Book Brief: A Couple Reviews of Excellent Reads

I just finished reading the book our club was given for this month and it was excellent! It was a tragic story that made me smile and cry. The characters were well developed and the descriptions were apt.  I know this sounds so broad and general but I don't want to give too much away! But the title and author may be helpful!

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom is set in the early 1800's in Virginia when slavery was in it's hay day. The main character is a young white girl named Lavinia who comes to live on the plantation as an indentured slave. She grows up with her black family and later gets transferred to Williamsburg to live with the plantation owner's wife, Miss Martha's, sister and her husband. Miss Martha is hospitalized at the time and Lavinia, who was her primary caregiver was taken to live with the Maddens in the eventuality that Martha was recovered enough to return home. Lavinia is groomed as the white woman she is with schooling and lady skills and ends up marrying Miss Martha's son, Marshall. And to find out how it all ends, not to mention all the nitty gritty details between Lavinia arriving at the plantation, and why is Miss Martha hospitalized, you'll have to read the book yourself!




Last month our book was also superb! And it is and/or will be very soon coming to a theatre near you! Although, our group watched the preview and I was disappointed in what I have seen so far. I will give it a go though and hopefully the integrity of the book will be upheld.

It is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. One element that was rather different was that the viewpoint of this book switches between that of Death, who is the narrator, and the main character, a little girl named Liesel who is taken by her mother to live with an adopting family during the beginning of World War 2. Myself and the group found this story to be very interesting because it is from the viewpoint of the Germans and how not everyone agreed with Hitler and the fascist party. Some even hid Jews in their homes, as Liesel's adoptive parents did.

To fund their war everyone was put on rations and even then the food wasn't enough. One discrepancy I noticed in the preview was how nice their clothes were, when Liesel and her adoptive parents lived in the poorest section of Molching. The beginning of the story is very sad with the death of her brother and the loss of her mother. The book follows her growth in reading and how she aquires new books to read. As you can guess- she steals them. Her first she aquired from an apprentice grave digger at her brother's funeral that was dropped (accidentally) in the snow, called The Grave Digger's Handbook. The second book she saved from a book burning.

This book is a really good read as it does a wonderful job showing the characters of different types of people and how their personal beliefs can effect a whole community.

Falling for Mondays: Fall favorites to start the week

Good news! I have completed two weeks at my new jobs! Hurray!! Money for groceries and gas! Thankfully though, I have tons of apples that are still hanging on in the orchard- we have several late season trees and we had such a bountiful year! I have been eating apple slices dipped in cinnamon sugar basically every day.  I am trying to store as many as I can in the fridge but there isn't a lot of room. We unfortunately don't have a cellar where we can store extra fruit... this should happen though....hmmm.

Anyhow I hope everyone has had a wonderful couple of weeks. The leaves have turned and it is so pretty! I personally love fall with it's crisp air and warmish sunshine.  When I was at the gym last Wednesday I saw this super cute little guy (no more than 2 ft tall) dressed up as Sully from Monsters Inc.! He was ADORABLE!!!!! I am not into Halloween for religious reasons (Meanings Behind Halloween Traditions)- plus I figure I can dress up and eat candy whenever I want-- adult perk!

*whisper*( I tried one of those snickers peanut butter squares-- SO yummy! About a hundred times better than a reese cup!) 
disclaimer:  DON'T EAT CANDY!-- IT'S HORRIBLE FOR YOU!
(like any of us never have a piece of candy-- let's be honest here! We all have a favorite. But we SHOULD strive to lead a balanced life and that means not eating all the candy in one sitting. I personally find that if I have one sweet a day or every other day- like a cookie, or a square of dark chocolate, one baby cupcake, or a fun size piece of candy, that I am satisfied. I got my sweet, I'm not denying myself what I crave, and I am maintaining my diet and fitness level by not over indulging.

That said here are a couple shake recipes that can easily translate into ice cream, ice cream cake, or popsicles!

Salted Caramel PB Shake

3 frozen banana halves, sliced1 pear

1/2 scoop protein powder

5 pkts stevia

2 tsp lucuma powder

1 tbsp white miso

3 tbsp PB2

1/4 C almond milk

8-10 ice cubes

Place ingredients in order first to last and blend until smooth. Serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Shake

1 banana
1 pear
3/4 C pureed pumkin
4 pkts stevia
2 tsp lucuma powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C almond milk
6-7 ice cubes

Place ingredients in blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy!

To make either of these recipes into a pie, first make a crust for the batter. Omit the ice cubes and almond milk except for a dash as needed for blending- switching to a food processor may be easier for this. Pour batter into crust and freeze til firm in the middle or til eat'n time! *Note: the longer it is left in the freezer the longer you'll have to wait until it is cutable/servable. The first piece is always the hardest.

Dash and Dine- Food to Fuel Your Workout

It has been a couple crazy weeks! Again! Isn't that just how life goes! I have been out of work since June and the past couple weeks I have been seriously hitting the pavement- on the job hunt as well as in my workouts!

I found a local group that goes running three times a week and I have joined in to meet some new people as well as add to my long distance bicycle training by running as my cross training exercise. I greatly improved my time from last week this evening-yay! Last week I booked 3 miles in 40 min- 13.3 min mile and this week I did it in 30 min! Hopefully I can keep it up and not be at the back of the pack trying to keep everyone else in my sight! (They're fast!!  :)

Anyhow I have a couple recipes that I have been meaning to share all ready and waiting so here they are! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and if you are struggling to stay inspired in your workout, try changing things up a bit! Do some different classes or exercises- magazines are great for this! Self, and Health magazine both have excellent exercise inserts that I love to photocopy and take with me to the gym- if not the magazine itself!! I also LOVE pintrest- there are some awesomely inspirational pics! I have yet to figure out how to get my pintrest button for the blog to work... (grr) but it does exist!! So check it out! Please? One of my favorite sayings on there is "Sweat is liquid Awesome!"

Peach Chia Porridge 

3 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 C almond milk
1 tbsp agave
1 pkt stevia (opt)
1/2 tsp non alcoholic vanilla (opt)
1 peach
1/4 C raw almonds
dash of cinnamon

Cut peach into bite size pieces and place in bowl. Top with almonds. In separate bowl place chia, almond milk, agave, stevia, and vanilla. Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. When chia pudding becomes pudding texture- one may need to add more milk depending on the consistency one prefers- pour half over peaches and almonds and stir to coat, then pour remaining pudding on top. Enjoy!! This breakfast is super filling and full of fiber and protein to get the day started on a good footing! If you don't have a peach feel free to use another fruit in it's place such as a pear or berries!

Peachy Orange Shake

1 banana
1 1/2 C frozen peaches
1 scoop protein powder
4 pkts stevia
2 drops sweet orange essential oil
1/2 tbsp white miso
2 tsp maca powder
1/4-1/2 C almond milk
4-6 ice cubes (as desired)

Place all ingredients in blender in order listed (so the powders don't get stuck at the bottom) and blend until smooth and serve!

Raw Taco Tomato Soup

1 cups diced tomato
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp white miso
1/2 C almond milk
1/2 C water



Dice tomatoes and place all ingredients in blender- tomatoes on bottom! And blend until smooth. This healthy soup will kick that taco craving without too much fuss or messing up your diet!

Lemon Rawnana Ice Cream 2.0

I have made raw lemon ice cream from bananas in the past but this time I used the salted caramel ice cream recipe and added lemon juice and topped it with unsweetened shredded coconut! OMgoodness!! What a great healthy treat!!!

1 1/2 frozen bananas sliced
2 tsp maca powder
2 pkts stevia
1 tbsp white miso 
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

Place sliced bananas in food processor and add each ingredient except the coconut. Mix until smooth, pushing down as needed. Scoop smooth ice cream into bowl and top with shredded coconut! Umm Umm, Delish!!! Lemon is so yummy!!!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week/weekend!! If you have other ways for getting inspiration please share in the comments!

Salted Caramel Delights

I have read about lucuma powder for many raw recipes, especially deserts and I finally got my hands on a bag of it by Navitas Naturals and it is great! It is a sweet powder made from Peruvian lucuma fruit. It runs about $12 a bag but Vitacost has it for $10. I don't know about you but I love trying new ingredients to see how they will effect the recipes I already use on a regular basis, sometimes you get a fabulous result as I did with the recipes below!

 "This low-glycemic sweetener contains many nutrients including
beta-carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium and protein. Yellow lucuma powder has a unique, maple-like taste that’s a delight in a variety of recipes."

http://navitasnaturals.com/product/455/Lucuma-Powder.html

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

1 1/2 frozen bananas

2 tsp lucuma powder

2 tsp white miso

1 pkt stevia

dash of almond milk

Place ingredients into food processor or vitamix, in order listed and process until smooth and creamy. Suggested pairings, are chocolate, peaches, strawberries, and almonds. I unfortunately had raspberries with mine and the raspberries overwhelmed the sweet saltiness of the ice cream.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Shake

1 banana

1 scoop protein powder

2 tsp lucuma powder

2 tsp white miso

1.5 tbsp cocoa powder

3 pkts stevia

1/2 C unsweetened almond milk

6 ice cubes

I normally like my shakes to be really thick, akin to Wendy's frosties, but healthy. This recipe came out a little thin so if you desire a thicker shake, add a frozen banana and an additional ice cube or two as needed.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did and I hope that you too will invest in something a bit different to expand your tasting pleasure! Have a great week!!

Fat Burning Smoothies

Who doesn't want to burn fat, I know I do! I recently got a big container of white miso- gotta love those Asian markets!!! Miso is fermented paste made from rye, beans, rice, or barley and it is in the savory category of flavors. It comes in several different colors ranging from white to red, each getting stronger in flavor the darker you go in color. I personally prefer white because it is savory but not overpowering as I find the red to be. Miso is a great source of protein, vitamin B12, manganese, zinc, and copper. As a fermented food, it is rich in probiotics to help balance the gut and lose weight. Miso makes great broth for soup (just add water), a great condiment on sandwiches (just a light layer), and in smoothies adds a depth of flavor with a touch of saltiness.

Chocolate Caramel Protein Shake

3 frozen banana halves, sliced
1 scoop protein powder
4 pkts stevia
1 tsp maca powder
2 tsp white miso
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 C almond milk
6-7 ice cubes

Blend and add coconut chocolate, blend to make small chuncks, and serve.

Mango Tahini Weight Loss Shake 

1 1/2 C frozen mango
1 banana
1.5 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice or 1/2 a lemon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp tumeric
1 tbsp coconut oil
2-4 stevia packets, depending on taste
1 tbsp tahini
3/4 C green tea
1 scoop protein powder

Place ingredients in blender with fruit at the bottom. Blend until smooth and enjoy!




Miso can also be used in salad dressings. The following recipes are from Amy Phyo's book, 15 Day Fat Blast. 

Cucumber Miso Dressing

Makes 1 C

1 C cucumber, diced, about 1 small
2 tbsp miso
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp evoo
2 tbsp a.c. vinegar

optional ingredients: 1 tbsp nutritional yeast and 1 tbsp dulse flakes

To make dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a a small bowl.

To serve, pour as much dressing as desired onto salad and toss until it is well coated, top with nutritional yeast and dulse flakes, if desired.

Coconut Miso Vinaigrette

2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp miso
1 tbsp a.c. vinegar

To make dressing ,mix ingredients together in a  small bowl using a for or spoon. Dressing will keep in fridge, so warn the dressing to room temperature before  using by placing in a bowl of hot water.

Dill Vinaigrette

makes about 1/4 C

1 tbsp a.c. vinegar
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp miso
1/4 tsp lemon zest

To make dressing whisk together vinegar, coconut oil, dill, miso and zest. to serve toss salad with dressing black pepper and nutritional yeast if using. Vinaigrette will keep for a week or longer in airtight container stored in the fridge.

Cool Slim Treats

My husband and I took a movie to the park to watch on his new laptop this afternoon. His battery is AMAZING! Mine had gotten to the point where it will go maybe 5 minutes before it gives a warning and goes to sleep! It was so nice to get out of the house and relax! But after a while boy did it get hot when the sun shifted and we started baking! I have some super convenient and delicious frozen treats that are a healthy and slimming alternative to traditional ones to keep you cool and feeling fabulous!

Berry-licious!

This heavenly sweet treat is created from nature's bounty that has been frozen or in the above picture mostly frozen. In the bowl above are the following fruits: peach on bottom, frozen blueberries, and raspberries on top (who can resist a good raspberry sale!? Not me!!) Drizzle with agave or honey and cream- I prefer almond milk cream as it is lower in calories but whatever your fancy it will still make your frozen fruit into an ice cream dream. -note-- Frozen grapes are amazing. They are a great substitute for any sort of sugar you may put in smoothies in addition to making it all frozen creaminess.

Super Green Mint Chocolate Drizzle Banana Ice Cream

Long name for a super healthy version of mint chocolate chip ice cream. This recipe is very similar to a shake that I make all the time-- soo good!!

1 1/2 frozen bananas, sliced
1 tsp wheatgrass powder
3 pkts stevia
dash of agave
3 drops peppermint oil /extract

Place all ingredients, in order, into a small food processor or vitamix blender and process until smooth. Drizzle with chocolate sauce-- yum!!!

Chocolate sauce
2 heaping teaspoonfuls cocoa powder
1 pkt stevia or squirt of agave
2-3 tbsp coconut oil melted
Mix together. Taa Da!

Thanks for reading and keep cool!

I Can Can Can!!!

The past two weeks have been filled with harvesting yummy veggies, making tasty salsas and canning them until I have nothing left! I have canned 3 and a half cases. Mostly salsa but also some pickles and peach butter! I made three different types of salsa. Two from the book... and the third and peach and tomato salsa from a fellow blogger, Heather of A Handmade Life.

Tomato Peach Salsa

3 1/2 pounds ripe, Roma tomatoes (blanch, peel, and chop)
1 1/2 pounds peaches  (peeled and chopped)
3 large bell type peppers
several hot type peppers (maybe 6 jalapeno type then add more depending on your taste)
1-2 large onions

fresh crushed garlic (1 head is nice but can use less)

1 small can tomato paste

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 tbsp coarse salt

2 tsp paprika (optional)

Put all ingredients in large pot.  Bring to boil uncovered and then turn down heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Keep an eye on it and stir every so often otherwise it can burn on the bottom as it thickens.  Then process in sterilized canning jars.  I use the hot water bath method and process 10 minutes for pint jars.

http://ahandmadelife.blogspot.com/2010/09/tomato-peach-salsa.html

The recipes that I used for the other two salsas came from the book Small Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard.

Basic Chucky Tomato Salsa 

pg. 188

4 medium tomatoes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 sweet green pepper, chopped

1-4 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 C tomato sauce

1/2 C red wine vinegar

1/2 C chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp pickling salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. Combine tomatoes, onion, green pepper, jalapeno peppers, garlic, tomato sauce, vinegar, parsley, sugar, salt and cumin in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for 25 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring frequently.

2. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle salsa into jars to within 1/2 inch of rim (head space). Process 20 minutes for half-pint and pint jars as directed on page 133 (Longer Time Processing Procedure).

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

I tripled this recipe and ended up making three stock pots worth! My husband LOVES it!

Peach Mint Salsa

pg.197

2 Cups chopped peaches

1/4 C finely chopped red onion

1/4 C finely chopped sweet green pepper

1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 tbsp liquid honey

1/4 tsp pickling salt

grated rind and juice of one lime

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

1. Combine peaches, onion, peppers, honey, salt, lime rind and juice in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in mint and cook for 1 minute.

3. Remove hot jars form canner and ladle salsa into jars to within 1/2 inch of rim (head space). Process 10 minutes for half-pint or pint jars as directed on page 133 (Longer Time Processing Procedure).

Makes 2 cups.

I quadrupled this batch and after letting it simmer for a bit, added some sugar as it was really tart.

I also used the recipe for making dill pickles and peach butter. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to can any of their garden produce.

An Indiana August

Hey Everyone! I hope you are having a great Tuesday!! August as we all know- well all of us in the midwest USA- know that it is usually blazing hot! This month has turned out to be surprisingly mild and sunny!! We have only had a couple days reach in the upper 80's! The great thing is that since it isn't topping out at 100 like last year my garden is flourishing!!! I have so many extra veggies that I am selling some of them and I am going to get some ball canning jars soon and make pasta sauce and salsa! Yummy!!





My husband and I went to the Indiana State Fair for the first time last Tuesday. I was really looking forward to seeing the Giant Popcorn Ball that weighed in at 2500 lbs! While large, it wasn't quite as large as I had imagined a 2500 lb popcorn ball would be- but it was still pretty big!

I also want to recommend- for those of you participating in or just reading on your own- a great book that I just finished reading for book club this month. It is called So Cold the River by Michael Koryta. It is REALLY good! It holds one's attention and has a slight creepy aspect to it! Perfect for the early fall late summer season!



I created a desert/meal that is filling, light, sweet and delicious!

Blueberry Lemonade Banana Ice Cream

Ice Cream
1 1/2 frozen bananas sliced (please freeze with out peel!)2 pkts stevia1-2 tbsp agave1 heaping tsp protein powder (optional)handful of frozen blueberries (about 1/4 C)3-4 drops lemon extract or 1 tbsp lemon juicecoconut milk to blend

Chocolate sauce2 heaping teaspoonfuls cocoa powder
1 pkt stevia or squirt of agave
2-3 tbsp coconut oil melted
Mix together. Taa Da!

Place all of the above ingredients (for ice cream) in food processor in order listed and process until smooth.  In separate bowl place a handful of frozen blueberries and drizzle with coconut chocolate sauce. Scoop out ice cream on top of blueberries and drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with raw flaked coconut (optional). You can also top with raw nuts if you so desire- such as sliced almonds...mmmm sounds good!  Should have topped mine with sliced almonds!!

Make it a Kool Summer

I don't know how everyone else deals with the heat- but nothing beats a dip in a cool swimming pool or a scoop of ice cream. The past few days I have been creating "kool" dishes to help balance out the hot weather that incorporate the amazing summer bounty that my garden (and hopefully yours too!) has produced :D Yay for garden veggies!!!

I currently have a bowl full of tomatoes- mostly cherry- that have ripened so far- and I am going to have about a million more before August is over, so I figured I better come up with some really good tomato based dinners! So here is the amazingly delicious recipe that I came up with to keep it "kool" after a hot day!

Peach Tomato Gazpacho

1 C cherry tomatoes- halved
3/4 of 1 peach- set aside remaining quarter
1/2  of 1 lemon juiced- 1-2 tbsp
1 tbsp white miso
3/4 of a green onion- set aside remainder
3/4 C almond milk
1/4 tsp raw honey
1/8 tsp cardamom

Place all ingredients- except for the bits indicated to be set aside- into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into bowl. Slice the remaining quarter of peach, fan it and place on the edge of the bowl. Place remaining green onion around fanned peach. Serve and enjoy!




Another super easy dish that is light and cool is a fruit salad topped with chocolate! YUM!!

Fruit Salad Delight

1 Peach chopped
1/2  of 1 banana- sliced
1/2 C blueberries
5-6 strawberries- hulled and quartered
sprinkle with organic shredded coconut
drizzle with chocolate sauce
top with slivered almonds- optional (tastes great! I did this after I had taken the pictures and eaten half!)

Chocolate sauce

1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 pkt stevia
2.5 tbsp coconut oil

Place these three ingredients into a small glass or plastic 1/2 C container. Fill a separate bowl with a little hot water and place small bowl inside it and mix together with a spoon until smooth. It doesn't take a lot of heat to melt coconut oil. You can do it this way or heat the oil to liquid under the hot water faucet.

Both of these dishes are full of simple sugars and nutrients to keep your body working. The miso adds a savory flavor to the soup- don't skip it! Especially because it helps your body to break down fat! The coconut oil in the fruit salad will help keep you full and burning stored fat as well! Who could ask for a better combination! Fat burning chocolate and a super easy garden fresh tomato soup!! I hope you enjoy both! Thanks for reading and have a great summer!

Raw Peach Raspberry Cobbler

I was fortunate enough the other day to get a bunch of peaches from my Dad- what bounty! And the orchard peach trees are loaded down! So I came up with a recipe for a raw peach raspberry cobbler that is delightful!! I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I am!

Crust

1/2 C Walnuts
7-8 prunes- chopped
dash of cinnamon
dash of agave
small dash of water

In small food processor combine walnuts, prunes, cinnamon and agave. Process till fine and add a little water- 1 tsp or so as needed till it sticks together. Press into pie tin and set aside remainder.

Filling

2 peaches
1/4 C raw raspberry jam
stevia- if desired 
1/4 Coat groats

Chop one peach and fill the bottom of the pie tin. In blender puree second chopped peach with 1/4 C raw raspberry jam (bottom of link page)- add a little stevia if it is not sweet enough. Spread mixture over peaches in tin and sprinkle oat groats on top.

Topping

1 Peach- sliced
remaining crust
oat groats
cinnamon

On top of the jam/oat layer place sliced peaches in a decorative manner then sporadically "sprinkle" remaining crust in between peach slices. Sprinkle lightly with more oat groats and finish with a dash of cinnamon on top.

Ta-da!! An easy summer recipe to wow your friends and family- with seasonal fruit no less! This baby is packed with healthy proteins and carbs- perfect for the summer day!

Meatless Monday

Hey Everyone! I hope you are having a fabulous Monday! Being unable to sleep last night- until 4A I ended up getting up at 2p this afternoon!! Crazy! But here is my Meatless Monday post- just in time for dinner!

I have been making so many meals lately from the bounty that my garden has produced this year- I have zucchini coming out my ears! Saturday I picked 7 cucumbers, the biggest zucchini yet- it made zucchini bread and enough spiralized noodles to last three meals! My tomato plants are getting ready to go crazy- I did pick a couple romas and some cherry tomatoes Saturday too. 

Today's recipe is inspired by my garden bounty- so go to your local farmer's market after work and stock up!!

Italian Garden Noodles

Spiralized noodles
several sliced cherry tomatoes
several sliced black olives
half a large cucumber quartered and sliced
feta cheese sprinkled
chopped basil sprinkled
chopped walnuts, sprinkled
top with an Italian vinaigrette

This quick and easy noodle salad is great for you, even though it isn't completely raw.  Tomatoes are great for the heart, walnuts are good for the brain, the olive oil in the vinaigrette helps the body absorb all of the nutrients better- so don't go low fat! Cucumbers contain a lot of water and electrolytes to dehydrate the body and help to relieve joint pain.

I hope you enjoy this cool salad on these hot summer days! 

International Raw Food Day!

International Raw Food Day is a great day to try going raw, see what all the fuss is about, why so many people are now using a mostly raw diet (50-80%) in their lifestyles.  If you still haven't signed up to receive all the free goodies click the banner above- it's not too late!

Raw for a Day Menu

Breakfast: Raspberry Lemonade Shake
Lunch: Watermelon Cherry Salad
Dinner: Pea Soup
Dessert: Chocolate Mouse Raspberry Pie

Breakfast:  Raspberry Lemonade Shake

1 banana

1 frozen banana- sliced

4 pkts stevia or agave to taste

1 scoop protein powder

1/2 a lemon- or 1-2 tbsp lemon juice- to taste

1 tsp maca powder (optional)

1/4-1/2 C raspberry soak water

1/2 C raspberries

ice

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. This delicious shake is high in antioxidants and vitamin C from the raspberries, and the lemon juice aids digestion and helps flush excess fluids from your body!

Lunch: Watermelon Cherry Salad

1-1/2 C Watermelon cubed
1/2 C pitted cherries
2 handfuls raw oat groats (optional)
1 handful raw almonds
1 handful dried cranberries
1-1/2 tbsp raw chocolate sauce- about 1/2 of the recipe below
            1/4 C coconut oil
            1-1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
            1 pkt stevia

Load your bowl with each ingredient and chow down- it is soo good! It is also great with a pear instead of watermelon! This dish is also full of healthy fats, plenty of protein to keep you going, and water to keep you hydrated on hot summer days!

Dinner: Pea Soup

1 C peas - fresh or frozen (thawed)

1/2 avocado

3/4 C almond milk

1 green onion

1 tbsp white miso

1/8th tsp pepper

1/4 tsp minced garlic

Pour almond milk in blender and add half the peas. Pour the remaining half into your bowl. Place the avocado, white miso, pepper, and minced garlic in the blender. Chop the green onion and place half in the blender. Set aside remaining green onions. Blend the soup till smooth and pour into bowl- be sure to scrape the sides with a spatula- you don't want to miss one delicious drop! Garnish with remaining green onions.

This soup is great because the peas are full of fiber and protein, the avocado makes it super creamy and the healthy fat it contains helps burn fat naturally and so does the miso! Onion and garlic are both great for the heart and blood! Making an all around awesome soup!

Dessert: Chocolate Raspberry Pie

Crust:

1/4 C Ground Walnuts 

1/4 Ground Flax

1/4 C Coconut Flour

1/4 C Oat Groats

2 squirts of agave

1 C sun dates

small dash of water

Grind nuts and seeds in a food processor and mix together in a bowl. After chopping up the sun dates in to pieces, place the dates and the flours into the food processor (a bit at a time if necessary) and give it a good squirt of agave. After processing for a little bit and everything is crumbly, add a dash of water- just a little!- and process until it sticks together. If it doesn't stick add a little more water and if you add too much water add more flour. Once it is sticking together, spread and press evenly into your pie plate.

Chocolate Mouse

1 avocado

3 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder

3 pkts stevia

1/8th tsp salt

2 tbsp agave

1/4 C (or more as needed) coconut milk

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until it is smooth and a pudding consistency. Be careful not to add too much milk. Scoop onto pie crust and spread until even.

Raspberry

10 sun dates

1 C berries

1 pkt stevia

 big squirt of agave

In separate bowl have 1-1/2 C berries. Place all above ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add to berries in bowl and mush them together using a hand held pie dough cutter. It should be a jelly/jam consistency. Pour over chocolate mouse and refrigerate until serving. Full of protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants this dessert really is a treat!

Have a great International Raw Food Day everyone!!