The China Study All-Star Collection Cookbook Review & Sweet Potato Chili with Kale

Following her bestselling The China Study Cookbook, Leanne Campbell brings together top names in the Plant-based community to share their favorite and most delicious recipes in this awesome THE CHINA STUDY All-Star Collection. LeAnne Campbell, PhD, lives in Durham, North Carolina and has been preparing meals based on a whole foods, plant-based diet for almost twenty years and for her two sons - Steven and Nelson, who are now twenty and nineteen.  As a working mother, she found ways to prepare quick and easy meals without using animal products or adding fat.

More and more doctors are recommending a plant-based diet as the foundation of your healthy eating plan. When you have a strong foundation, your body can resist disease and illness.  A good diet is the most powerful weapon we have in the fight for real health.  Pioneering chefs (like myself), and those contributing to this book continue to demonstrate the ease and pleasure of using a plant-based diet. Their are so many possibilities and a lot of recipes are just simple with a few ingredients.

The cookbook author contributors include: Chef AJ, Ani Phyo, Christina Ross, Christy Morgan, Del Sroufe, Dreena Burton, Heather Crosby, John and Mary McDougall, Laura Theodore, Lindsay S. Nixon and Tracy Russell.  You should definitely add this beautiful book to your collection.  You won't be disappointed!!

The recipe I choose to share with you is Chef AJ's Sweet Potato Chili with Kale. Since cold weather is right around the corner, I am starting to think about what kind of healthy, warm soups I will make and this chili caught my attention.  I love this recipe for many reasons.  First,  it is bursting with so much flavor having not one grain of salt or any fat added.  AMAZING!!! Second, I love that it is bursting with nutrition, and far beyond. Third, it is a gorgeous, hearty and satisfying soup. I hope you will give this recipe a try and let me know how you liked it.

SWEET POTATO CHILI WITH KALE

MAKES 12 CUPS RECIPE BY CHEF AJ

PRINTABLE RECIPE

There is no dish that can’t be improved by the addition of kale!

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely diced

3 cups orange juice, divided

2 pounds sweet potatoes, diced (no need to peel if organic)

2 15-ounce cans sodium-free kidney beans

2 14.5-ounce cans sodium-free fire-roasted tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen)

1 tablespoon sodium-free chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or more to taste

8 ounces Lacinato kale, finely shredded

1.      In large pot, sauté onion and bell pepper in half of the orange juice for 8–10 minutes until onion is soft and translucent.

2.      Add all remaining ingredients except for the kale. Bring to a boil and then decrease heat to let simmer for 25–30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft but not mushy.

3.      Turn off heat and stir in kale so it wilts, then serve.

4.      To make in an electric pressure cooker, place all ingredients except for the kale in the cooker and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Stir kale in before serving.

TIP

This dish is great with a piece of corn bread on top!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts with Herbs

In this beautiful dish of sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts, two herbs were teamed together to bring out a delightful experience your taste buds will love! Rosemary and fresh basil are always favorites for many of my dishes and I especially love it in this one. The natural sweetness of the potatoes blends nicely with the brussels sprouts.

Did you know sweet potatoes are very good for keeping your skin clear, smooth and young looking?  The orange color in the potatoes comes from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in your body and switches on DNA that is responsible for producing new skin cells and getting rid of old ones.  That is an idea I love and we can all use smooth and clear skin. Brussels sprouts, believe it or not, have unique health benefits when it comes to your DNA as well.  A recent study showed improved stability of DNA inside our white blood cells after daily consumption of brussels sprouts. The repair and protection of our DNA plays a critical role in preventing cancer and slowing aging. Also, our bodies detox system needs ample amounts of sulfur to work effectively and brussels sprouts are rich in sulfur containing nutrients. Eating these two foods 3-4 times or more weekly helps to improve your immune function, provide you with an abundance of rich nutrients, protects your DNA and helps your body to detox more effectively.

I hope you love sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts as much as I do and will choose to add them to your diet, if you don't already.  There are a few different ways to make this dish.  You can steam the vegetables slightly and then mix with some olive oil, herbs, sea salt and pepper. Then bake for a short time at 350 degrees. The other method is to peel and chop the sweet potatoes, mix with brussels sprouts, olive oil, herbs, sea salt and pepper and bake for 1 hour at 350. Both methods work great.

Many diseases and health problems start with nutritional deficiencies. To avoid these deficiencies, fill up on foods rich in vitamins and minerals (like sweet potatoes & brussels sprouts) every day and limit or eliminate foods that have no benefit to your health.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Herbs
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 Sweet Potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 pound fresh or frozen brussels sprouts
1/4 - 1/2  cup fresh basil (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1-2  tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Peel sweet potatoes and chop into cubes.  Mix with brussels sprouts, basil, rosemary, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Place in 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour.  Do not overcook.  As soon as the sweet potatoes are tender, remove from oven.  ENJOY good health!!

Tasty Vegan Meatloaf

This is a ridiculously good plant-based meatloaf that is so super easy, inexpensive and full of fiber. You can put this loaf together in about 10 minutes, which makes it a good choice when you don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, but are desiring some good comfort food. Walnuts can be a huge boost to your health for many reasons.  Recent studies show that eating one ounce of walnuts each day for a period of 2-3 months reduced several problems associated with metabolic syndrome and inflammation within the body. Walnuts high omega 3 content, including the (ALC) Alpha-linolenic acid present, has repeatedly been shown to improve a wide variety of cardiovascular functions.

This nut loaf is delicious, has tons of  health benefits, easy on the budget and super fast!  You can serve it with a huge salad and steamed vegetables. 

Tasty Vegan Meatloaf
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped in processor
1/2 cup onion, chopped finely
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, squeezed
1 1/4 cups brown rice (about 1/2 cup uncooked)
2 Tbsp. oat bran
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast 
2 Tbsp. spaghetti sauce (or tomato sauce) 
1 flax egg (made with 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed & 3 Tbsp. water)
salt & pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. ketchup (for top of loaf)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.) Make a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons water and let it sit until it becomes egg like. Set aside.

2.) Mix walnuts, onion, cilantro, lime, brown rice, oat bran, nutritional yeast, spaghetti or tomato sauce in bowl while flax egg is sitting.  Add flax egg when it appears to be egg like.  Mix well.  

3.) Use coconut oil to grease loaf pan.  Pack ingredients into pan and spread ketchup on top as desired.  Bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Hearty Anasazi Bean Soup

This is a hearty and simple soup I created using Anasazi beans and lots of vegetables. You won't find these beans in a can, so you will need to buy them in the bulk bean section at a health food store, at your local grocery store or online. If you have never tried them, you are in for a real treat. The ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) were Indians who lived in the four corners area (now Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico) dating back to 130 A.D. The beans were found in the ruins by settlers in the early 1900's.

The ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) are best identified with their substantial architectural achievements known today as "cliff dwellings". Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep, Canyon de Chelly and many other dwellings that dot the arid countryside, represent these structures. "Anasazi" is a Navajo word perhaps best translated as "the ancient ones".

Anasazi Beans were one of the few crops cultivated by the Ancient Pueblo. This ancient heirloom bean has dramatic red and white markings and a soft creamy texture.The ancient Pueblo (Anasazi) were able to grow corn, squash, beans, and cotton.

Presently the beans are grown at 7,000 ft. elevation on the same land the Anasazi inhabited.

Beans provide a lot of bang for the buck. They are among the cheapest powerhouse foods, chock full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants and protein. Beans also contain a variety of vitamins and minerals and are a key component in lowering your risk of diseases including heart attack, diabetes, stroke and cancer. 1/4 cup of dry beans has 9 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein.

The beans cook much more quickly than regular beans. When selecting Anasazi beans, cooks should look for plump, glossy specimens without signs of withering or disease. They should store them in a cool dry place until they are ready for use. The beans should be washed before being soaked for approximately eight hours or overnight. After soaking, the beans can be cooked in an assortment of recipes including soup,chili and burritos. Their slightly sweet flavor makes them excellent for spicy Latin American food. In any recipe which calls for pinto beans, Anasazi beans can be used as a replacement. They can also be used as refried beans or combined with other beans for rich bean soups and stews. You can also cook them in your pressure cooker.
Cooked beans will store one week in your refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

Hearty Anasazi Bean Soup

PRINTABLE RECIPE
4 Servings

1 cup cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked Anasazi beans (1 cup uncooked)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped  
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups zucchini and carrots diced (or any other vegetables you have)
1 Tablespoon Herbes De Provence (or use your favorite dried herbs -basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
1 Tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 cup chipotle salsa
1 Tablespoon vegetable soup base
2 cups water

Cook brown rice by placing one cup dry rice in cooker with  1 3/4 cup water.  Let soak for 20 minutes and then cook as usual.  Or you can make my Perfect Brown Rice.  Reserve 1 cup rice for soup and save the rest in your refrigerator. 

Quick Soak method for beans:  Put 1 cup dry Anasazi beans in a saucepan and cover with 4 cups or more water. Bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes.  Remove from heat and cover with lid.  Let sit for two hours. Rinse and drain beans well.

Pressure Cooker: Place beans in pressure cooker with 1 tablespoon olive oil and cover with water until completely submerged.  Bring pressure cooker to full pressure and cook only one minute.  Remove from heat and let pressure cooker release its pressure gradually. After removing lid, keep both the beans and liquid in the pan.  You will be adding the remainder of the soup ingredients into this pan.
Regular Stove Top:  Add drained and rinsed beans to a pan with 4 cups water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 45-60 minutes.  When finished cooking, you should have about 2 cups liquid left.  Reserve this liquid.  If you do not have 2 cups left, add enough to make 2 cups.

While beans are cooking:  Put onion in small frying pan and saute in 1 teaspoon olive oil until soft. Add the 2 cups vegetables and cook until tender. Add 2 cups water, vegetable base, salsa, herbs and Bragg's.  Simmer for a few minutes and then add to pressure cooker finished beans or stove top beans along with the rice.  There should be about 2 cups liquid left in with beans (if not make sure you add water to equal 2 cups).  Between the liquid in the beans and the water added to the vegetables - you will have 4 cups liquid.

Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Vegetable Potato Curry

Using some of the traditional spices used for curry I created a delicious vegetable potato version.  I think you are going to love this one.  Curry dishes are richly satisfying with their intense spices, easy to make, healthy and very inexpensive. I have created several curry dishes that are available on my website:  Red Potato Curry Over Lemon-Basil Zucchini, Corn and Cashew Nut Curry with Perfect Brown Rice, and Tofu and Green Bean Red Curry.  I also have a raw version called Raw Curry in a Hurry, created by Tanya Alexseeva (Better Raw).  Try to include a lot of raw, organic foods in your diet.  Then supplement with a smaller percentage of healthy cooked foods.  You will find good health and enjoyment from this way of eating.

I recently tried Koshihikari brown rice. This new state-of-the-art technology allows milling of rice grains just 10%.  This lets Hokkura Brown Rice absorb water quicker and cook up fluffier, like white rice, without sacrificing the natural minerals and nutrients of brown rice. The best way to prepare Hukkura brown rice is exactly like you would white rice, only let the brown rice soak for 30 minutes in your rice cooker before turning it on to start the cooking process.  So normally if you put two cups of rice in your rice cooker, you would  then add water to the two mark.  In addition to this, let the rice soak for 30 minutes and then turn the cooker on. I found the flavor of Hukkura brown rice to be extra tasty, fresh and of the highest quality. You can order Hukkura brown rice on Amazon to give it a try, or possibly find it at your Asian supermarket. This particular premium rice doesn't state that is organic, so I now have a quest to find a similar one that is. Click on the picture below to find on Amazon. hope you will give this curry recipe a try and let me know what you think.  My family loved it! Also, check out my Perfect Organic Brown Rice made with regular organic brown rice.

Hukkura Brown Rice

Vegetable Potato Curry

Printable Recipe

Serves 4-6

5 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 - 3/4" squares
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 heaping tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 1/2 cups vegetable broth with sea salt
1 lemon, juiced

SPICES:
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons sweetener of choice

1.  Prepare potatoes, celery, carrots, parsley and set aside.
2.  Add diced onion, 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, all seasonings, sweetener and add to larger soup type pan.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
3.  Add remaining vegetables and half of the remaining broth.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring frequently until potatoes and carrots are soft.  Continue to add vegetable broth as needed until all broth is used.  Curry should be thick with some liquid present.  If it is too dry, add some additional water.
4.  Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Spaghetti and "Meatballs" from Forks Over Knives

Everyone loves pasta, so I wanted to share a recipe from the book Forks Over Knives.  A lot of you have probably seen the video, but if you haven't you can buy it on Amazon along with the companion cookbook. 

THE CLASSIC ITALIAN-AMERICAN dish gets a healthy makeover with millet standing in for the meat.  Loved this yummy and inexpensive dish.  You can simplify this recipe by adding your own favorite pasta sauce. I also used brown rice noodles in this recipe.

What I love about this book is that the recipes are very simple with ingredients you are use to seeing and using already.  You will find you have a lot of the ingredients in your home right now and can easily make a lot of the recipes by picking up just a few things from the store or getting them from your garden.  This is a great book for home food storage as well.  If you stock up on the cooking basics (page 12, 13, 14 & 15), and keep items on your shelves that you rotate, like vegetable stock, brown rice, quinoa, millet, whole grain pasta, various packaged & canned beans & lentils, various kinds of canned tomatoes, frozen berries & fruits, raisins, etc., you can create a 3 month or more supply of food that you rotate for your family.  You will also need to store some water. The recommendation is to have 1 gallon of water per person to last 2 weeks and 3 months of food.  I highly recommend this book to help you set up an excellent working kitchen and food storage plan. 

Some hints that have helped me with preparing my meals is to freeze a few items to make meal preparation easier.  I keep a bag of garlic in my freezer and pull them out as needed.  They work well frozen with my mincer.  I also freeze leftover parsley, cilantro, herbs and spinach. I can easily add these frozen veggies during my meal preparation.

Spaghetti and "Meatballs"
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

2 cups Vegetable Stock (page 23), or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup millet  (see below how to soak and prepare your millet before cooking)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced small
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup minced basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 pound whole-grain spaghetti, cooked according to package directions, drained, and kept warm
2 cups Tomato Sauce (page 25), heated  (I used my own favorite spaghetti sauce here)

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.) Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the millet and salt and bring the mixture back to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the millet is tender.  Drain any excess water and keep warm.
3.)  Place the onion in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes.  Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan.  Add the garlic, basil, and pepper and cook for another minute.  Add the tomato puree and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
4.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5.) Add the cooked millet and the arrowroot powder to the onion mixture and mix well.
Using an ice-cream scoop, shape the millet mixture into 2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6.) To serve, divide the spaghetti among 4 individual plates.  Top with some of the "meatballs" and pour some of the tomato sauce over the prepared plates.

SOAKING MILLET
You must soak your millet the night before you plan on using it in your recipe. One cup of dried millet generally yields about 3 cups cooked. Measure out millet, place in a ceramic or glass bowl (never use plastic) and soak with purified water for 12-18 hours. For optimal soaking, add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar.
Much like quinoa, millet is gluten-free and easy on the belly. It is also more alkalizing than other non-gluten grains. It is rich in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Millet has an impressive amino acid profile, including the essential amino acid methionine, making it an excellent source of protein.  
Preparing Basic Millet 101 - Yogitrition

 

Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup

I hope everyone is having a wonderful winter so far.  I know there are many lucky ones who enjoy summer weather all year long, but that is not the case here in Utah.  Up on our snowy mountain we have been lucky lately to hit 20 degree weather. So, between staying warm and healthy, this Asparagus Basil & Rice Soup does both and is as delicious as it gets!!  I started my recipe by soaking a cup of brown rice overnight in 3 cups of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse rice before using in your soup.

 

Soaking your grains makes them healthier

Soaking rice is not as important as soaking other grains, but the texture that soaking produces is much nicer. The texture is more like white rice, and it becomes a more digestible grain.  The brown rice ‘flavor’ is a little less strong as well.  Research shows that, unlike white rice, brown rice still contains some of the germ or growth structure that actually resumes activity after soaking in water for 24 hours. This revitalization is helpful in normalizing metabolism when consumed. Soaking brown rice also provides more vitamins and minerals than unsoaked brown rice or white rice. And keep in mind that the fiber in brown rice, soaked or not, contributes to a healthy diet. The apple cider vinegar helps in the soaking process.

After draining and rinsing your rice, put in a large soup pot with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes with the lid on. This becomes rice porridge.

Now round up all your ingredients and prepare them. I hope you enjoy this delicious and healthful soup your entire family will love. Not only will it warm you up, but will strengthen and support your healthy body.

ASPARAGUS BASIL & RICE SOUP

Printable Recipe

Serves 8

Rice Porridge

5 cups water

1 cup soaked brown rice (soak overnight in 3 cups water & 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil with the brown rice that has been soaked overnight. Reduce temperature and simmer for 60 minutes with lid on. After 60 minutes you will have a rice porridge.

 

Vegetables  

1 lb. asparagus chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 (15 oz.) can cut baby corn drained (cut into smaller pieces as desired)

5-10 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in half

Vegetable broth 

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

3 teaspoons sea salt 

Pesto 

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup olive oil

Place in mini food processor and process until smooth scraping sides as needed.

Creating the soup 

To the rice porridge add vegetable broth, water, sea salt and asparagus.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender. Add baby corn, cherry tomatoes and pesto.  Season as needed.  ENJOY!!

 

Tomatina Ratatouille & Review

I recently had the opportunity of reviewing a new product called Tomatina.  If you have ever tried V8 juice this juice is about 100 times better!!  The first thing I noticed when I received this product sample was how dark red it was.  This told me that it was loaded with lycopene at the highest level. My first taste was so flavorful and delicious. Tomatina was created by John Goldfuss. He is at the point with his new company that he needs some help getting his first production of juice going. Up to now, all of the money invested has been his own. Getting some momentum going is key to Tomatina’s launch and survival.  Please check out the links below to where you can help donate money so he can purchase bottles for his first run of product. Any amount will help him reach the goal of $10,000 by January 7.  It truly is a product beyond others I have tasted and deserves to be on the grocery shelves. 
Tomatina owes its name to a tomato festival in Spain.  In this celebration, the entire town of Buñol is filled with truckloads of tomatoes, and a huge tomato fight ensues. Afterward everyone washes up so the feasting, dancing, and partying festivities can begin. ¡Olé!

Tomatina's unique recipe went through 70+ variations to get to its current delicious state. The recipe includes tomatoes, beets, ginger, carrots, celery, cucumber and red bell pepper. 
The tomatoes support a happy heart by softening sticky cholesterol. It's generous antioxidants also reduce harmful oxidative bone stress. They are the most abundant source of lycopene. Studies that look at large groups of people (observational studies) in many countries have shown that the risk for some types of cancer is lower in people who have higher levels of lycopene in their blood. Studies suggest that diets rich in tomatoes may account for this reduction in risk. Evidence is strongest for lycopene's protective effect against cancer of the lung, stomach, and prostate. It may also help to protect against cancer of the cervix, breast, mouth, pancreas, esophagus, and colon and rectum. Beets anti-inflammatory compounds soothe and repair strained organs.  Ginger, with a magical, almost spiritual repute, is a medicinal root known for its stomach-soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. A carrot a day keeps the dermatologist away. Celery  is associated with reduced blood pressure. The anti-oxidants in cucumbers devour menacing free-radicals. Red bell peppers are dutiful stewards of good health with an abundant mix of nutrients and anti-oxidants.

Please help get this fabulous product to market.

The recipe I created using this delicious tomato juice was a YUMMY Ratatouille. Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Nice. It was originally a meal made by poor farmer's (in essence it started out life as a peasant dish), and was prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables. The original and simplest form of Ratatouille used only zucchini, tomatoes, green and red peppers (bell peppers), onions, and garlic. Today, eggplant  is usually added to the list of vegetables. You can choose to add eggplant or not, since the recipe is delicious with or without it. I spiced it up with some oregano & thyme. You can serve it over potatoes, rice or noodles.  Enjoy good health and check out Tomatina's website and facebook pages below. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Tomatina Ratatouille
Serves 4
                                                                                   

1 small onion, diced 
1 garlic clove, minced  
1 tsp. olive oil 
1 medium zucchini, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
5 Shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup diced eggplant (OPTIONAL)  
1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
sea salt & pepper to taste
1 cup Tomatina or your favorite tomato juice
(Potato, Rice or Noodles)

1.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. 

2.)  Add diced vegetables and seasonings. Continue to saute until vegetables are soft.  Salt & pepper to taste. 

3.)  Add 1 cup of Tomatina. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4.)  Serve over sliced potato, rice or noodles.  

Check out the links below and follow TOMATINA.

TOMATINA  

• Follow Tomatina

 

Introducing Tomatina: Video

Raw Soft Taco with Fresh Tomato Salsa

For all of you wanting that "Summer Glow"- now is the time to get it!  I am not talking about the Summer Glow fake self tanner, but the real glow that comes from the inside out.  The radiance that comes from eating right, exercising, getting plenty of rest, and enjoying the sun for a light/real tan. Eating more "Living Foods" help us to have clear eyes, clear skin, shiny hair and a healthy immune system. The flavor of these raw foods is so fresh and alive because they are as nature intended, full of living water and life force", states Matt Amsden. In Matt Amsden's book RAWvolution, he talks about a well-balanced diet of raw plant foods containing the full complement of vitamins and minerals, necessary for good nutrition, while cooking destroys over 80 percent of a food's nutritive value. Cooking also destroys the vital enzymes in food.  In the book Enzyme Nutrition, Dr. Howard Howell explains, "As our enzyme pool diminishes with age, our ability to perform the tasks that keep the body healthy also diminishes.  Aging happens when enzymes decrease in concentration in the body."  Dr. Howell believes that enzyme preservation is a secret to longevity and getting that glow. By eating living plant foods, we keep and even build up our enzyme reserves. Eating more raw foods also enables you to effortlessly shed excess weight. So, stock up on your live foods this summer and try to keep your raw foods to cooked ratio at 80% raw and 20% cooked. Saving your cooked meal for dinner is a great way to stay on track.  Help children by keeping their ratio at 50% raw and 50% cooked.

Below are a few recipes I love from the book RAWvolution.  They are both so full of flavor and super easy. The first recipe has ground walnut meat seasoned with Mexican spices, encased in a collard green wrap and served with Fresh Tomato Salsa.  The second recipe was inspired by Matt's Fresh Tomato Salsa, but I switched up the recipe to reflect what I like.  I hope you will give them both a try and check out Matt's book.

Collard greens are similar to kale in many ways.  Like kale, they too contain the phytonutrient sulforaphane which has been shown to stop breast cancer cells from growing in a study published in Drug Discovery Today.  Collard greens are also a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E and together, these antioxidants disarm free-radicals which may prevent significant damage to life-sustaining molecules such as enzymes, membranes, mitochondria and DNA.  Include collard greens in your green smoothie for an excellent source of calcium, which helps to maintain the strength and density of bones and may also help prevent osteoporosis. Buy your collard greens organic,  because they tend to have a lot of pesticides.

Soft Taco with Fresh Tomato Salsa

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Serves 3-4

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts, ground in a food processor

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu

3 to 4 small or medium collard green leaves

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1 recipe Fresh Tomato Salsa (below)

In a small mixing bowl, combine the walnuts, cumin, and coriander, and mix well. (I added all to my Ninja and pulsed until small pieces were formed)  Add the Nama Shoyu and mix well.  Spread approximately 1/3 cup of the walnut mixture along the center stem of each collard green leaf, then add a layer of shredded lettuce.  Top with approximately 1/3 cup of the salsa just before serving and add sliced avocado.  You can roll like a burrito and slice in half, or just eat like a taco. 

The Ninja processor is great for little jobs like making the nut meat

 Fresh Tomato Salsa 

Serves 12

12 medium Roma tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 cup chopped scallions (add some of the green)

6 Tablespoons lime juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium jalapeno (remove seeds)

1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2  tsp. sea salt

3 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 

1 tsp. of sweetener of choice (optional)

Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes into a food processor and  process for a few seconds.  Add tomatoes and continue to pulse until you have the consistency you like in salsa.

Herbed Cashew Cheese

This is an absolutely fabulous cheesy spread to put on your wild yeast (unleavened) bread.  Just dip in and spread several tablespoons on your bread and enjoy pure satisfaction.  Or, you can add some vegetables on top and make into a sandwich.  I discovered this Herbed Cashew Cheese from my daughter at Little House of Veggies.   She makes some fabulous creations in her kitchen and they are kid tested too!!  I just taught a class on unleavened bread last night and we sampled the Herbed Cashew Cheese, a Paprika (Cashew) Cheese Ball and an Artichoke Dip on our fresh baked No-Knead Sourdough Bread, San Francisco Style Sourdough & a Sandwich Soft Sourdough Bread.  Look for my post in a few weeks with instructions on how to make your own wild yeast & how to make these fabulous healthy breads.  You will find the health information very interesting and see how beautiful and delicious these loaves turn out.

Herbed Cashew Cheese

Printable Recipe

3 cups raw unsalted cashews

1 cup water or less (start with ½ cup and add more as needed)

About 1 tsp probiotic powder (5 capsules, broken open)

Soak the cashews for at least 2 hours and rinse well.  Place cashews in a food processor or blender with the water and the probiotic powder.  Mix until very smooth.  Do not add more water than you need to make smooth. Place the cheese in bowl  with lid and allow to ferment overnight on counter .  In the morning add the following: 

Juice of 1 lemon

2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

Large handful (about ¾ cup) chopped parsley

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 TBS nutritional yeast flakes

½ tsp sea salt

Cracked black pepper

Mix everything well and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Use within 5-7 days.