Delectably Free » raw

Pepita-Parsley Pesto

Beth — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:07:15 +0000

As I may have mentioned before, I’ve never done a “detox” in the traditional sense of the word. That’s not to say, however, that I can’t go a little crazy when it comes to eating healthy. My crazy-healthy streaks– those where I really go all-out with the greens, juicing, low-carbing, etc. — are the closest to detox I get. That is, if you can call it “detox” when coffee is involved (probably not, right?) Last I checked, copious amounts of caffeine and cleanses didn’t mix.

My slight — ahem, massive — coffee addiction might explain why I tend to be overzealous in other areas of my diet. Perhaps I’m trying to compensate? Whatever the reason, I like to play games like “see how many different colored vegetables I can fit into one meal.” Or, “how many ‘cleansing’ ingredients can I fit into one dish?” Of course, such moments are interspersed with spurts of baking zeal and uninhibited tasting. Then there are those days where I’m tired, lazy, busy, out of groceries, or eating out a lot. Those days? My plates are less-than-colorful; my meals skewed toward the carb-loaded and vegetable-deprived.

As contradictory and schizophrenic as this may all sound, I reason that no one can be 100% perfect all the time. Which is why, even on my worst days, I’m still getting some fruits and vegetables, and why, even on my best, I don’t strive for absolute perfection (what is “perfection” in a diet, anyways?) Thus, my tendency to avoid cleanses, which seem to require super-human strength, willpower, and a complete abandonment of reality (I’m sorry, but I’m not one of those people who can carry on a normal work day subsisting on solely juice. If you are, more power to you!!).

So, after a long-winded explanation, you understand why this green glob — and the bed of fiborous spaghetti squash it sits upon – is one of my favorite and most often-prepared dishes. It’s my non-cleanse cleanse. A detoxifying dish without the “detox.” Parsley, with all its diuretic properties is a wonderful kidney cleanser. The higher-than-usual amount of lemon juice in this pesto provides a great tonic for the liver. Lemon juice is also said to be helpful for the skin. The b vitamins in the nutritional yeast provide essential vitamins and nutrients, especially for those of us following a vegan diet. Finally, pepitas (my secret ingredient) provide a healthy source of protein and fat. They are also said to help lower cholesterol. I like to add all of this to a heaping bed of low calorie, high-fiber (helps to “move things along,” so to speak…) spaghetti squash, which is one of my favorite foods to prepare.

Pepita-Parsley Pesto:

1 small bunch curly parsley

6 tablespoons raw pepitas

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon water (more as needed)

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

Directions:

Puree all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Add water as needed for desired texture.

Carrot, Beet and Apple Slaw

Beth — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 05:18:51 +0000

I’ve been making a version of this slaw for as long as I’ve had my food processor. Between testing batches of cakes and biscuits, it’s nice having a go-to veggie dish to even things out a bit.

This is one of those recipes that I never make the same way twice. Sometimes I just shred carrots and beets and drizzle with tahini dressing. Other times, I add sunflower seeds and dried fruit. Since pomagranates are in season, I added some pomegranate seeds to the slaw I made for lunch the other day. The colors are very “fall,” no?

As for the unemployment thing? Well, I’m learning to make the best of it. For one thing, I get to spend all day with my little guy. That would be Woodley. He’s a snuggler, so if he’s not at my feet, he’s by my side during the day. He’s enjoying the revived attention he’s getting post-bar studying as well, as he literally had to resort to laying on my study guides and giving me puppy eyes just a few months ago, just for a belly rub.

So, here’s my no-recipe method for this slaw: Shred 1 very large or two small carrots, 1 raw beet, peeled, and a green apple, unpeeled, in food processor. Toss shredded beet, apple and carrot with some fresh chopped curly parsley. Add juice of 1 lemon, a drizzle of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle on a generous pinch of salt. Toss. Add anything else you wish and enjoy!

Gazpacho

Beth — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:21:13 +0000

I hope the readers of Delectably Free like Spanish food, because I returned home from Spain yesterday with an arsenal of recipes to try, and a whole new source of inspiration.

Ah, the Catalan cuisine of Barcelona. It was admittedly difficult finding both gluten-free and vegan menu options and I, admittedly, slipped into a bit of a seafood habit, which had not been a regular part of my diet since February. While I would love to be the “perfect vegan,” I went into veganism with the belief that it was not about being perfect all the time, but about doing something good for myself and for the planet most of the time. I just had to get that out there, so no one gets some crazy idea that Barcelona is a paradise for gluten-free vegans, which is hardly the case (unfortunately).

That said, there is plenty to eat in Spain that does not include Seafood (or meat, for that matter). Among those things, gazpacho — the sweet, slightly tangy, garlicy, flavorful and fresh, chilled soup that was universally good wherever we went. When I studied in Spain 6 years ago, I came home with the same gazpacho cravings I’ve been experiencing now. I quickly disocovered, however, that gazpacho in America does not equal Spanish gazpacho. Here it was either too chunky and underflavored, or overflavored and not in the right way, or just somehow not the same.

That’s why my approach upon this return is different: make it at home and get it right. Luckily for me, I happened to get it right the first time. Perhaps it was all the recipes I practiced in my head, tweaked with each new gazpacho I enjoyed in Spain. When one had a distinct cucumber flavor which I enjoyed, I made a mental note. I liked the gazpachos that were a little tangier, so I made a note to go a bit heavier on the vinegar. Less peppery than the one at Taller de Tapas. A bit thicker than the one served at my hotel.

As much of the above “tweaks” came down to personal preference, I’d love for anyone making this recipe to tweak it to their preferences as well.

Gazpacho:

3 medium, very ripe red tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber (a regular, slicing cucumber you find during the summer), peeled and coursely chopped

1 small or 1/2 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped

1 small/medium yellow bell pepper, coursely chopped

1 small clove garlic, peeled

1/4 cup really good extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons raw, naturally fermented red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process with a sharp steel blade until relatively smooth. Taste for seasoning. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Serve garnished with some minced onion, bell pepper or cucumber.

Green Lemonade

Beth — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:46:44 +0000

Not to be all “I’m so busy and important this summer,” but….I am pretty darn busy these days. So if the frequency of my posts seems spotty at best, I assure you that it’s only temporary. Come September I’ll be an unemployed recent law grad with not a care in the world (other than finding a job…which may provide me with just a tad bit of anxiety). But now — a week away from the wedding — I’m a little busy. I would say no one tells you how much work planning a wedding is, but I have to admit, I’d been warned. Somewhere along the way, at least someone suggested I elope (words of experience). And when I visited my future sister-in-law and her husband before their wedding last May, I could help but think, as they frantically — and sleeplessly — worked to finish up the final details, that I should try to do things differently. Somehow, I thought I would be an exception to the rule. I was completely and utterly wrong. No matter how hard you try, wanting to have all of your family and friends there to celebrate one of the pivotal moments of your life is just one of those things that takes work. There is no avoiding it. Though I’m sure it will all be worth it in the end.

In all honesty, this whole process would have been a lot more Hellish had my mom not been so helpful early on (and now). From booking the venue, the band, the church to going to my tasting when I was stuck out in New York to designing, folding and sending out all my invitations, she has been a saint. But the last minute stress of working out seating arrangements, writing the program, figuring out the final head count and many other details along the way has taken a toll — one that rivals studying for the bar exam — on my ability to do much else.

I’m determined to stay healthy, however, in spite of all my stress (which really isn’t all that bad, really. There are much worse things I could be doing/worrying about). In fact, I’m determined to reverse my pre-bar trend of a pot of coffee a day and frozen (albeit vegan, gluten free and organic) dinners as late night snacks. I know there are millions of versions of green lemonade out there. Truthfully, mine probably isn’t all that different from others I’ve seen. But I thought it was worth sharing as a reminder of the refreshing, super-healthy variations and possibilities for all the beautiful summer vegetables available right now — a juice that will keep you going during those busy times. Or, as I like to say, a juice to give you some juice (ok, that was corny…it’s late and I’m tired). Plus, I couldn’t wait to share my first creation from the juicer that I’d rescued from my parents’ basement, where it had been collecting dust for way too long.

Green Lemonade:

Press through a juicer: 3 stalks kale, 1/2 of a lemon (washed; I left the peel on), 1/2 of a sweet, crisp apple (I used pink lady), 1/2 of a crisp cucumber, 1-2 stalks celery

You can add more of any of the above ingredients to your taste. I also like to add parsley or ginger as a variation. A green apple is also nice, but I would omit the lemon so your final product is not too sour.

Spinach Cashew Spread

Beth — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:19:09 +0000

I got the idea to do a spinach cashew spread from one of my favorite blogs, Raw Mazing. While I somewhat veered from the original recipe, I tried my best to keep the proportions similar, as I had been having a rough day of trial-and-error with my recipes. A failed strawberry clafoutis. A failed gluten-free bread. A second failed, though edible, gluten-free bread, which you can see pictured above (it made a great vehicle for this spread!). The bread was tasty, but rose no higher than an inch. I did happen to make a really nice cardamom-rhubarb ice cream (I really, really love that flavor combo), though it didn’t turn out to be all that photogenic (the color was kind of blah, and at that point I was too lazy to really style it up). So for my final test recipe, I wanted something that was as close as possible to a sure thing, but that I could still play around with a bit. I had lots of herbs on hand from my trip to the Greenmarket today — with some new potted varieties for my window sill as well. I like bringing a little bit of nature into my dingy, NYC apartment. So I omitted the sun-dried tomatoes from the original recipe and instead threw in some of my favorite fresh herbs, including some of my new window sill basil.

This cashew spread is great on bread (and can even liven up the most failed of gluten-free breads as well, as I can attest). I could also see it being nice over pasta (zucchini pasta for a raw meal, perhaps?) or even sauteed vegetables.

Cashew Spinach Spread:
Adapted from a recipe by Susan Powers at Raw Mazing

1 1/4 cups raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

8 fresh basil leaves

2 handfuls (about 2 cups packed) fresh spinach leaves

1/4 cup minced sweet onion

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup golden flax seed meal

1-2 tablespoons water as needed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Zucchini Pasta

Beth — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:32:12 +0000

Unless you have the knife skills of a Top Chef Master, you will probably have to get a vegetable spiralizer for this recipe. I got the idea to do zucchini “noodles” from Lexie’s Kitchen, one of my favoite blogs. Of course, this meant adding yet another contraption to our jam-packed tiny kitchen, but it was worth it. I did make sure to get the smallest spiralizer I could find, even though it happened to be the most expensive (ugh). I have to say, though, that so far it’s been worth the purchase, as I’ve made this zucchini pasta every day for a week, in different variations. I’d say something like this is essential for raw, grain-free, and low carb diets.

I have to confess, I’m not a huge zucchini lover. There’s something about its sliminess when it’s overcooked or its starchiness when it’s slightly under or raw. So I wasn’t expecting to actually enjoy raw zucchini pasta, but I figured it was something I could force down every once in awhile when I was craving pasta. You know, for the sake of my health. And my waistline. And my anti-candida diet maintenance — something I haven’t always been diligent about, though I know I should be. But I was pleasantly surprised — shocked, really — to actually enjoy zucchini this way. Which is nice, since zucchini is rich in potassium, which can lower blood pressure and decrease anxiety. You probably won’t fool yourself into thinking it’s actually pasta, but I have to admit, I came close. At the very least, I fooled myself into thinking that my zucchini wasn’t zucchini. The “parmesan cheese” might have helped.

Which brings me to another topic: vegan parmesan cheese. I have a confession. I use it now (this is a recent development in my life). I actually, um, kind of like it. Foodies everywhere should have me blacklisted from the club. At any rate, I’ll own it. If you don’t have a problem with yeast, I’ve heard great things about parma!, which is soy-free and kosher. Since I’m starting to feel like nutritional yeast doesn’t always agree with me, I’ve been using Galaxy vegan topping, which I broke down and bought after three years of doing that thing where I picked it up and put it back on the shelf, not ready to commit to it yet. Of course, if you’re not dairy-free or vegan, you could always go ahead and buy regular parmesan cheese.

Zucchini Pasta Toss:

3 zucchini, stems topped off, put through a spiralizer (I used the medium-sized spiral blade)

1/3 cup kalamata olives, drained and patted dry, halved

1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, patted dry and julienned (if tomatoes are not packed in oil, you can julienne regular sun-dried tomatoes and add some oil to the final dish — about a teaspoon, maybe)

3/4 cup fresh vine tomatoes, chopped, or quartered grape tomatoes

1/4 cup parmesan or parmesan substitute

1/3 cup flat-leaf parsely, finely chopped

salt to taste

Directions:

Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Add salt to taste and maybe a little extra drizzle of oil if needed.

Citrus Jicama Salad

Beth — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:39:28 +0000

Ironically, while I was in the midst of testing my 4th batch of streusel bars, I actually got hungry. I was craving something light and clean to contrast the sweet and buttery bars. I usually make a jicama salad with mango and mint. But grapefruit is in season and mango is a little harder to find these days. Plus, I just read somewhere (or maybe I saw it on The Dr. Oz Show, though I’m a little ashamed to admit this) that grapefruit can speed up your metabolism. It is also quite low on the glycemic index and is high in fiber. This salad is one of those rare combinations of super-healthy and low calorie while still being sort of addictingly good. You can adjust the dressing according to your taste — more or less agave, more salt, less oil, etc. Be sure to get really juicy lemons and limes for the dressing. I didn’t measure exactly when I made mine, but I know that the lemons and limes I used yielded a lot of juice. If yours are slightly less juicy, just adjust the rest of the ingredients proportionately.

Cirtus Jicama Salad:

1 jicama, peeled and diced

1 grapefruit, segmented (membranes removed using hands)

1/4 cup fresh mint, chiffoned or minced

Dressing:

juice of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon agave nectar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)

Directions:

Combine jicama, grapefruit and mint in a salad bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat.

Vegan Caesar Salad

Beth — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:14:00 +0000

Caesar salad is one of those ubiquitous menu items. It ranges anywhere from a pre-packaged container of stale croutons and wilted lettuce at the airport to the real good stuff that’s tossed tableside, to order, at the best Italian restaurants. As a result, the legitimacy of any given Caesar is sometimes questioned, let alone a vegan Caesar.

I’m always hesitant to put together a recipe that seeks to omit an inherent ingredient in a classic dish. Look at any Caesar recipe. It may be eggless. There may or may not be anchovies. Some include mustard. But there is almost always going to be parmesan cheese. That’s what makes it so good.

I’m sorry to inform anyone that I haven’t found the magical vegan substitute for parmesan. For many vegans, a popular alternative is nutritional yeast, which I used in this recipe. It’s nutty — and, by definition, nutritious — but I wouldn’t hold your breath if you’re looking for an exact match. That said, I invite you to suspend your notion of what a “Caesar” salad should or should not taste like — or include. This is just a good, creamy, salty, nutty, tangy dressing with the spirit of a classic Caesar and without the eggs or anchovies. Or the parmesan cheese.

In lieu of croutons, I sometimes use chickpeas for a bit of texture and a touch of protein. I also like to use my focaccia recipe for croutons. I toss cubed focaccia in a little bit of olive oil and baking them at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until browned and crispy.

Use 1 head of chopped, crisp romaine lettuce for this salad. This will serve about 4-6 as a side, or 2-3 as an entree salad. The dressing recipe makes plenty of dressing, so store any remaining dressing in a glass jar in refrigerator. It will definitely keep for a few days, if not longer (it’s never lasted long enough in my fridge for me to find out).

Vegan Caesar Dressing:

1 clove raw garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame tahini

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon water

1 scallion, white part only

1 teaspoon capers, drained

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Blend all ingredients for dressing in a blender until smooth. Toss romaine with just enough dressing to coat lettuce. Serve right away.

Mango-Papaya Salsa

Beth — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:37:51 +0000

Mango-Papaya Salsa:

1/2 cup diced mango

1/3 cup diced papaya

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

1 jalapeno, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Spicy Avocado Dip

Beth — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:19:22 +0000

Ever play the game where you ask yourself the one food you could never live without? I love that one. I have to admit that while there are several obvious answers that come to mind, somehow I’m always left with one answer that is clearer than others: guacamole. I love it. I would be content eating it by itself, with a spoon. When I go out for Mexican, the chips and guac order to start is obligatory, but I take it a step further and usually order extra guacamole to go with my meal. Yes, I’d have a pretty hard time ever living without the stuff.

The one thing I’ve noticed about guacamole is that while the same basic ingredients go into every recipe — avocado, lime, salt, onion, tomato — it seems like no guacamole is ever alike. Some are lime-y, some are creamy, some are chunky, others smooth. They range in flavor, texture, and heat, and I love them all.

I decided to call this recipe a dip. Despite the wide range of possible guacamole interpretation, the creamy consistency of this recipe really reminds me of a great dip. I made a big batch on Friday and Gennaro and I enjoyed it over fish tacos. I enjoyed the leftovers the next day with a healthy handful of chips.

Avocado Dip:

2 ripe avocados

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoons salt

3 scallions, greens topped off

4 jalapenos, seeded and roughly chopped (add back seeds gradually until dip reaches desired heat)

2 plum tomatoes, seeded, roughly chopped

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Puree avocado, lemon juice, salt and scallions in a food processor until smooth and homogenous.

2. Add remaining ingredients and puree until dip is speckled but smooth, with no large chunks of vegetable remaining.