Recipes

A Nod-to-Spring Salad

6-8 dandelion leaves

1 cup baby spinach, torn into bite size pieces

4 asparagus spears

½ cup chopped parsley

½ medium golden beet, juilliened

1 medium carrot, cut diagonally

1-2 spring onions, chopped

10-12 wild violet flowers (you can add in some leaves too!)

1-2 purple Easter Egg radishes, cut in thin slices

-Tear greens into bite size pieces. Mix dandelion and spinach well. Dandelion can be bitter (which makes for a happy liver!)

-Using a carrot peeler, peel asparagus into pretty curls. This usually works for about half the spear… chop the remaining half and add to the salad.

-Chop remaining veggies, paying attention to color and shape. Top the salad with wild violets.

Dressing:

 ¼ cup raw sunflower seed butter

2-4 tbsp. lemon juice (to taste)

1-2 tsp coconut nectar (or your favorite sweetener- optional)

½ cup filtered water

1 tsp gluten free nama shoyu/tamari or coconut aminos

(Add your favorite herbs as desired. I choose mint and lemon balm!)



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Chia Iced Tea

Step 1: Prepare your tea

For fuller flavor use 2-3 bags per 8 oz of water. Allow tea to steep up to an hour - or even over night!

Make double the amount of tea if you plan to use it for your gel and ice cubes. I usually prepare about 6-8 cups of strongly brewed tea at a time.

Step 2: Chia Gel

1/3 cup chia seeds

2 cups tea (or water, if you prefer)

I have found it works best to measure the tea/water in your jar and then add the seeds slowly, whisking as you go. Allow gel to sit for 10 minutes - then shake or whisk again. Let sit another 10 minutes - shake or whisk again. Done!

Step 3: Chia Iced Tea

1 cup tea

1 - 1½ cups chia gel

Stir gently. Add lemon or lime juice to taste.

*Optional: For additional flavor you can add ½ cup of unsweetened pure blueberry juice to your tea - just be sure to add it before you measure out the tea and gel.

To keep it 100% raw- add ½ cup blueberry puree. This is easy to prepare with frozen blueberries. Just let them defrost, blend until smooth with an immersion blender, and add to your tea.

Enjoy!

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 Golden Berry Breakfast Salad
2 cups  carrots, grated
1/2 -3/4 cup   goldenberries, chopped
2/3 cup  walnuts, chopped
 2  oranges, sectioned and sliced in half
 2 cups  shredded kale
 1/2 cup chopped parsley
 1 diced granny smith apple
 

Dressing:
  1 tbl  raw tahini or raw
                 almond butter
   4 tbs fresh squeezed orange juice

 -or- simply dress the salad with
         1/3 cup of fresh orange juice



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Fennel/Grapefruit Salad

4 cups of fennel, thinly sliced

3 red grapefruit, peeled, section, chopped into bite size pieces

1 cup parsley, minced

1 granny smith apple, diced

¼ cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tbs olive oil (optional)

2 tbs chopped fennel fronds

-Prep all your veggies/fruit  in separate bowls. Squeeze lemon juice over fennel and stir in. Set aside. When all veggies are chopped, blend together in a large bowl. Finish with grapefruit juice as your dressing or blend the grapefruit juice and olive oil together and pour over salad. Stir gently. Top with chopped fennel fronds.  Chill before serving.

Hemp Basil Pesto Sauce

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1 cup spinach leaves

2 cloves of garlic

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup hemp seeds

¼ cup filtered water

2 tbs olive oil (optional)

¼ fresh squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup filtered water, as needed

-Blend all ingredients in a blender . Add water until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors. The spinach leaves will  brighten the  color of the finished sauce- and add excellent nutrients. Serve over spiralized zucchini pasta . You can also omit the water for a thicker texture and serve with cut veggies and raw crackers.

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Lentil/Miso  Soup

4 cups of lentils, rinsed

8 cups of water

4-6 bay leaves

2 inches of kombu (seaweed)

4 onions diced and roasted

4 carrots, diced

4 sticks of celery, sliced

3 tbl brown rice miso (or your favorite miso)

8-10 cloves of garlic

1 ½ cups of millet, rinsed and cooked in 3 cups of filtered water * (directions below)

Greens, cut in thin slivered ribbons-  or use mixed baby greens or baby spinach

Rinse lentils and place in a large pot. Add water, bay leaves and kombu. Simmer on medium heat until lentils are tender but not mushy (about 25 minutes). While lentils cook, dice the onion and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Roast at 325 degrees until tender (20 minutes). Chop carrots and celery, set aside. When lentils are tender, remove the kombu. Kombu helps tenderize the lentils and make them easier to digest. Add the carrots, celery and onions. Simmer an additional 15-20

minutes. Peel garlic and place in a 4 cup mason jar. Add 3 tbl of miso. Remove 2 cups of broth from the lentil pot and pour into the mason jar. With an immersion blender, blend the garlic, miso and water. Pour that mix back into the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning. Feel free to add more miso or garlic.  This recipe makes lots of soup! If you are cooking for yourself, or a small family you may want to cut the recipe in half or freeze half in smaller portions.

To Cook Millet:

Some people prefer toasting the millet first. This is optional.

Rinse and drain the millet. Dry  roast in a skillet, stirring constantly until it turns golden and smells nut-like. Bring water to a boil, add grain then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook about 25-30 minutes until water has been absorbed and the millet is tender.

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