28% of our RDI of calcium and 85% of our RDI of magnesium. Sea vegetables such as Nori are the plant world’s premier source of iodine which is crucial to thyroid health and a multitude of bodily functions. 100 grams of nori contains approximately 6 mg of iodine or, otherwise stated, one sushi roll wrapped in nori contains 92 mcg of iodine which is almost the full RDI. Nori also contains 288% of our vitamin A, 60% RDI of thiamine, 194% of riboflavin, 78% RDI of niacin and 475% RDI of folate.

And that’s just the tip of the ice-berg baby! There will be multitudes more AMAZING miracles happening to your beautiful self as you devour these divine Avocado BLT wraps!

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I love using either Nori or subbing Collard Greens for an equally delicious wrap.  Collards are remarkably mild in flavor, perfectly sturdy and when all slathered up in to LIVE for thick, creamy hemp-cashew mayo and stuffed with Avocado BLT fixings… mmm mmm it’s a party for our tastebuds!

 

Recipe for Raw Vegan Avocado BLT Wraps

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

Raw Vegan Bacon 

  • 3 cups sliced shitake mushrooms, stems removed (or sub 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp raw coconut aminos 
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika (technically not raw so if you’re a purist skip)
  • 3 drops liquid stevia, a touch of maple syrup, or your fav sweetener to taste

Hemp Mayo 

  • 1C hemp seed
  • 3 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (or sub fresh lemon juice)
  • 10 cashews
  • 2 Tbsp EVOO
  • 1/2 cup filtered water (more or less depending on how thick you like it)
  • 3/4 tsp onion powder or more to taste
  • sea salt to taste

Raw Vegan BLT Wraps

  • 8 Raw Nori Wraps (or 4 Large Collard Leaves)
  • 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into long strips (not too thin not too thick we just want it to be easy to roll up)
  • 2 avocados, sliced into long strips, or mashed w tines of a fork
  • green leaf lettuce
  • vegan bacon 
  • hemp mayo 

Method

Raw Vegan Bacon

  1. Whisk together coconut aminos, sesame oil, sea salt, smoked paprika, and stevia. Taste to adjust seasonings.
  2. Dump all your sliced shitakes or portobellos into a large ziplock along with the marinade. Massage carefully so as not to break the mushrooms. Marinade for 20 minutes flipping once.
  3. Place mushrooms on a teflex sheet in your dehydrator on 145F for 1 hour, turning down to 115F for 2 more hours or longer til reach desired texture – the portobellos will take longer as they’re thicker. I personally like the ‘bacon’ a little meatier and moister as it has that thick center cut texture that way.

Hemp Mayo

  1. Place all the ingredients in the Vitamix and blend til thick and creamy. If you want more of a cream cheese texture, which will be less drippy in the wraps, start with less water. Conversely, use more water for a mayo texture. As always taste to adjust seasonings to your preference. 

BLT Wraps

  1. Slather rough side of each Nori sheet with a Tbsp of Hemp Mayo. If using mashed avocado rather than strips, spread the avo on first, then top with the mayo. (Alternatively use 4 collard leaves de-stemmed and halved for rolling OR for burrito fashion: remove only thickest bottom part of stem, leaving collard leaf whole to be wrapped burrito style & cut diagonally into halves after stuffing/rolling.)
  2. Place one green leaf lettuce leaf on each wrap.
  3. Arrange a few tomato strips, avocado strips (unless using mashed avo) & shiitake (or portobello) bacon on each wrap.
  4. Roll up tightly into a cone shape (Temaki-style), securing with a bit of water along one edge of nori. Or, role evenly into a cylinder and feel free to slice into sushi-sized bites. (If using halved collard leaves, roll & secure with a pretty party toothpick. If using whole collard leaves, roll like a burrito, folding top and bottom edges in first then rolling up left to right and cutting in half on a diagonal which will keep everything secured- use party pics if necessary.)  
  5. Serve any remaining Hemp Mayo on the side for dipping.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite “traditional” recipe you’d like upgraded into a beautiful Raw Vegan version?  Share below for a chance to have me recreate it for you!

 

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Much Love,

Juliane

Thank you for visiting 🙂

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Southwestern Cauliflower Couscous

 

Southwestern Cauliflower Couscous is a delicious, light and lively dish.  Fabulously complex in flavor, yet incredibly simple to prepare, this gluten-free delight is everything we're looking for on a hot, summer day!  

Fluffy cauliflower couscous is tossed with bright, red tomato and buttery, lime-green avocado all dressed up in a punchy-sweet Honey-Cumin-Lime vinaigrette. 

Refreshing. 

Summery. 

&

Bright!

 

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Eating Raw provides an amazing boost in energy.

 

And, as always, brimming with Rawsome, enzyme rich, living foods power!

Check it out…

 

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 Raw live foods are much easier to digest or assimilate putting less burden on our digestive system and more time into cleaning or repairing our body.

 

Cauliflower, like its fellow cruciferous members is full of nutrients including minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals and antioxidants.  It's rich in vitamins C (one serving containing 77% RDA), K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, and folic acid.  Cauliflower contains a compound called glucoraphanin, a precursor of sulforaphene found to have protective effect on the lining of the stomach wall.  Sulforaphene also prevents the growth of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori which can cause gastroenteritis.  

 

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Live, raw food does not spoil or decompose quickly. It's packed with energy, minerals, vitamins, and everything we need to stay healthy.

 

 Cauliflower is also rich in antioxidant phytochemicals like quercetin, caffeic acid and kaempferol which prevent development of cancer by destroying free radicals directly attacking the DNA of cells.  And that's just a fraction of the power of the cauliflower alone!  We've yet to delve into the realm of the vitamin C and lycopene rich tomatoes, the bone building, protein rich avocados, and the all other powerhouse ingredients in this superfood recipe!

Suffice it to say, Southwestern Cauliflower Couscous is as delicious to eat as it is at creating our healthy bodies, vitality and joy:)

 

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Eating Raw provides an amazing boost in energy.  I have more energy now than I've ever experienced in my life.  

 

Living, plant based Raw Food is incredibly delicious to eat, beautiful to look at and amazing for our bodies, minds and spirits.  

Eat Clean.  Feel Rawsome.  & Live Beautifully!

 

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Eating freshly picked food just feels different. There's a connection to the earth and a feeling of being grounded.

This recipe has been submitted to Tinned Tomatoes for July's Recipe Bookmark as well as to July's, No Crouton's Required at Lisa's Kitchen.   

 

Recipe for Southwestern Cauliflower Couscous(serves 2-3)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium head of cauliflower, cut into flourettes
  • 1 firm, medium vine ripened tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 medium avocado, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 3/4 tsp ground cumin
  • fresh cilantro for garnish

Method

  1. Zest lime, then juice it. Whisk lime juice, zest, olive oil, honey & cumin together and set aside.
  2. Pulse cauliflower flowerettes in food processor until fluffy like couscous. Add to a mixing bowl.
  3. Gently stir in chopped tomatoes, avocado and red onion.
  4. Pour dressing over cauliflower couscous and stir gently to combine.
  5. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

 

Do you have a favorite wheat/grain/gluten swapout dish?

How do you like to prepare cauliflower?

 

All Love,

Juliane

 

Thank you for visiting 🙂

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IMG_4637Green Tomato Pave with Pistachio Relish & Sweet Tomato Fondue

Admittadly, I considered posting only the pictures of this luscious dish. It was that delicious, fresh and beautiful. Couldn't it possibly stand alone with no words to accompany?

I'm having SO much fun cooking Raw Vegan Cuisine, learning a ton, working with new ingredients, techniques and tools, making many ingredients by hand… and continuing to feel amazing changes in my spiritual, mental and physical well being.

 Green Tomato Pave with Pistachio Relish & Sweet Tomato Fondue is a recipe by Matthew Kenney, James Beard Award nominated chef and co-founder of the upscale, sexy, award winning raw vegan cuisine restaurant in New York City, Pure Food & Wine.  This dish encapsulates what I love about Raw Cuisine: light, intoxicatingly fresh ingredients, bursting with delicious flavors.  To be absolutely cliche, it's summertime on a plate.

Enjoy:-)

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Green Tomato Pave with Pistachio Relish & Sweet Tomato Fondue

 

Green Tomato Pave with Pistachio Relish & Sweet Tomato Fondue (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

TOMATOES

  • 8 large green tomatoes (green tomatoes are firm & slice easily, I picked a couple with spots of pink blush on the skins, lo & behold they were both beautiful green and red in the centers!)

SWEET TOMATO FONDUE 

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped tomatoes (heirloom if possible)
  • 1/4 cup agave
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons himalayan or celtic sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup bail, julienned, plus more for garnish

PISTACHIO RELISH

  • 1 cup pistachios
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon himalayan or celtic sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Method:

TOMATOES Thinly slice tomatoes on a mandoline into 1/4 inch slices.

SWEET TOMATO FONDUE Blend all ingredients except basil in a high-speed blender until smooth. Stir in basil.

PISTACHIO RELISH Pulse all ingredients in a high-speed blender until well combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

FINISH Alternate layering 3 to 4 tomatoes with Pistachio Relish. Drizzle with Sweet Tomato Fondue, serving remaining Fondue in small bowls alongside with soup spoons. Garnish with more Pistachio Relish and a few pieces of fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Green Tomato Pave with Pistachio Relish & Sweet Tomato Fondue

 

You may also enjoy: First Spring Harvest… a cool, zippy refrigerator snack!

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Cozy Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup

There's nothing better than cozying up to a bowl of steaming, healthy goodness on a chilly winter day.  My favorite Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup will warm your insides, leaving you well nourished and happy!  This garlicky, tomato-based bowl of hearty veggies & cannellini beans is enlivened with bright green wilted spinach and a dusting of Pecorino Romano dotted with truffle oil. A simple dish you can rely on when you want simple, healthy, comfort to warm your soul!

Recipe for Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced  
  • 2 carrots, diced 
  • 2 stalks celery, diced,  
  • 1 small zucchini, diced  
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
  • freshly grated Pecorino Romano 
  • Truffle Oil for finishing (or substitute best quality EVOO)

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, aproximately 5 minutes.
  2. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the white beans and the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 more minutes.
  3. Ladel into bowls; top with freshly grated Pecorino Romano & drizzle with truffle oil.

Enjoy!

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Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup

IMG_1562Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans

If it's summertime where you live, then you’ve been seeing tons of beautiful, nutrient dense Swiss Chard at the market, your local farm stand or, if you’re like me, perhaps in your own garden!

Swiss Chard has become a staple in our kitchen garden, providing continuous harvest from cool spring through a hot summer and far into late fall. As a result of its prolific bounty, I’ve learned many a delicious summer recipe incorporating this gorgeous green leafy.

Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and White Beans is one of my favorite go-to dishes. It's perfect for summer days when you want a delicious meal that’s a snap to prepare. Brimming with color, flavor and ooey-gooey cheesiness, it’s a hit every time! Serve with crusty bread alongside for sopping the delicious broth. Yum!

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Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans
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Swiss Chard Growing in our Kitchen Garden

Cheesy Gnocchi with Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound gnocchi, prepared according to package directions
  • sea salt (for seasoning gnocchi water)
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 bunch swiss chard, leaves chopped into 1 inch strips; stems removed, finely sliced & separated (or substitute spinach)
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 1/2 tablespoon medium-heat thinly sliced red chili pepper (substitute 1/3 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes)
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • crusty bread for serving alongside
  • fleur de sel and truffle oil (or best quality EVOO) for finishing (optional but encouraged!)

 Method

  1. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions adding a bit of sea salt to water for seasoning. Set aside cooked gnocchi, reserving a bit of the pasta water as well.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and finely sliced chard stems only to the pan and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, about 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in tomatoes, beans and sliced chili peppers (or dried chili flakes) and bring to a simmer. Stir in the reserved gnocchi adding a bit of the reserved gnocchi water if needed for the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover pan and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, for 2 minutes or so.
  4. Ladle into bowls with crusty bread on the side for sopping. If desired, finish each dish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel and a drizzle of truffle oil. (A never fail trick to take a dish up 10 notches!)
  5. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Woman's Day

Do you have any veggies growing in your garden this season? I'd love to hear about them!

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Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse with Basil Rouille 

Tomorrow's the first day of Summer!!

My favorite summer-time memories revolve around family: picnics at the beach, backyard BBQ's followed by after-dinner croquet, bike rides, tennis, walks to the Sunday evening band-concert in the park…

Beautiful days!

Right up there at the top of that list are fond memories of my mom's summer clam-bakes. With all the gorgeous, sunny days of late, I've been craving those delicious, briny shellfish.

Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse with Basil Rouille is my homage to Mommy's clam-bakes. It's a quick dish that gets fabulous complexity of flavor from the clams and mussels while the Rouille, a garlicky Provencal style mayonnaise, provides a fresh punch.

The perfect dish to celebrate summer!

Ingredients  

  • 5 garlic cloves, divided
  • 1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup best quality mayonnaise
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 or 3 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small fennel bulb, cleaned, halved, thinly sliced
  • Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1, 8 ounce bottle clam juice
  • 3 pounds mixed shellfish (such as mussels & littleneck clams) scrubbed
  • 1 or 2 pats unsalted, organic butter
  • fleur de sel (or use sea salt)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • crusty bread, sliced (to serve alongside)

 Preparation

  1. Chop 2 garlic cloves and transfer to a blender along with basil, mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons oil, anchovies and lemon juice. Purée until smooth. Transfer basil rouille to a small serving dish, cover and chill.

  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel and tomatoes, season with salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst (about 10 min).

  3. Slice remaining 3 garlic cloves and add to pot. Cook, stirring often, until garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook, stirring often, until almost absorbed, about 1 minute. Add clam juice and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Add shellfish and cook, covered, until opened (discard any that do not open), about 4 minutes. (Clams may take a few minutes longer than the mussels.) 

  4. Add 1 or 2 pats of butter and a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Stir in parsley. Spread basil rouille on warm crusty bread and serve alongside. Enjoy!

    Recipe adapted from Summer Tomato Bouillabaisse, BonAppetit, July 2011

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Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce…

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

You transform even the homeliest of mealy winter tomatoes into something sweet and divine.  You make quick, practical use of the bushels of summer garden tomatoes we can't possibly eat at once.  I can freeze you to eat any time of year.  And you're so easy to make I couldn't mess you up if I tried!  

Feel free to experiment with this one.  Add some carrot, onion or pepper chunks.  Use all dried herbs or finely minced fresh.  I never make it the same way twice.  Regardless, you'll find the roasting intensifies the sweet flavor of the tomatoes as they caramelize.  This recipe tastes fabulous with my Eggplant Parmigiana Meatballs.

DIRECTIONS

25 Roma (or whatever you have) Tomatoes Halved, Quartered if Larger

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Medium Head of Garlic, Cloves Separated but Un-peeled (or Substitute Dried)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano Finely Minced (or Basil , Thyme…)

Preheat oven to 375.  Toss everything on 1 or 2 large rimmed baking sheets (so they fit in a single layer).  Turn the tomatoes halved side up.  Roast between 1 & 1 1/2 hours.  Keep an eye on them towards the end as once the juices start to evaporate they can begin to burn.  However, you do want them to brown and caramelize a bit to develop that amazing sweetness and depth of flavor.  Allow to cool enough to safely handle.  Push the garlic cloves out of their skins, discarding skins.  Process in a heavy-duty blender or food processor until slightly chunky or smoother if you prefer.  

Freeze in ziplock baggies for up to 6 months.  (For easy storage, lay the baggies flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer so they can stack  on top of one another.   This sauce works great on bruschetta, with pasta, as a base for a delicious tomato soup (recipe coming soon) and anything else your imagination can come up with.  Enjoy!

Email me if you'd like this recipe Veganized, Raw-Veganized, Dairy-freed or Gluten-freed:)

 

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