Raw Apple Pie VIDEO!

I've been a little lazy the last few days.  I haven't been making anything special for dinner...well, unless you count the fantastic soup I made last night with turnips, red lentils, delicata squash and fresh rosemary and drizzled with white truffle oil. Mmmm.  There's a little picture of it below, but it's not very pretty: sorry.

Oh, but even though I haven't been fancy in the kitchen, I have been eating very well.  One of my favorite meals is simple steamed kabocha squash or sweet potato with sea salt, fresh black pepper and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.  That's my comfort food of choice!  I'm also in the process of perfecting a recipe for raw carrot crackers. 

Last week I sent out the second issue of The Nourishing News (my tasty newsletter).  I've gotten lovely responses, and I'm already thinking about what to include in February's newsletter. 
If you received the newsletter you probably noticed the link to episode 10 of Sweet Potato Soul: Raw Apple Pie! If you didn't, here you go.  Make this pie, I bet you'll love it!

p.s. come back later this week for a very special treat : )

Raw Apple Pie

(This recipe was inspired by Susan of Rawmazing.  I hope to try her version of the pie also, but I wanted to create my own version that doesn't require a dehydrator, making it more accessible.  I saved the skin from my apples and dehydrated it after marinating it in the left over marinade from the sliced apples.  I highly recommend this! In the photos the pie is garnished with mint, dry cranberries and the dehydrated apple skins.)  

Filling:

3 apples, peeled & cored

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp sprouted oat flour (or old fashioned oats ground into a flour)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

dash sea salt 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

Thinly slice 2 of the apples lengthwise creating very thin strips.  Place the strips in a large bowl and toss with 1 1/2 tbsp of the lemon juice, oat flour,  pumpkin pie spice, salt and maple syrup.  Toss well to coat; careful to not break the apple strips.  Pour the remaining lemon juice onto the third apple, to keep it from oxidizing and turning brown.  You will be pureeing this apple after you've made the crust. 

To puree, dice apple and place in food processor with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.  Blend until a chunky apple sauce consistency is reached. 

Crust:

2 cups walnuts, soaked & dehydrated if possible

10 pitted dates, chopped

dash sea salt

2 tbsp oat flour

In a food processor add walnuts and blend until they're all crumbled, about 10 seconds.  Add chopped dates and pulse to combine.  Remove the lid and scoop out about two tablespoons of the mixture.  With your hand form it into a ball, if it sticks together without crumbling apart then the crust is ready.  If it crumbles, place it back into the processor, add a teaspoon of maple syrup or another date, and pulse again.  

Lightly cover the bottom of your pie plate with oat flour to prevent the crust from sticking too much.  Remove the crust mixture from the food processor, form it into a large ball and place the ball in the center of the pie plate.  Flatten the ball in the plate, covering the bottom as well as the edges to create the pie crust. 

Pie assembly:

Now that your crust is ready, spread the pureed apple onto the bottom of the crust.  Layer the sliced apples on top of the puree creating a spiral of apples.  Start near the edge of the crust and work your way around and into the center so that all of the apples have been laid into the crust.  

Enjoy immediately or allow the pie to sit for a couple of hours.  The latter is recommended because the filling will have a chance to soften and take on the flavors of the spices even more; that is, if you can wait.  If you have a dehydrator, place the pie in the dehydrator at 105° for 2 hours then enjoy!

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Turbo power your energy!

Is there a soul out there who does not want to live life to the fullest with plenty of energy and zest for life?  Well, maybe a few people, but I’m not reaching out to them, I’m talking to you!  So often I hear clients, friends and family talk about their lack of energy.  When coffee and energy drinks aren’t doing the job, it’s time for a change in the way we fuel our bodies.  I’ve created a list of my favorite energy boosters. From drinking more water to experimenting with raw chocolate, you’ll find yourself energized just reading my tips!  

1. Drink more water
When you’re feeling tired have a tall glass of water.  Sometimes when dehydrated, the body will send out feelings of fatigue.  We often misinterpret the feeling as exhaustion and reach for a cup of coffee for a quick zap of energy.  However, coffee is very dehydrating, and before you know it that tired feeling has washed over you once again.  
Drink a lot of water first thing in the morning when your body is especially dehydrated.  Giving your body the hydration that it is seeking will energize you without stimulants.  
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water during the day.  Try water with lemon.
Eating juicy fruit is another way to stay hydrated and energized throughout the day.  Seasonal fruits like apples, pears and oranges not only provide the body with a little water, but also with sugar.  Sugar found in fruit does not spike the blood sugar as quickly as refined sugar does.  You’ll have energy for a longer period of time, and forgo a sugar crash.  

2. Enjoy a healthy balanced breakfast
Eating breakfast will provide your body with the fuel it needs to power through the day. A healthy breakfast is one that is high in carbohydrates and fiber.  Examples of this would be whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa or green smoothies.  Studies show that people who eat a healthy breakfast are more alert in the hours between breakfast and lunch than those who do not.  
Try a green smoothie or quinoa porridge. 

Keep Reading for the recipe...!

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Goji Cacao Berry Bliss Smoothie

"Oh my gosh this is AMAZING!"
That's exactly what I screamed to Maxx when I tasted this smoothie.  Talk about luxurious; this smoothie is a whole lot of that! I must say, the ingredients are pretty expensive.  Instead of buying a bottle of wine, I treated myself to a $5 bag of goji berries.  At Whole Foods they cost $18 a pound in the bulk section, and that's the cheapest I've seen! Wild or organic blueberries are quite expensive but we're talking $5 for a bag that will last a week... Not so bad, right?

Well, despite the pricetag this smoothie is so worth making.  Not only will your taste buds thank you, but your health will too. 
Goji berries -like blueberries and raw cacao- are full of powerful antioxidants that help boost your immune system, fight cancer and slow the aging process.  Both goji berries and cacao contain substances that help to improve your mood, and you'll get an energy kick from the raw cacao.

Goji berries are my new favorite berry.  I love their unique tart and malty taste. Do you have any suggestions more awesome goji berry creations?  I'd love to hear them!

p.s. My next Nourishing Newsletter will be released tomorrow.  If you haven't already, sign up here!

Goji Cacao Berry Bliss Smoothie

1/4 cup dried goji berries

3/4 cup frozen blueberries

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 frozen banana (not frozen is okay too)

1/2 to 1 cup coconut water

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.  Garnish with cacao nibs and goji berries.

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Raw Cauliflower Cous Cous

I'm bringing the cauliflower back today.  The Quinoa Cauliflower Cakes from earlier this week were a hit.  They even made the Foodbuzz Top 9!
As you can see in that recipe, I only use half a head of cauliflower for the cakes.  In case you were wondering what to do with the other half, I've got the answer for you. Raw Cauliflower Cous Cous!

Being at Pure Food & Wine is a constant source of inspiration.  The food is prepared with the utmost respect, and the creative process seems to be a non-stop collaboration.  This week they introduced a new dish to the menu: Cauliflower Cous Cous with pinenuts and pistachios served with ras al hanout spiced tomato sauce.  It sounded so good to me that I decided to use that other half of cauliflower to make it myself.  My version of the cauliflower cous cous is nut free because I'm doing a nut cleanse (no nuts for 14 days!).  If I were eating nuts right now, the only thing I'd add would be sliced almonds.  If you're looking for a delicious, filling and inexpensive raw dish, then look no further.

Keep Reading for the recipe...!

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Quinoa Cauliflower Cakes with Honey Mustard

 Progress is brewing for my new personal chef service, The Nourishing Vegan.  I've got an awesome internship with another chef, I'm developing exciting cooking classes and my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition are going well. 
Next week I'm cooking a week of meals for my friend.  I've developed the menu, which is half cooked and half raw vegan; and she approved.  My friend isn't a vegan, but she's interested in loosing 20 pounds in 90 days; and what better way is there to release weight and feel fantastic and satisfied than going vegan?
One of the meals I've planned for the week are these Quinoa Cauliflower cakes with Honey Mustard.

Keep Reading for the recipe...!

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Sweet Potato & Squash Miso Soup

I'm in love with miso!
Have you ever been completely smitten by an ingredient? A certain spice that you must use in every dish, an oil that you swear by, or that vegetable that makes its way into both your savory dishes and desserts?
Sure, you may be thinking that I have quite a few food obsessions, namely sweet potatoes.  If you've ever felt this way about something (and I'm sure you have), then you'll understand how I feel about my beloved miso (and sweet potatoes too).

From the time I first tasted miso I was hooked.  What is it about that salty, and sometimes sweet, seasoning that delights me so?  It's got to be that much talked about fifth primary taste, umami. Umami is that incredibly savory taste that you experience when eating certain foods like miso, some mushrooms and meats.  I've never even eaten red meat (or pork), but being a huge fan of umami I can slightly fathom what it must taste like.  Thankfully meat is not the only source of this comforting taste; and I get more than my share of it from miso.

The great thing about miso is that it's amazingly versatile.  Use it on a salad and you'll lick the plate and beg for more.  Replace the Parmesan in an Italian pesto with miso and you'll never trust cheese again.  A sandwich with miso tahini spread is a sandwich from heaven. And a warm bowl of miso soup is your welcome to the good life.

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Sweet Potato Pudding with Pecan Crumble

While writing down my new year's resolutions I delighted in Sweet Potato Pudding with pecan crumble.  It wasn't the most effective way to write down goals; I couldn't stop focusing on this rich and creamy pudding I was putting in my mouth.  It's like sweet potato pie in a glass--or bowl, if you choose to eat it that way-- but not the same as that sweet potato pie smoothie I made in the fall; no! Sweet potato pudding is it's own special creation. 

There's something so comforting about eating pudding.  It conjures up feelings of when I was a child eating Jello pudding, Chocolate Vanilla Swirl .  mmMmmmm!  I'd eat the top chocolate layer quickly then savor half of the vanilla layer before mixing it up with the bottom chocolate.  I was a methodical kid : )
Sweet creamy foods have the power to transport us to our childhood.  When I'm feeling down or lonely, chocolate pudding is my indulgence of choice to make me feel like everything is going to be alright.

  

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