Raw Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

We were blessed with the gift of a bag full of rhubarb from our naturopath, Dawn.  She had more than she knew what to do with, and we were more than happy to take a bunch off her hands.  :)  It is one of Dave's spring favorites after all!  I have been messing around with raw desserts lately, and I hope you enjoy this Raw Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

THE CRUST (my standard crumb pie crust)

1 1/2 cup coconut flour (double sifted)
1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes
5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 Tbsp raw almond butter
1/4 tsp liquid stevia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

THE FILLING
4 cups organic rhubarb stalks, peeled, chopped to 1" lengths
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup raw honey OR about 3 tsp spoonable stevia
2 cup organic strawberries, hulled and chopped
PLUS 1/2 cup organic strawberries, hulled and diced
3 Tbsp arrowroot powder
a few strawberries for garnish

1.)  THE NIGHT BEFORE -- THE FILLING:  In food processor, blend the rhubarb, lemon juice, stevia and 2 cups of strawberries until smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides if there are lumps.  Pour into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup diced strawberry chunks (this step is optional, but we like the extra strawberry chunks in each bite).  Cover bowl and let sit in fridge for at least 12 hours to allow the flavors to blend (this is for the rhubarb, since it's raw it needs time to break down).

2.)  THE NEXT DAY -- THE CRUST:  In your food processor, add all crust ingredients and pulse until uniform consistency.  It should be crumbly.  Transfer your crust to a pie pan and press it firmly and evenly to line the pan.  Set in fridge to firm up for about 15 minutes.

3.)  To 2 Tablespoons of ice cold water, add the arrowroot powder and mix with fork until smooth.  Take filling mixture out of fridge and stir in arrowroot mixture.  With a spatula, pour the filling mixture onto the crust and spread it evenly throughout the pan.  Cover and freeze for a half hour before slicing.

It was verrrry good, Dave enjoyed it!

Spicy Mango-Cucumber-Coconut Salad

Lakewinds (our local co-op) had some enticing, perfectly ripe mangoes sitting on their shelf yesterday.  I just couldn't resist!  I placed them in my basket and thought, "What to do, what to do.."  How about a refreshing salsa-esque salad paired with some grilled Ginger Lime Chicken?  Perfect!  (Ginger Lime Chicken recipe to come in a few days!!)

Spicy Mango-Cucumber-Coconut Salad

1 mango, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp raw honey OR sprinkle of Stevia (less if the mango is really sweet)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more/less to taste)
1/2 cup organic full-fat coconut milk

Toss all ingredients together (except coconut milk) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk, garnish with a slice of ginger.  Makes for a refreshing afternoon snack on its own or a side dish for a meal!

Zucchini Hummus

So I recently went in to have my allergies, among other things, tested naturally by my naturopath, and my results showed I cannot do garbanzo beans anymore.  I'm SO SAD!  (But at the same time excited to know what my issues are to help some hormonal issues heal up..)  Since I am absolutely addicted to hummus, I needed another option for making it.  I've had zucchini hummus before at a raw restaurant here, called Ecopolitan, and really liked it, so I decided to blend some up at home.  Using zucchini as the base for hummus will make it much easier to digest rather than using the traditional garbanzo beans.  Even if you don't have a food allergy to chick peas, give it a try -- you will be pleasantly surprised.  :)

Zucchini Hummus
Makes About 3 Cups

2 raw organic zucchinis, chopped
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt (more/less to taste)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup raw tahini
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds

First, soak the sesame seeds for about 4 hours in a bowl of water to soften them.  Drain seeds in a mesh strainer (discarding the water) and dump all ingredients into food processor or blender.  Blend on High speed stopping frequently to scrape down sides.

Nine Layer Taco Dip

We love this dish as a snack, as lunch or a great addition to any party spread!  The picture is a little off -- we forgot to add the olives until after we devoured half of the dish.  It's great even with a layer missing!  :)


Also, a little note on the cheese, cream cheese and sour cream -- we get these organic and raw from our local farmer.  If you don't have access to an organic farm, the next best thing is to choose the organic dairy options in the grocery aisle.  It's very important for your health to keep the hormones, antibiotics and other nasty stuff out of your food!

Nine Layer Taco Dip

TACO SEASONING MIX:
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp black pepper

THE LAYERS:
1 can organic refried black beans
8oz organic cream cheese, softened
16oz organic sour cream
16oz organic salsa
1 large organic tomato, chopped
1 organic green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch organic green onions, chopped
1 heart organic romaine lettuce, shredded
6oz sliced black olives
2 avocados, diced
Squeeze of lime juice
2 cups raw cheddar cheese, shredded

In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans together.  Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.  Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl.  Spread over the refried beans.  Top the layers with salsa.  Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese.  In a small bowl, mix the diced avocado with lime juice.  Garnish the layers with black olives and avocado.  Serve with organic flaxseed chips and vegetables.

Broccoli-Cabbage Slaw

A yummy staple for picnic season!

Broccoli-Cabbage Slaw
Makes about 4 servings

DRESSING:
1 cup Healing Cuisine Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp raw honey (omit if Advanced)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp Bragg apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste

SALAD:
1 head cabbage, rinsed and shredded
1 bunch broccoli, rinsed and chopped
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
1/3 cup unsweetened organic dried cranberries or raisins (optional) (omit if Advanced)

In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together until smooth.  In a medium bowl, stir together salad ingredients.  Pour dressing over and mix thoroughly to coat.  Store in fridge for 2 hours or over night before serving.

How To: Natural Fruit and Veggie Wash

With farmer's market season in full swing, I wanted to share my recipe for produce wash.  While you are out buying fresh produce from the organic farmers, keep in mind you still don't know where that food came from, what was used to grow it, or what could be on it.  Some farmers feel they have to use a tremendous amount of chemicals when growing their crops, and they could still consider themselves "natural" or "organic" just because they are a local farmer.  Not only are most of these dangerous chemicals and pesticides sprayed on the crops, but also on the dirt to fight off bugs that live underground and feed off of the roots.  These chemicals are then absorbed by the crops and are later consumed by us.  So when visiting your farmers markets, ALWAYS ASK the staff at the booth if they are an organic farm (preferably Certified Organic).  Last summer we were shocked to find the majority of vendors used chemicals on their farms..  That is why this summer we will be primarily getting our produce from a Certified Organic CSA.

Read more about the toxins in America's produce here, here, here and here.

This is a great produce wash to rinse away any bacteria or airborne toxins/pollens that have settled on the veggies/fruits.  Remember this will not take away any chemicals or pesticides that have already absorbed inside the produce, but it will aid in cleaning up whatever is on the surface.

Natural Fruit and Veggie Wash

2 c filtered water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c baking soda
10 drops citrus fruit/seed extract (optional)

Pour the water, lemon juice, baking soda and citrus seed extract into a spray bottle.  It's normal for the lemon juice and baking soda to foam a bit.  To use, spray on vegetables and let sit for 5 minutes.  Scrub the veggies/fruit and rinse under cold filtered water.  (not recommended for use on soft-flesh berries)  Will last in spray bottle about 2 weeks when refrigerated.  You can also fill a ceramic/glass bowl with this mixture and let your produce sit in it for about 5 minutes and then proceed with scrub and rinse.

Join Us! "My Blog is Carbon Neutral"

I came across this fabulous organization who is helping our Earth and us!  Now I'm one that would probably have paid a company to plant a tree for me to offset the carbon emissions that my blog puts out each year, but when I read the Arbor Day Foundation is doing this for us for free, I couldn't pass up the opportunity!  Join us -- submit your blog or website, too!

Here is the link for more information on how to get on their list and take part.  They also give you a free "carbon neutral" button for your blog/website.  I love it!  The trees were planted in April for 2010 by the Arbor Day Foundation, so we just missed the cut off..  But it's never too late to join the bandwagon for next year!  This organization planted trees in the Plumas National Forest which is located in Northern California as well as in Germany.  The Arbor Day Foundation is helping to reforest after two devastating forest fires in 2007 that destroyed over 85,000 acres.