Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This recipe is a fun and different way to make pesto. We use pumpkin seeds and parsley but almost any herb can be used to make a version of traditional pesto. Fresh zucchini from your summer garden can be used to make “noodles”. Then garnish with fresh herbs and veggies of your choice. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, soaked for 2 hours
1/2 cup Botija Olive Oil
2 cups fresh parsley
1/2 clove garlic
juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp. of Kalahari or Himalayan Salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until as smooth or as chunky as you like. Adjust flavors by adding more salt or lemon, etc. You can use this pesto with raw crackers, crudites or use a spiralizer or mandoline to make noodles out of zucchini.

From http://www.raw-food-diet-inspiration.com/rawfoodrecipes.html

Raw Pizza!

Raw Mini Pizzas

Makes 6 servings


Our Raw Mini Pizza recipe offers a delicious delight that features an amazing combination of raw ingredients and can be customized to your tastes. It’s easy to make, great for you and tastes wonderful at any time of day.

Ingredients:

2 cups sunflowers seeds
2/3 cup soaked flax seeds (soak with 2 cups water)
2 cups veggie pulp or processed carrots
1 cup celery
1 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes


Preparation:

Blend the ingredients in a food processor including some of your favorites such as garlic, onion, Italian seasoning or sea salt. Spread on a Paraflexx sheet and dehydrate at 95 to 105 degrees until dry (approximately 4-5 hours or until dry on top). Cut into 4″ X 4″ squares and top!

Toppings:

Top with your favorite ingredients for your own personal pizza experience. Here are some of our favorites:

Olives
Olive Oil
Tomatoes
Onion
Guacamole

Note – The pizza “crust” also works great for sandwiches or breakfast

Recipe fromhttp://www.sunfood.com/blog/838/recipes/lunch/raw-mini-pizzas

Honey!

     


Honey--it never goes bad! :) It just crystallizes (but when gently warmed up again, it returns to its original consistency). My fam is getting BEES this summer! I am so excited to have raw, organic honey! 


Check out this AMAZING website with facts on how to cure the body with honey and cinnamon! <3 You will be amazed!
http://fatalfacts.com/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F1308-facts-on-honey-and-cinnamon-it-is-found-that-a-mixture-of-honey-and-cinnamon-cures-most-diseases%2F

LEMONS

Oh how I ADORE lemons!! ♥
Though they have an acidic pH, they change chemically upon digestion and hold an incredibly alkalizing and cleansing effect on the body;
they improve digestion, ease constipation, prevent vomiting, soothes sore throats and relieve rheumatism. Lemons purify the blood and destroy intestinal worms and other parasites. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and prevent SCURVY (which is actually still around today!). Lemons are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitical, and anti-viral and have been used in medicine for hundreds of years. Even the scent of lemons we associate with something being "clean."
Historical note: Gandhi fasted on nothing but lemon juice and water for over a month, several different times, which brought about a revolution of peace, saved millions, and stopped a war.

Moral of this story? Lemons are amazing! Eat at least 1 citrus fruit daily! Squeeze lemon juice on a salad, into your water bottle, on cucumbers or other freshly chopped veggies... the options are endless. Buy some lemons at your local health food store/farmer's market, or, better yet, invest in a tree! The blossoms, fruit, and pure air they provide smell AMAZING! If I didn't share an apartment with 5 other girls, one of the first things I would buy would be a quaint little lemon tree! ♥
Seriously try this recipe, it's called the "master cleanse:"
Lemon Juice
Cayenne Pepper
RAW honey, or maple syrup
(opitonal) apple cider vinegar
mix together and drink. :) You will feel like the vibrant, happy-go-lucky child you once were!! Trust me--you will not regret it. 


website on how to grow an indoor lemon tree :)
http://meyerlemontree.com/indoorlemontree.html

Growing Your Indoor Meyer Lemon Tree

• WHAT TO LOOK FOR: If you purchase your Meyer lemon from a nursery, look for plants that are at least 2 to 3 years old. Improved Meyer lemons are also suitable as houseplants. They can be maintained at 3 to 5 feet tall and if you have the knack, lemon trees make wonderful Bonsai specimens.
• SOIL: Like most houseplants, citrus prefer a sandy slightly acid, all-purpose mix, which you can get by using a peat-moss based growing mix. (Remember, you get what you pay for, so don't go for the cheap products.)
• TEMPERATURE: Lemon trees thrive in a normal temperature range of 70 degrees during day to 55 degrees at night. TIP: Though the plants are evergreen they will go into dormancy and stop growing below 54 degrees F.)
• LIGHT: Set your lemon tree in full sun from a southern exposure. Trees need lots of light. If that's not possible, supplement the light by installing 40-watt fluorescent shop lights above the plants -- especially important in the winter, when they need 8-12 hours of light.
• MOISTURE: You'll need to keep the soil evenly moist and since most interiors are quite dry, mist your plant often -- daily if you can. Give your lemon tree a shower occasionally. They loved to be wiped down gently with a sponge.
• POLLINATION: When you grow plants indoors, bees and insects can’t pollinate them. So you need to use a paintbrush or cotton swab to rub pollen within the flower. Sometimes they will produce fruit without doing this, but it's a good idea to increase your chances!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies!

 Some of the best cookies I have ever tasted! Even my meat-eating family devoured these down. Greatest part, limited ingredients and baking time- only 9 minutes!

What you'll need:

    -2 cups unbleached flour

    -2 tsps baking powder

    -1/2 tsp salt

    -1 tsp cinnamon

    -3/4 cup vegan choc. Chips

    -3/4 cup raw sugar

    -1/2 cup canola/vegetable oil

    -1 tsp vanilla extract (I didn't add this because I didn't have it)

    -1/2 cup replacement milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips, and cinnamon.
3. Make a “well” in the center of the dry ingredients and put aside.
4. In a medium sized bowl, mix sugar, canola oil, extract, and milk replacement. Add more milk for more cake-like texture.
5. Pour wet ingredients into center of well in dry ingredients; mix well, but do not overwork dough.
6. Spoon onto baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees, bake additional 4 minutes.

Raw Vegan Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients (makes 4) 

3 large portobello mushroom caps, chopped
2 tbsp tamari (I use low-sodium) or nama shoyu
2 tsps liquid smoke
1 tbsp agave
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped carrot (or carrot pulp)
1/2 cup chopped celery (or celery pulp)
1 tsp rosemary or thyme

Methods/steps

1) Mix the tamari, liquid smoke, agave, and ACV in a bowl. Add mushrooms and try to mix them well into this marinade. Let sit for about 2 hours.

2) In a food processor fitted with the S blade, grind pumpkin seeds till smooth.

3) Remove mushrooms from the marinade (reserving it) and add to the processor. Process till the mixture has very little texture, but isn’t as smooth or uniform as a nut pate. If it’s overly pasty, add a few tablespoons of water or your leftover marinade.

3) Add the carrot, celery, and thyme, and pulse to incorporate it all, still leaving some texture.

4) Shape into four patties and dehydrate at 115 for about 2 hours, flip, and keep dehydrating for another 3-4, or until they’re the texture you like. Alternately, you can bake these at 325 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, flipping once. Serve over greens, on some raw bread, or in a wrap sandwich!

No matter how you serve, these are a delicious and satisfying part of a meal, and especially appropriate for this time of year.

Enjoy!!

From http://www.rawfoodrecipes.com/recipes/raw-vegan-mushroom-burgers.html

Pumpkin Chai Bars with a Raw Pecan Crust

Pumpkin Chai Bars with a Raw Pecan Crust

raw-vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

Found at http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/2011/11/pumpkin-chai-bars-with-raw-pecan-crust.html

Crust:

Add to blender or food processor:

1 cup pecan pieces (add a handful more if your pecans are whole)

1/2 cup almond meal flour (I use Bob's)

5 soft pitted dates (soak first if they are dry)

1 tsp cinnamon

Puree till it begins to form a ball.

Press into square dish.

Note: You don't need to grease or line the dish first. The raw crust wont stick.

Topping:

Add to a small pot:

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup pumpkin puree*

1/4 cup coconut sugar (which is low glycemic index)
10 drops vanilla liquid stevia

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ginger

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Simmer till coconut sugar is just dissolved.

Add:

2 tsp agar powder (Not flakes! You would need far more if you use flakes!)

Whisk agar powder while simmering for about one minute.

Pour over crust.

Refrigerate till solid.

Store in the fridge.