Here is one of the very first raw recipes that I learned, it is also one of my favorites! The sauce can be used for a number of things: a pizza sauce, salad dressing, and I actually used some for a sauce in a stir-fry and it was delicious! But my favorite is with these zucchini noodles. They are made with a spiral slicer. I have also done noodles with yellow squash, carrots, and beets.

Zucchini Noodle Marinara

2 tomatoes chopped
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 2-4 hours, drained, and chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (if they are big cloves then I just do one)
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
Dash cayenne
Dash fresh ground black pepper
2 T minced fresh basil or 2 tsp dried
1 T minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried

Place all the ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. Serve over noodles of your choice. The recipe I have says to use 6 medium zucchini for this amount of sauce but I don't use that many, I like my noodles really saucy! :) The sauce will keep for five days in the fridge. Other variations to the sauce are adding 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives, mushrooms, or really any other veggies you love! 

"You can exercise all day long but it all starts with what you put in your mouth." -A former co-worker of mine 

I love this time of year! I have so many favorite holiday recipes and I am excited to share them! This one I make almost constantly while fresh cranberries are available.

Cranberry Orange Relish

2 C fresh cranberries
1/2 C raw cane sugar or date paste
2 tsp orange zest
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
1 tsp grated ginger (I've seen another version of this recipe that uses 1/4 tsp of cinnamon instead of ginger. I like it both ways.)
1 tsp ground psyllium, optional, will make the relish firmer. (I don't usually put this in.)

Place everything in a food processor and process until the mixture is chopped but still has some texture. It's recommended to chill this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving, but me and my boys usually eat it right a way!

Banana Ice Cream

Here is another healthy ice cream idea. It is so simple and so yummy! All you do is run frozen fruit through the juicer. We do this with a Champion Juicer, I'm not familiar with other juicers, all I know is that is works with this one! Banana is what we are using in these pictures but I would have to say that pineapple is my favorite! You will not believe how creamy and delicious this is! Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Coconut Ice Cream

1 1/2 C coconut milk (made by blending together the thai coconut water and coconut meat)
1/2 C coconut meat (wet measurement)
1/4 + 2 T agave
1/2 C coconut flakes
1 T vanilla
1/4+1/8 tsp salt
1 T lecithin

Blend all the ingredients together really well. The recipe I have (which comes from the book Sweet Gratitude by Matthew Rogers and Tiziana Alipo Tamborra) says to then put it in a hand-cranked ice cream maker, but I don't have one. I just put it in a bowl in the freezer and scooped it out like ice cream. Sooooo yummy!

You can also stir in another 1/4 C coconut flakes after blending.

I know this isn't a great picture but this is all the ice cream that was left when I realized I should share this recipe on my blog haha :)

This is delicious!

Vegetable Trio

Small florets of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots circles.

Italian Lemongrette Dressing

1/2 C olive oil
3 T lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp agave
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp mustard powder

Combine everything except the oil in the blender, blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil while the blender is on high. This is a pretty small amount of dressing so it actually works better if you double or triple it. It's a great salad dressing but we are going to use it to marinate vegetables in.

Pour over your chopped veggies and if possible marinate over night to soften the vegetables. Enjoy!

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

Not Tuna Pate

1 C sunflower seeds, soaked 8-12 hours, drained, and rinsed
1/2 C almonds, soaked 8-12 hours, drained, and rinsed
1/4 C water
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 C minced celery
2 T minced red onion
2 T minced parsley

Process the sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor until it becomes a paste. You can then mix everything together in a bowl or I like to add the celery, onion, and parsley and pulse a couple of times. 

A great variation to this is Not Salmon Pate, you add 1/2 C grated carrots to the food processor along with the almonds, sunflower seeds, water, lemon juice, and salt. Replace the parsley with a tablespoon minced fresh dill weed, or 2 teaspoons dried.

This is great to add to a salad, use in a lettuce wrap, or stuffed in a red bell pepper half.

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

"Being healthy and owning a disease free body is not luck, it is earned." 

Eat To Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Chocolate Mousse

1/2 C dates, soaked
1/2 C agave or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C avocado
3/4 C organic cacao or carob powder (I generally use a little less than this)
1/2 C water

You can make this in a food processor but I prefer the blender, so that it's really creamy! I put all the liquid ingredients in first and then add everything else. Blend until smooth! I also like to add a drizzle of coconut oil and Thai coconut meat if I have it, I think it helps give the mousse a great smooth texture and meld all the flavors together. You can freeze this in pop-sickle molds for fudgesicles, increase the water to 1 C and serve as a fondue with fresh fruit, or just eat it like chocolate pudding, yummmm!

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

Seedy Avocado Corn Salad

1 ear corn
2 C halved grape tomatoes (I used regular tomatoes)
1/2 C diced red onion
1/4 C chopped cilantro
2 T sunflower seeds
2 T pumpkin seeds
2 avocados cubed

Dressing:
1/4 C lime juice
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
Dash of cayenne pepper.

Use a knife to cut the corn off the cob  Then combine all the ingredients together and mix well. You can whisk together the ingredients for the dressing separately and then pour it on but I just mix it all in together :) This is good in a lettuce wrap or I like to eat it with the red pepper chips (posted below) or corn chips.

Recipe from Judita Wignall's book Going Raw

And here's a couple pictures of the raw lemon poppy seed cake I made for my son's birthday. We served it with a raw chocolate sauce and raspberries, mmmmmmm! Sarah Robertson, I wish you were here to share it with us!

Red Pepper Chips

6 red peppers, chopped
1 C fresh basil leaves (or I use about 1/4 C dried)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 C golden flax seeds, ground (about 2 C ground)
1 1/2 C water

Place the peppers in your food processor and process until smooth. Add the basil, cayenne, salt, and chili powder and process until smooth. Add the water and ground flax seeds and process again until smooth. If you can, allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes to thicken. Put about 2 1/2 C of the mixture on teflex-lined dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate for about 6 hours at 105 degrees or until you can easily remove the teflex sheet. I like to score them at this point either into squares or triangles. Then flip onto mesh sheets and continue to dry for 6-8 hours or until completely dry.

I always keep these chips on hand. A typical lunch for my son and I is a green smoothie and an avocado that we eat with these chips. They're also great with guacamole and hummus!

And here's a little bonus recipe :) It's not raw but a great alternative to your typical cookie, no added sugar, flour, or dairy! My husband even said they were pretty good! 

Oatmeal Cookie

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 C apple sauce
2 C oats
1/4 C almond milk
1/2 C raisins, optional (I actually used a handful of cacao nibs in mine or you could also use chocolate chips)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

I smashed mine down with a spatula, otherwise they'll just stay in a ball, or however you place them on the cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes

Mmmmm I looked up some Raw Snickers recipes and this is the video I watched and got the recipe from. I don't think it really tastes like a snickers but it is still so good! I'll probably keep playing with the recipe because there are definitely some awesome possibilities here!

1 C melted cacao butter (you'll probably have to order this)
1 C raw cashews
1 C raw honey (I used 1/3 honey, 1/3 agave, and 1/3 maple syrup)
1 C cacao powder
1 C rapadura (sucanat, whole cane sugar..)
1 C almonds chopped (You could use peanuts here, in the video she uses pecans. I used 1/4 c almonds, 1/4 c sunflower seeds, 1/4 c pumpkin seeds, and 1/4 c rolled oats)
2 tsp vanilla (the video shows her using a vanilla bean)
1/2 tsp salt

Blend the cashews and honey together. Then combine everything in a bowl and mix well. Put this in the pan of your choice and you can either freeze or put them in the fridge.

Banana Chia Pudding

Blend:
1 C nut milk (I make my own almond milk)
1 banana
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp vanilla
a squirt of agave

Pour into a container and stir in 1/4 C chia seeds. Let this sit in your fridge for at least 10 minutes while the chia seeds absorb the liquid. This recipe is another one of our favorites, my son and I literally fight over the spoon while we eat it! Chia is one of those crazy awesome superfoods!. Here's a website that gives a great explanation and such.

Marinated Broccoli Salad

3 heads of broccoli cut into small florettes
1/4 C minced red onion
1/2 red pepper, chopped

Marinade:
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/8-1/4 C hemp seeds, slivered almonds, or white sesame seeds

Soak the broccoli in hot water while you make the marinade, then drain. Put everything except the seeds in a container with a lid and marinate for 4-6 hours or over night. During this time I shake the container a few times (whenever I think about it) so that everything is well coated in the marinade. Toss with the seeds or almonds just before serving.

Broccoli is high in nutrients such as vitamin C and vitamin A, folic acid, and fiber. Broccoli is an important calcium source for those who don't consume dairy products.

NEEDXKNOWLEDGE=MOTIVATION

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

Here is one of the easiest juices to make (and clean up) and one of the best for you! Watermelon is the most alkaline of any fruit or vegetable which makes it a great aid for overcoming any acid condition. If you buy organic watermelon use the rind and seeds as well. Watermelon rind is rich in protein, vitamins A, B, C, enzymes, minerals, and chlorophyll-which is the ingredient that makes it more easily digestible. Watermelon helps to eliminate uric acid and to dissolve deposits that have accumulated because of faulty diet and lifestyle. (Information from Dr. Ann Wigmore's book Rebuild Your Health)

Watermelon Juice

Simply fill you blender full of watermelon and blend!

My husband said I needed to make a post about green smoothies because they are the best way for a "normal" person to get all that healthy goodness in them. And he's right! If you're going make one change in your lifestyle, start making green smoothies! I can't say enough about them. Robyn Openshaw (greensmoothiegirl.com) has been traveling all over the country promoting green smoothies and a whole foods lifestyle. Check out her website, I promise it'll be worth your time!
This is the green smoothie that I make the most. My son always drinks this one the best of all the green smoothies I make. 

Banana Romaine Smoothie

1 head romaine lettuce
Fill 2/3 blender full of water-over the top of romaine
1 or 2 stalks of celery (opt.)
4 or 5 bananas
Dates to taste, app. 1/2 C (I use a little less than that)

Blend romaine, celery, and water until smooth. Add bananas and dates and blend slightly to make chunks. I prefer having my smoothie this way (kind of a chunky smoothie) but my boys don't so I blend everything until smooth. I don't always follow this recipe exactly, I usually halve it and use part fresh bananas and part frozen. This time I also added some baby bok choy, which my husband didn't think was a very good idea.

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

This is the soup I made for dinner tonight. A lot of people struggle with raw soups since they are served cold rather than warm. This is the main raw soup that I make, occasionally I try others but this one I make on a regular basis. Tonight I even put it in my two year old's sippy cup thing (it has a straw) and he drank it like a smoothie.

Tomato Basil Soup (I halved this recipe)

6 C seeded and chopped tomatoes (I didn't seed mine)
1 1/2 C nut milk
1/4 C fresh basil or 4 tsp dried
2 T fresh oregano or tsp dried
1 T agave nectar or 2 medjool dates
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
2 T olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Then with the blender still running, pour the olive oil in slowly to emulsify. If you have a high powered blender you can blend for 2 minutes for a warm soup. Garnish with the pepper. This soup will last for 2 days in the fridge.

And I had to post this picture of my baby sharing his brother's green smoothie. He loves chewing on the straws of these cups and tonight he actually got a couple sips of smoothie. Just getting those taste buds off to the right start!

Collard Hummus  Wrap

For the hummus:
2 C soaked sunflower seeds
1/2-3/4 C soaked and peeled almonds (I didn't peel mine)
1/4 C water or rejuvelac
1/2 C lemon juice
1/2 C tahini (I used about 1/4 C)
3 small garlic cloves
1 tsp sea salt

Put the sunflower seeds and almonds in the food processor and process until quite fine, add in the lemon juice, and additional liquid as needed. When it reaches a good consistency add in the pressed garlic, tahini, and salt, then process again until well combined.

To make the collard leaf more "wrap friendly" cut the stem out from the inside of the leaf by sliding the knife down the length of the stem, careful not to cut clear through the leaf.

Fill the collard with hummus and add your favorite toppings; I added onion, avocado, and tomato. Then wrap it up burrito style and enjoy!

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson

Lime Mousse

2 1/2 avocados
3/4 C agave or honey
1/2 C lime juice
Zest of 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt

This recipe is from Melissa Chappell's book Faves. Check out her website here.

Process all the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender until whipped (I prefer using the blender, and make sure you have a spatula handy because you'll probably need to help it along). Serve right away with strawberries or freeze overnight and scoop like ice cream. Serve the frozen version with fresh strawberries or thawed frozen berries, mashed into a sauce.

"The only person I can really transform is myself. However, I have unlimited power over myself; and I see infinite possibilities to better myself. If every one of us keeps improving individually, together we can change the world."  -Victoria Boutenko in 12 Steps to Raw Foods

This recipe is one of my favorites! It's super simple, easy, and delicious! I usually half the recipe when I make it for myself. 

Cucumber Salad

2 or 3 medium avocados cubed
1/2 medium size sweet onion diced
2 cucumbers diced (I like to cut them fairly thin)
3 or 4 tomatoes (opt. scooping out the inside will make it less juicy)
Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and eat immediately. If I don't finish it in one sitting then I have it for lunch the next day, it doesn't last much longer than that in the fridge.

And here's a great article on sprouting if you've never done it before or need a little more instruction (for use with my first recipe posted).

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices

Juicing is something that I started doing and immediately saw huge positive changes in my health. I lost weight, improved my digestion, mental clarity, I have more energy, and just feel great! Fresh juices are loaded with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, anti-oxidants, diuretics, chlorophyll, and the list goes on. There are tons of books and websites on juicing, here's an article I like from the website Hungry for Change. At the bottom of the article there's a list of different juicing combinations, which can be super helpful if you're just starting out. I like to juice every morning if I can. I've recently recruited my two year old to help and he loves it! Here's the juice we made this morning. (The red color is from beets.)

                                                       

     

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Lentil Salad

1 cup sprouted lentils (I actually used the Pro-Vita Mix by Life Sprouts which contains Adzuki beans, peas, lentils, mung beans, triticale, wheat, and fenugreek.)
1-2 green onions (I used 1-2 T white onion)
2 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup diced avocado
1/8-1/4 cup minced parsley, basil, dill, or cilantro
1/2 carrot thinly sliced
1 stalk celery thinly sliced

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and adjust the flavors to your liking! Sprouts are a great addition to your diet, they are jam packed with nutrients and are the perfect thing for food storage!

recipe courtesy of Jaylene Johnson