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!