Sitting Buddha

Today I share my Buddha collection. To me it represents: to be....awake, aware, in the present, truth, peace, unity. Although all this is within me/us, the reminder is always welcomed.

Green Juice

Lately I've been juicing enough for twice a day. I feel really good when I do this. It takes more produce and more work juicing. For now this is my program. I am worth it. You are worth it. I drink one in the AM and the other later in the day. The other one is stored in a mason jar to almost the very top to keep it from oxidizing.
So this is this recipe:
kale
romaine
celery
cucumber
green apple
lemon
ginger
tiny piece of jalapeno (gives a nice kick)

E N J O Y

Almond, coconut, cacao nib cookies

Almond, coconut, cacao nib cookies.

 
After making almond milk, use the pulp for cookies.
This is a simple little recipe and delicious.
 
almond meal/pulp
shredded coconut
cacao nibs
agave
maca
pinch of himalayan crystal salt
 
taste as you mix to see if you want more of something
form into cookie shapes
dehydrate for 1-2 hours
 
serve warm with a favorite beverage
store in mason jars in refrigerator.

Hungarian Cucumber Salad

Abundance of cucumbers? Make cucumber salad. My garden is giving me some bountiful cukes. Being Hungarian, I make this salad all year around. It is refreshing, tasty and goes with anything, oh and so easy to prepare. Enjoy!

Thinly slice cucumbers and lightly salt. Mince or chop 1 or 2 cloves of garlic. Depending on how much cukes you are using add some apple cider vinegar (1 to 2 tablespoons). Mix it all up. Sprinkle Hungarian Paprika (available in supermarkets) on top.  I also add a little black pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for a while. Mix when ready to eat. Refrigerate left over, if there is any.

Freezing Raw Vegan Food

I am in the process of learning more about freezing raw vegan foods. Fruits, nuts and seeds I have been freezing and would like to expand on it. 
Kristen's Raw has a great article on her blog about freezing raw foods. Also read the comments after the article, it adds to the post. As always, great information from Kristen.

Garlic scapes, arugula pesto

Found this great recipe for garlic scape and arugula pesto from The Romantic Life.


bunch of arugula
4 garlic scapes
1/2 cup almonds (I soaked and rinsed it)
salt 
olive oil


In food processor blend almonds and scapes.
Add a little olive oil and salt.
Add some of the arugula,
stop the FP and with spatula push the pesto back down into the bowl from the sides.
Add the rest of the arugula and some more olive oil.
Process and taste to see if it needs more salt and olive oil. You don't want it too dry.


Can serve this in many ways. I will have it on romaine leaves. Has great garlic flavor.

Kale chips

This topping is so delicious. The creaminess of the cashews gives it a nice texture.


1 bunch of curly kale, cut stem out and save for juicing. break leaves into large pieces...they shrink when dehydrated. 


For topping blend the following: 
about 1 cup of raw cashews, (I used cashew pieces-less expensive) soak one hour
a little water to blend 
juice of 1 lime 
1/2 to 1 chili pepper, this is to your liking or a few dashes of cayenne 
salt 
2 teaspoons olive oil 
1/4 cup Bragg's nutritional yeast 


In bowl mix kale and topping very well
put on mesh trays 
dehydrate about 5-6 hours
I put it in the dehydrator at 10 AM and came home 4:30 and it was ready. 
A perfect treat to come home to.

Tropical Green Smothie

Tropical Green Smoothie


Layer in power blender:
1 mango, peeled and cut up
1cup of cubed pineapple
about a handful of cilantro
4-5 leaves of kale cut up, cut middle stem out
1/2 cup of coconut water or water
pinch of salt


optional:
1 teaspoon maca
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon MSM
blend
add more liquid if needed


truly wonderful

Omega VRT 350 Juice Extractor

I needed a new juicer. Did my research and decided on the Omega VRT350 HD. I knew that I would have to chop up the veggies smaller and that it is a low speed extractor, which means a little more prep and juice time.....but not too time consuming at all.

I consider myself a serious juicer person (daily) so the end result is super important. The low speed squeezes the veggies, creating minimal oxidation, high nutrition and maximum amount of juice. I used about the same amount of produce as I did in the past with my other juicer and definitely got more juice with the Omega VRT350, the pulp is much drier and interestingly the taste is definitely richer. I am very pleased.

I do recommend to cut celery and any other fibrous veggies into smaller pieces, the stringy pulp can clog the pulp exit if it is too large. My purchase was made at Discount Juicers. Cost: $379.99. Discount Juicers has some great videos on youtube comparing different juicers.

Get your juicer going!

Parsley Cucumber Avocado Smoothie

1 cucumber, peeled or not, cubed (skin can give a bitter flavor)

bunch of parsley

1/2 avocado

hemp seeds or powder, 2-4 tbsp. 

2 dates

1/2 cup or more hemp milk

pinch of salt

water

ice

in vitamix or high powered blender place cucumber, 3/4 cup water and blend. add more water if it is stuck.

keep blender going and through the opening of the top cover add parsley little by little.

let it blend until smooth.

add dates, hemp, salt, hemp milk. 

add avocado, this will thicken it a bit, add a little more water if too thick to your liking.

add some ice to blend and to chill it.

a beautiful green smoothie this makes. enjoy!

High energy chia pudding

2 tablespoons of chia seeds in a bowl
add about 1/3 cup of water & mix & let it sit to gel, about 5 minutes
mix again & add 1/4 cup hemp milk or any other type of nut or seed milk
mix & let it sit a few minutes to gel some more
add about 1/8 tsp vanilla powder, 2 teaspoons of maca, 1/2 - 1 tsp raw cacao, pinch of salt or if you like it sweet add your sweetener
mix, add a little more hemp milk if needed
add pieces of strawberries or bananas on top