Summertime Salad

I know I haven't posted for a while and it is the summer......so here is a nice summertime salad recipe. I love having a baked potato and salad for a light dinner in the summer.


Mixed Green Salad with Fresh Fruits and Apple Cider Vinegar Grapefruit Dressing

Recipe By : Shobhan
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:10


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup (packed tight) arugula -- washed and chopped
1 cup(packed tight) spinach -- washed and chopped
1 cup (packed tight) mixed greens -- washed and chopped
1 medium plum -- sliced and cut into small pieces
5 medium strawberries -- sliced
3 tablespoons walnuts -- chopped
goat cheese (optional) -- sprinkled ontop
DRESSING
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 smalll grapefruit -- cut in half juiced
1/3 cup hemp seed oil (or flax or olive)

Mix all the salad ingredients together in a large salad bowl.

Using 4 tablespoons of grapefruit juice, blend together all the ingredients for the dressing.

Serve with the salad.

Description:
"Refreshing on a summer day"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cabbage Daikon and Carrot Salad

Here is a wonderful crisp and crunchy recipe that is a nice change from a normal everyday lettuce salad. This goes well with everything or is also great on it's own. For those of you who don't have access to Daikon radish you can substitute with another type of radish which will most probably have to be sliced by hand rather than shredded, but it will still be lovely. Shredded Cabbage Daikon Carrot Salad Recipe By : Chef Shobhan Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:07 minutes Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/2 medium yellow cabbage -- shredded 1/2 medium red cabbage -- shredded 1/2 daikon radish -- shredded 2 medium carrots -- shredded 1 handful chopped nuts of your choice (pumpkin or sunflower seeds don't need to be chopped) 1 medium cucumber -- sliced in 1/4's semi peeled Dressing 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon brown rice miso 1 clove garlic (optional) -- minced Combine all the vegetables in a large salad bowl and mix.. Scatter nuts on top. blend all the ingredients in a blender or by hand. pour as much of the dressing as you want over the salad and serve with your choice of protein or on it's own. NOTES : Cabbage contains glutamine, an amino acid that may help reduce sugar cravings and promotes the maintenance of a healthy digestive tract. It is very rich in iodine, vitamin C and sulphur.

Cucumber Avocado Mango Salad

Hi Everyone, I just created this recipe tonight. I rather enjoyed it and thought you might like it.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cucumber Avocado Mango Salad

Recipe By : Chef Shobhan
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:10
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cucumber -- halved sliced
1 mango -- peeled julienned
1 avocado -- cubed
1 cup sunflower sprouts

FOR DRESSING
1 clove garlic -- minced
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon coconut vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 drop stevia
3 tablespoons hemp seed oil
2 tablespoons gomasio or toasted sesame seeds
garnish with fresh chopped cilantro

Mix all the ingredients for the salad together.

mix all the ingredients for the dressing together starting with the garlic and vinegars.

Cover the salad with the dressing and sprinkle extra gomasio or toasted sesame seeds onto the salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve.

Avocados are a great source of vitamin K, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate and copper. Avocados are also a good source of potassium: they are higher in potassium than a medium banana. Avocados are also considered a fruit not a vegetable as some may think.





- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Red Cabbage Pear Carrot Cucumber Feta and Walnut Salad

Hi Everyone,  Here is a salad I just created today.  It's super delicious and healthy.  A lovely lunch on its own, or to accompany a main dish.  The red cabbage is so lovely for the autumn.

Serves 2 - 4

1/4 medium sized red cabbage sliced very thinly

1 medium or large carrot julienned

1/2 to 1 cucumber julienned (any type of cucumber you like)

1/2 pear julienned

a handful small of walnuts chopped

sprinkling of feta cheese (optional)

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablelspoons olive oil

If you have a mandoline you can thinly slice the red cabbage, if not use a sharp knife and slice as thinly as possible.  You can also julienne with a mandoline too.  But if you don't have one just cut the carrot, pear and cucumber into matchstick size pieces.  Set all this aside and crush and chop the garlic and place in salad bowl and then add the apple cider vinegar and balsamic, stir then add the olive oil and stir.  Add all the veggies and the chopped nuts and feta if using.  Toss well and serve.

Red cabbage contains high amounts of vitamin K which is a fat soluble vitamin and therefore to get the full benefits of vitamin K, eat it with some fat or oil.  Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting, and helps build strong bones, for more info on vitamin K look here https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/03/24/vitamin-k-part-two.aspx

Red Cabbage Blueberry and Pumpkin Seed Salad with Chipotle Balsamic Dressing

I'm so sorry I haven't posted for so long. I got extremely busy with recipe testing for a raw dessert business possibility that I have totally neglected my blog for a couple of months. But now I am back with a new recipe that I think you will all enjoy. I have to say that I am not doing the raw diet anymore, but I am still vegetarian. I found that being raw was great and I still do mainly raw foods, but I wanted to have a little more freedom with what I was eating. Also we inherited some chickens and they lay eggs all the time and I just kept thinking............wow a quiche with fresh eggs would be amazing.........so a week ago I made a fantastic quiche with spinach and mushrooms. It was very enjoyable. I have to say that eating cooked food does usually feel very heavy and that is probably why I am still about 70% raw. I feel that if I can eat 2 large salads everyday then I am doing really well.


Red Cabbage Blueberry and Pumpkin Seed Salad with Chipotle Balsamic Dressing



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 medium red cabbage -- shredded
1 cup blueberries -- rinsed
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds -- soaked overnight and dehydrated (optional)

Dressings
1 small chipotle chile -- soaked in hot water for at least an hour
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Shred the cabbage and then add the blueberries and pumpkin seeds. Toss to blend everything well.

Take the seeds and stalk out of the chipotle and place in the blender with the vinegar and olive oil. Blend until creamy.


Pour as much as you require over the salad and place in the fridge for at least an hour then serve. It can be served on its own or as a side dish. I really like this as a main course on its own.


NOTES : Red cabbage is very high in antioxidants. also it is an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C. It is also a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6 potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. Cabbage is also a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein

Spinach Daikon Olive Salad with Creamy Brazil Nut Dressing

Hello everyone, today I'm giving you a lovely recipe that will fill you up and is very nutritious. I am still about 90% raw and some days 100%. I feel much better than I did a few months ago and I think I am really suited to this lifestyle. My eyes are so clear and so is my skin and most of my aches and pains have cleared up. It is my intention to do this for the whole of 2011 (and probably the rest of my life). In february I am going to do the Gabriel Cousens Phase 1 Rainbow Green Live Food. (For those of you who don't know who Gabriel Cousens is, he is Raw Food Guru and an MD. He has a place called Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center. People go there to rid themselves of diabetes and other chronic diseases.)This means no fruit or anything with any type of sweetener except stevia and also no coconut water!!! I feel that this will be the ultimate cleanse and I'm excited to do it, but a little apprehensive at the idea of no fruit at all. Anyway I'll keep you posted as to when I'm starting.

Here is the Spinach Daikon Recipe.


Spinach Daikon and Olive Salad

Recipe By : Chef Shobhan
Serving Size : Preparation Time :0:10
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound spinach -- washed
1/2 cup olives (your favorite type) -- cut into halves or quarters
1 ripe tomato -- cut into small pieces
1 cup daikon radish -- sliced and peeled cut into 1/4's

Mix all ingredients together in a large salad bowl.

Top with brazil nut dressing. Serve.

NOTES : Daikon is a wonderful digestive help. It has been found to contain enzymes similar to those in our own digestive tracts. It is also a powerful anti-cancer vegetable. It has also been shown to be a decongestant and a diuretic.

Here is the recipe for the Creamy Brazil Nut Dressing.

*

Brazil Nut Dressing

Recipe By : Chef Shobhan
Serving Size : Preparation Time :0:05
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/4 cup Brazil nuts
2 teaspoons miso paste (your favorite type)
water

Place nuts and miso in the blender, cover with water. The thickness will vary according to how much water you put it. The less water added the more thick it will be.

Add your desired amount of water, I find the best amount is just covering the nuts.

Blend until creamy. Add more water if it's too thick.

Serve over spinach or massaged kale.


NOTES : Brazil nuts are very high in Selenium. Miso is a probiotic.

Twenty Days Into Raw Food

Well, the first 10 days were certainly the easiest, because the detox began after 10 days. As I mentioned before, the detox started with streaming eyes and nose, but the new symptoms are a burning rash on my hands and feet which has moved around to now encompass my wrists and right elbow. It is very unpleasant and wakes me up every night in the middle of the night. I have to get out of bed and either run a hot bath or just run my hands under the hot tap to calm the burning!! Yes it sounds horrible and it is! But it will be worth it. I am getting years of accumulated toxins out of my body. They have been hiding in my muscles and joints. I have to say that the rest of my body feels so much better. Not sure if I mentioned the motivation for the raw food diet, but if I didn't, it was because I was feeling 90 years old......my body was aching, all my muscles felt sore and I had tendonitis in my right achilles tendon and my left knee joint felt very painful. These aches and pains have almost totally disappeared. There is a little pain left in my achilles tendon, but aside from that and my horrible rash, I am feeling amazing and infact better than I have for a looong time. So the raw food is working. Its doing its job and cleaning out my body. I highly recommend it to anyone who is in pain or has health issues. So on that note here is a wonderful Cafe Gratitude inspired Marinated Kale Salad recipe.



Marinated Kale Salad


Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:30


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 bunch kale -- destemmed shredded
1 cup shiitake mushroom -- sliced thin marinated in 2 tablespoons of nama shoyu and the juice of a lemon
1/4 cup arame -- soaked for 15 minutes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup juilienned cucumber
1/4 cup olives -- halved and pitted
Marinade
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons nama shoyu
2 1/2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 jalapeno -- cut into tiny pieces

Put the kale in a large bowl and add 1 teaspoon on high quality salt. Massage the salt into the kale for about 2 minutes or until the kale has wilted. Then add the juice of 1 lemon and massage that into the kale.

Take the shiitake mushrooms out of the marinade of lemon and shoyu and add to the kale, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix together.

Add the marinade to the kale mixture. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Description:
"Delicious Kaleness"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Kale is a superfood. It contains more absorbable calcium than any dairy product. You can eat this salad as a meal by itself and feel totally nourished. You will be surprised at how satified you will be from just eating a cup of this!

Evening Time

All I can say is that I'm rather hungry and I cheated a little bit!  Great!  I ate half a roast potato and a tiny slice of chicken.  I had made it for the kids I work with and I just couldn't resist taking a bite.  But otherwise I am going strong.  Drinking lots of peppermint tea and water.
I can eat salad, broth and steamed veggies for dinner.  I shouldn't be too hungry. 
Now I feel like my hunger is calmed down somewhat and I am actually looking forward to eating a big salad with sunflower sprouts and avocado.  I am also going to have half a white sweet potato, so I am very excited to eat that, even without butter!

FAVA BEAN AND RED PEPPER SALAD

Hi Everyone,  Spring is truly sprung here in Portugal.  I am already eating nespera (loquats) and also I just harvested my first fava beans.  They taste amazing.  Here is a new recipe I created with my first of the year.  They are SO delicious and nourishing.  I just ate rather a lot with some gorgeous roasted potatoes.  And my husband liked it too!  So without further ado........

FAVA BEAN AND RED PEPPER SALAD

1 kilo fresh fava beans to shell, blanch and peel

1 red bell pepper

1/2 a cucumber sliced then quartered, semi peeled

10 or more slices of daikon radish julienned

2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon grain mustard

chopped coriander to your taste

Shell then blanch the favas by making a large pot of boiling water and dropping in the shelled beans.  cook for 1.5 minutes.  Drain and place into an ice water bath.  This way they will remain a lovely bright green colour.  Drain again and peel.  Add the fava beans to all the other ingredients up until the garlic.  Place garlic in small bowl with both vinegars, then add the mustard and stir, then add the olive oil and whisk.  Place this onto the veggies and beans.  Mix well and serve with some roasted herbed potatoes.

Fava beans are wonderful for our health.  They contain many vitamins and minerals including a high level of protein and fiber.  They are high in potassium, calcium, manganese and folate.

Kidney Bean Patties with Yogurt Tahini Dressing

Here is a delicious bean dish for you all to try. I really enjoyed this one. I have to admit that the yogurt tahini dressing is not my recipe, I got it from the book Mighty Spice by John Gregory Smith (which I highly recommend). But the bean cake recipe is my original one.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Kidney Bean Burgers with Tahini Yogurt Dressing



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup kidney beans -- soaked overnigh
1 onion -- chopped
1 small red bell pepper -- chopped fine
1 egg -- beaten
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (your choice)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup yogurt
3 tablespoons tahini
1/2 lemon juiced

Drain and rinse the kidney beans well. Cook in a pressure cooked using instructions. Or cook till beans are tender on stove top (about an hour or so)


Drain the beans once cooked and put in the food processor and rough chop.

Saute the onion garlic and red pepper till soft.

Place the beans in a large bowl and add the onion mixture. Mix well and add the egg. Mix well again. Add the spices and tomato paste and mix well.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Make small patties out of the bean mixture with your hands and place in the frying pan for about 4 - 6 minutes on each side, or until they are browned.

add extra oil when needed. While they are frying place the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice in the food processor and blend until smooth and well mixed.

When the bean patties are all cooked, serve with the yogurt tahini dressing and a nice green salad, or salad of your choice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

.

NOTES : Kidney beans are extremely high in molybdenum, which help your body detoxifiy sulfites. They are also a great source of protein and fiber.

What to cook when vegans and meat eaters are coming for dinner?

I haven't thought to do a post like this before, but recently had to cook for a variety of requirements, and that made me think of this.  I know that for some, cooking just one meal for people can be stressful, but then to have to figure out a vegan option along with a meat dish is even more stressful.  So here is an idea for what you can do to make a simple, easy dinner.

Dinner for 2 vegans and 4 meat eaters

Menu

Ginger Marinated Tofu or Chicken Breast
see recipe below menu

Brown Basmati Coconut Rice
http://nutritiousdeliciousfoods.blogspot.com/search?q=brown++rice
in this recipe substitute the butter for coconut oil if vegan

Red Cabbage Pear Carrot Cucumber and Walnut Salad
http://nutritiousdeliciousfoods.blogspot.com/search?q=salad
Omit feta cheese for vegans

Carob Brazil Nut Fudge
http://nutritiousdeliciousfoods.blogspot.com/search?q=divine+carob+treat

Instructions

Do the night before the dinner.

In separate bowls, soak all items below overnight in water completely covering everything.  Cover with a clothe or lid.

 1.5 cups brown basmati rice.

 2 apricots for carob fudge

1.5 cups Brazil nuts for carob fudge

then

Make a main dish of tofu and one of chicken breast, use the same marinade for both of them.

Tamari Ginger Garlic Marinade

2 tablespoons peeled and grated ginger
2 cloves crushed chopped garlic
1/2 cup tamari (shoyu and soy are substitutes)
4 tablespoons mirin (rice wine, you can substitute 1+ tablespoon sugar)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and measure out half of the liquid and put in medium sized baking tray and the other half in a bowl.

Cut 250g tofu into small squares and put into the baking tray with marinade, turn each piece over to make sure all tofu has been covered.

Use four boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cut each breast of chicken in half by placing the palm of your hand lightly on top of the chicken breast and slice it in half thru the middle so you have eight thin breast slices. put them in a bowl with the other half of the marinade.

Leave both in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour and if possible overnight (for best flavour)

Set oven to 325 degrees or 162 C.

After marinading, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to both dishes and mix.

Transfer the chicken to a pyrex dish. Cook for 30 - 40 minutes.

Cook tofu in same tray it marinated in.

Cook the tofu between 20 and 35 minutes, depending on the texture you like, less time means its softer and more time can make it a bit crispy.

Remove both from the oven and place on separate plates. Garnish with a tablespoon or two of toasted black sesame seeds and sliced green onions (use white and green part of the onion)

Serve with recipes featured above and have a lovely stress free simple dinner.

My take on Moussaka

I have been eating dairy and eggs again after about six months of being totally vegan and mostly raw. I would say about 80% raw and 20% cooked. Well now I'm just vegetarian and it seems to be working well for me.
I would love to hear feedback from some of you regarding these recipes and if you've tried any of them and which ones worked for you and which didn't.
Anyway, here is my Veggie Moussaka.



Shobhan's Vegetarian Moussaka

Recipe By : Shobhan
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:45
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 pounds tomatoes -- chopped skined and seeded
2 large onion -- chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinammon
3 lge eggplant -- sliced and browned on either side
3/4 pound green beans -- sliced and blanched
1/2 cauliflower -- chopped finely
1 pound mushrooms -- chopped
4 ounces cheese Gruyere or Monterey Jack -- grated
1/4 cup spelt flour
4 ounces butter
milk

Set the oven to 375 degrees. Fry 1 onion for 5 minutes then add the tomatoes, cook for about 30 mins - make sure some of the liquid has dried up. Add the cinammon and cumin. Then set aside. While this is cooking in another pan you can brown the eggplant and blanch the green beans. Set everything aside.

In another pan saute the onion cook for 3 minutes and add the mushrooms, cook for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates from the mushrooms. Then add the cauliflower and cook for another 3 - 5 minutes. Then add this mixture to the tomato and onion mixture and add in the green beans.

In a large glass baking dish place slices of eggplant on the bottom and then a layer of the vegetales - use all the veggie mixture., then add another layer of eggplant. Now you have to make the sauce.

Melt the butter in a small pan and add the flour. Mix well and turn off heat for a few moments. Then whisk in about 2 cups of milk Turn the heat back onto medium and stir constantly until it thickens. Add 1oz of the grated cheese and mix into the sauce. If using unsalted butter you may want to use a little salt. Allow the sauce to thicken and boil for about 20 seconds. Once it thickens and boils you can pour it over the last layer of eggplant. Then add the rest of the grated cheese and place in the oven for 45 minutes and then remove from the oven and place under the grill or 2 minutes to brown. Serve with a green salad.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thirteen days so far

Well, the first 10 days were a breeze, but now I am starting to crave meat. I think it will pass. I have to say that I am feeling pretty good, but I think I'm detoxing as I have a slight cold, but it's not like a normal cold. It started with a soar throat for one day and then changed into something like a minor cold. So for the last 4 days I haven't been feeling 100%, but before that I was feeling really great. I can't imagine that I wouldn't have some detox symptoms, I think they were just delayed as they didn't happen right at the beginning. My eyes look really clear and my aches an pains are less noticable. I've also been taking a teaspoon of turmeric in 1/2 cup of water twice a day to clear up any inflammation in the body and I think this is really helping too.
One thing to note is that it's quite easy to eat too much sugar on a raw food diet. One day I found myself having my wake up shake (which I'm pretty sure is posted somewhere on this blog, if not I will post it soon) and then I made a cafe Gratitude "Raw Porridge" which consists of a whole coconut with the water and meat blended, then you put it in the food processor and add 1 apple unpeeled but chopped, a cup of pecans soaked overnight and 6 - 8 strawberries, which I must say is simply divine. Then I found myself eating a banana with macadamia nut butter the next time I got hungry and started to feel like all I'd eaten all day was fruit. So I have to be careful to plan my meals, and make sure I eat salads so that doesn't happen. Then I made some almond hummus and a tapenade all from the Cafe Gratitude recipe book, so that I have some extra things on hand to add to a salad.
Today I weighed myself for the first time since I started the diet and I've lost about seven pounds! I wasn't doing it to lose weight, but I felt I needed to lose about five pounds. So that's an added benefit of a raw food diet.
Anyway, I'll post some recipes soon, I just wanted to let you all know how I was doing on this experiment.
The others who were going to do it with me haven't all started yet, so when we have something on video I'll post it.
I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy.
Remember, your health is your most important asset - if you don't have your health you really don't have anything.

Aubergines Stuffed with Courgette and Walnut

Here is a recipe I created yesterday.  Its vegan, but you can always put some grated cheese on top if you are not vegan.  This is a lovely way to eat aubergine.  Aubergines and very good for the health. They are full of anti-oxidants and phytonutrients.  They are very good for cardiovascular health, helping the scrub the arteries and it also contains nasunin which is a phytonutrient that protects cell membrane from damage and helps protect the brain cell membrane and it also helps to relax the walls of blood vessels, improving blood flow.

3 medium aubergines cut in half
1 onion sliced thinly
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1 courgette/zuchinni sliced thinly
6 mushrooms halved and sliced
2/3 cup walnuts chopped
salt a pepper to taste
olive oil or coconut oil to brush on the
skin of the aubergine.

Heat oven to 340 degrees or 150 C.  Use a knife and possibly a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the aubergine leaving the edge of about 1/4 inch of flesh, so there is enough space to put the filling.  Set aside extra aubergine.  Brush the aubergine halves with olive or coconut oil.  Put in the oven while you are preparing the filling.
To make the filling, warm a large skillet/frying pan and add some oil (coconut or olive)
add the sliced onions and garlic.  Saute for 3 or 4 minutes and then add the aubergine.  Cook for another 5 minutes or until aubergine is soft.  Add the mushrooms, saute for another few minutes and then add the courgette/zuchinni and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
Remove from stove and add the chopped walnuts, mix well and then take the aubergine out of the oven and fill with filling.  About 10 - 15 minutes from when you want to eat them, put them back in the oven on 340 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes.
serve with some brown rice and salad.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Hi Everyone,  Here is my recipe for veggie lasagna.  If in the US I would use Tinkyada brown rice lasagne, but here in Portugal I cannot buy that so I use any whole wheat lasagne I can find.  You can also use your favourite cheese on the topping, I use a Portuguese cheese called Ilha Acoreano made from raw milk, but you can use whatever melting cheese you want.  If you are vegan you can use vegan cheese and for the bechamel sauce you can use a fake butter and nut milk instead of cow milk and butter.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

8 slices of lasagna pasta (either cook it ahead if its the type of lasagna you need to cook, or leave as they are if its the one you don't need to cook first)

1 large onion chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1 large clove garlic crushed and chopped

 6 medium to large tomatoes chopped

15 crimini (brown)  mushrooms sliced

1 large red pepper chopped into 2 inch pieces

1 medium courgette/zuchinni quartered and chopped

For the bechamel

1/4 cup or 4oz butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

4oz - 6oz cheese grated

salt and pepper to taste

Put the oven on 350 degrees or 175 C.

Saute the onion and garlic for 2 or 3 minutes and add paprika and then the tomatoes.

Cook until the onion is soft and well combined with the tomatoes.

You might want to add a little water to make the sauce more liquid, cook for another 5 minutes.

Then add the mushrooms and the red peppers, cook for another 5 minutes.

 Add the courgette/zuchinni and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the oregano (crush it in your fingers and sprinkle in) and salt and pepper to taste.

Then lay 4 slices of  lasagne pasta in a large glass dish.

Place the cooked veggies on top of pasta.

Make the bechamel by melting the butter, then remove from heat and add the flour, mix well put back on a low heat. Immediately begin to add the milk slowly, stirring continuously and making sure there are no lumps until all the milk is added, let this cook and thicken while stirring until it boils. If it is too liquid take a little out in a small bowl and add more flour to it, stir it well,then add back into the sauce, if it's too thick add more milk.

Once it starts to boil turn off the heat and set aside.

Place another 4 slices of pasta on top of the veggies.

Pour the bechamel over the pasta and make sure it covers the whole of the top.

Add the grated cheese and place in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes.

The cheese should be lightly browned on the top.

Serve on its own with some grated parmesan cheese or serve with a green salad on the side.Either
way you will be getting a lovely serving of vegetables.

Crimini mushrooms contain large amounts of copper, selenium and B2.  Copper is used for wound healing and is good for osteoarthritis.  Selenium is an antioxidant and also B2, they contain large amounts of potassium too.  These delicious mushrooms also contain many other nutrients you can read about here http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=97

Leek Spinach and Yellow Pepper Quiche

Here is a lovely quiche recipe I made today.  Its very delicious,  I hope you all enjoy it.  I would love to hear how the recipes go, so do comment if you have tried one of my recipes and let me know how it worked out.

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *
                    Leek Spinach Yellow Pepper Quiche
Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 0     Preparation Time :0:30
Categories    :
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1                cup  sprouted whole wheat flour
  4             ounces  pasture butter
  3        tablespoons  water
  1             large  leek -- washed and hopped cut sideways
  2           handfuls  spinach -- washed and chopped
  1              small  yellow pepper -- chopped
  6             medium  pasture raised eggs
     1/2           cup  organic 1/2 and /.2
     1/4           cup  feta cheese -- crumbled
     1/4           cup  goat gouda or gruyere -- grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put the flour and butter in a food processor and cut in butter till fine.  Add water and leave on till the dough forms into a round ball.  Remove from processor and roll out between two pieces of plastic wrap and place in a quiche or glass dish.  Place in oven for 15 minutes.
Saute the leek in butter and add the yellow pepper after 3 minutes then add the spinach after 5 minutes, stir spinach for 1 minute and then set aside.
Beat 6 eggs together and slightly warm the 1/2 and 1/2 in a small pan  till it is tepid, then add to the eggs and mix in a little salt.  Add the vegetable mixture and the feta cheese.  Sprinkle the grated goat gouda on top and place in the oven for 20 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then serve with salad of your choice.

Description:
Lovely crisp crust with divine veggie filling

NOTES : Pasture raised eggs are what a real egg is supposed to taste like.  They come from chickens that have been outside eating a proper chicken diet like bugs and vegetables and therefore the egg comes from a more healthy chicken and therefore it produces a better tasting more nutrient dense egg.  I know they cost more, but they are worth it.  Better yet, get your own chickens and then you really will have the best eggs you can get.

RAW FOR 30 DAYS EXPERIMENT

I've decided it's time to go raw for 30 days.......or maybe more depending on how I feel. I have wanted to experiment with a raw food diet for a while now, and finally I feel ready. Mainly motivated by body pain - I want to see if I feel better. I know that a raw diet has been proven to cure diabetes and many other ailments, so as I've had pain in my body for quite sometime now it's finally bad enough for me to try my version of the raw diet.
I have found four others who want to do this experiment with me and we will be documenting it on video as well as on this blog.
I will be posting some raw recipes and generally letting you all know how we all feel and what is going on with us.
I did my first day of all raw food yesterday. I have to say that I feel really good today. The idea is to do at least 80% raw food every day and possibly 100%. Yesterday I was 98% raw - I had some steamed broccoli with my kale salad last night.
One thing I noticed yesterday was that I didn't get very hungry and this is because when you eat raw foods you don't need to eat as much because the food is so nutrient dense.
There are certain tools you need if you want to do a raw diet and not just eat raw veggies and nuts.

1. A food processor.
2. A high speed blender (preferably Vitamix, but others will do if a
Vitamix is out of your price range).
3. A food dehydrator.
4. A spiralizer (not necessary, but nice to have).

Here is a recipe for flax crackers. You can be as creative as you want once you've made them once just add in different veggies or spices - however you want. Just make sure you have a food dehydrator before you attempt to make them!


Flax Crackers

Recipe By : Chef Shobhan
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :26 hours
Categories : Raw foods

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup golden flax seeds -- soaked overnight
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds -- shelled and soaked overnight
1 small onion -- chopped
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon nama shoyu
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Place all the ingredients in a food processor with the s blade attached and blend. Until they a well blended.

Divide the mixture into four and pour onto a teflex sheet ontop of the first shelf in your food dehydrator. Spread with a spatula. This mixture doesn't have to be thin as it will get much thinner once it's dehydrated, just try to make it even.

Repeat until you have used up each shelf in a four shelf dehydrator. If you have a larger dehydrator double the recipe.

Set the dehydrator to 115 degrees and dehydrate for 24 hours. Then turn the flax crackers over and dehydrate for another hour or two.

Once they are done they should come off the teflex sheets easily. Break into small pieces and serve with avocado slices or a tapenade, or whatever you feel like.

Description:
"crispy crunchy"

NOTES : Flax seeds are a great source of omega 3's and also wonderful fiber. They scrub your intestines clean.

Amazing Almond Milk

As I said in my last post, I don't think I will ever go back to the way I used to eat. I am feeling good and craving salads!! Even though I've been working with whole food nutrition for a while now, I never used to crave salads, but I certainly do now. I find a salad so fulfilling. Also what I think is very interesting is that I don't crave other foods at all.
Here is a recipe for absolutely divine Almond Milk.

Almond Milk

Recipe By : Chef Shobhan
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:10


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/2 cups raw unpasturized organic almonds -- soaked overnight
7 cups pure filtered water
2 dates
2 drops stevia

Strain almonds and rinse them after soaking. Place in blender with 7 cups water and blend until smooth.

Using a nut milk bag,(you can buy one online) or a dish cloth strain the almonds and squeeze out all the milk. Set the pulp aside for future use - you can freeze it.

Place the milk back in the blender and add in the dates and stevia. Blend again till smooth.

Chill and use as you would cows milk. This milk tastes better!!

Description:
"Creamy and delicious cows milk substitute"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Almonds are the most nutrient dense nut. They are very high in calcium and many other minerals. The milk alkalizes your blood.

Portobello Mushrooms stuffed with Red and Green Peppers Quinoa and Aubergine

 

Hi Everyone,  

I haven't posted in a very long time, sorry about that.  

I've been more focussed on my garden and creating music videos.

But today I was inspired to create this recipe.

Here is my latest creation

 

 

 

6 portobello mushrooms (baked in the oven for 25 minutes)

1 cup cooked quinoa (soaked for 1 hour before cooking)

1 small red onion chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1 jalapeno pepper chopped

half a red bell pepper chopped

half a green pepper chopped

1/4 cup grated carrots

1 cup aubergine sauteed in coconut oil or ghee

1/4 cup roughly ground hazelnuts

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon tamari or shoyu

Sautee the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, add the jalapeno then add the red and green bell peppers. Sautee for 5 minutes, add the grated carrots and ground hazelnuts. Then add in the sauteed aubergine.  Mix well then add the cooked quinoa and then the lemon juice and shoyu. Mix well and then fill the mushrooms with the mixture.  If you like cheese you can add some grated cheese to top it off.  Place in the oven for 15 minutes, then serve with a green salad or another vegetable dish of your choice.

Portobello mushrooms contain lots of nutrients, including phosphorus, potassium, selenium, choline and vitamin D.  They can help prevent cancer, are anti-inflammatory, and they are packed with essential nutrients and are also a good source of B vitamins (not B12 though). So eat lots of mushrooms, so many of them are really good for your health and very delicious too!