Love Thy Raw Chocolate

From the earth grew a seed, a superfood plant that gave mankind the key to strength, longevity, vitality and wholesomeness. This ancient and powerful plant proved sacred to our ancestors, who named it the cacao plant.

The list of health benefits of the raw cacao is immense. It is an anti-inflammatory, immunity-booster and may help reduce the risk of cancer due to its high content of antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, omega-6 and minerals.

This nutrient-dense food contains therapeutic mineral supplements such as  zinc, manganese, phosphorous, iron, and magnesium!  A daily dose of magnesium from raw chocolate promotes improvement of bone health, blood circulation, cardiovascular and nerve functions. It helps produce neurotransmitters in the brain that connects you to feeling passionate about life. What’s not to love?

Here's a sublime recipe that will awaken the senses and at the same time provide a cup of heart warming tranquility. This mild energy-boosting concoction is best to drink in the morning or early afternoon.  Raw cacao powder can be used instead of nibs if a high powered blender (Vitamix) is not available.

Blend. Drink. Recline if you must. Love thy chocolate!



Ambrosia Raw Chocolate Drink

2 tbsps Raw Cacao Nibs

1 1/2 tbsp Raw Almond Butter

1 c Raw Almond Milk- preferably a DIY 

2 tsps Raw Honey or natural sweetener of your choice
(You may also add goji-berries and herbs.)

Super-garnish it with:

Turmeric and cinnamon powder

Flaxseed oil, hemp oil or sesame oil

Tip: To enjoy it warm (not hot!), heat a bowl in the oven for a few minutes at the lowest temperature and just warm to the touch, pour beverage into the bowl.

A Dinner Party

Big thanks to my friends Kat  & Adam who organized a lovely dinner
party last night at their home to get together with friends and to raise
funds for the life-saving work of Doctors Without Borders.

Kat's dinner table looked fantastic. She hosted quite a lovely spread
and I'd like to share a few recipes that we prepared for the guests.
The recipes below are easy and quick, not to mention very nutritious.
Remember to use organic and fresh ingredients from your local produce
or farmers market, because buying organic is a much better choice,
good for your health and taste buds too.

Quinoa Salad with Greens
2 cups cooked Quinoa - (use red, black or tri-color)    
2 cups raw Spinach
2 ripe Avocados - cubed
1 cup raw Cilantro
1 cup raw Walnuts
Salt (Himalayan) & Pepper to taste
Dash of Cinnamon

Combine the spinach and cilantro in a food processor, in 2-3
batches, pulse to chop about 3-4 times, but not too fine, or chop
by hand with a sharp knife. Put aside.

Ground the walnuts in the food processor, pulse about 4 times or
chop with a knife.

Combine all the ingredients, then add Lime-Cumin Dressing
and toss.

Lime-Cumin Dressing
2-3 Limes, juiced
1 Garlic clove - mashed
3 tbsp Olive Oil - cold pressed
1/4 cup filtered Water
A dash - 1/4 tsp Cumin (cumin can be overpowering)
A splash of Agave
Himalayan Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into a blender, there is no exact recipe to
this dressing, you can tweak as you go along.

Kat's Kale Salad
Thanks for sharing your recipe!

One bunch of Kale (approximately 4 leaves per person, cut into bite size
        without the stem)
A dozen Cherry Tomatoes
Olives

Put the kale into a steamer and let steam for 1 or 2 minutes (max) just
so it gets just a bit softer.  Put into salad bowl.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the salad bowl to spread
on top.

Add about 6 olives, you can cut in half if they are large. Toss and
serve.

Dressing:
1/3 cup of olive extra virgin - cold pressed
Half of 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper blend

Mix all ingredients together and let it chill in the fridge for 30 min
before serving.




Raw Apple Pie for dessert!
(I acquired this recipe from a raw food class.)

Crust:
1 cup raw Almonds (soaked overnight - to get more nutrients and
     easy to digest)
3/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut
1/2 dried Apricots
3 pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla extract (organic and alcohol free)
A pinch of Himalayan salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until the consistency
gets sticky and set the crust on a 9" pie dish. Set aside.

Pie filling:
2 Gala Apples (shred in food processor and set aside)
1/2 cup Water from soaked Apricots (4 hours or overnight)
1/2 dried Apricots
A dash or two of Vanilla Extract
A tsp combined powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves

Except for the shredded apples, combine all ingredients in a blender to make a cream.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream and the shredded apples
and mix.

Then add the pie filling on top of the crust.

Smooth with a spatula and serve!

Souper!

I started a 3-day cleanse by eating mung bean soups and lentil soups with

a combination of raw vegetable soups, whole foods, nuts and seeds, 

including supplements I need to create a balance. (We all have different

body types so I suggest that you seek a health practitioner's advice 

before cleansing).

A good morning starts with a glass of filtered water with lemon juice 

followed by a cup of herbal tea (dandelion tea or rooibos tea are one of 

my faves), followed by a tall glass of green juice or for a more substantial 

drink such as the purple-green smoothie for breakfast, yum!  

Then in a couple of hours, lunch is served, the 'mung bean soup'. You 

can use this recipe if you are cleansing or it can be a part of your regular 

diet incorporated with other healthy meals. This basic soup is more of a 

concept than a recipe but this recipe alone will surprise your palate.

In Sanskrit, the word "ayurveda" consists of the words āyus, meaning 

"longevity" and veda, meaning "related to knowledge".  Mung bean is 

a popular food in ayurveda as it can help cleanse the body. It is a source

of a variety of nutrients that can help fight ailments and chronic diseases. 

It is high in protein, vitamins B6, C, K, potassium, and dietary fiber 

content which help lower a high cholesterol level. 

Mung Bean Soup

1 c dry mung beans, soaked for 5 hrs or overnight

6-7 cups vegetable broth (I use the vegetable pulp from my juicer and

boil for 2 mins, then strain)

4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

2 tbsp red onion, chopped finely

1 tbsp ginger, chopped finely

1/4 c carrots, chopped (omit for cleansing)

1/4 c celery, thinly sliced (omit for cleansing)

1tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Pink Himalayan salt or Sea salt

Pepper to taste

Clean and discard soaked water from the mung beans.

Combine all ingredients in the pot, stir and bring to a boil.

Immediately lower the heat from medium to low.

Simmer for 35 minutes. Add more vegetable broth for a more soupy 

consistency.

Adding greens like spinach, chard and kale at the end of cooking are 

optional as they bring out the mung bean flavor.You may also use 

garam masala instead of paprika, cinnamon and cayenne or use a 

combination of spices such as turmeric, cumin and coriander. 

For garnish, add your favorite oil, such as hemp oil or flavored olive

oil when the soup is done.

Tip: Uncooked oil is a healthier alternative, while cooked oil contributes

to the toxin build-up in the body.

Purple-Green Smoothie

1/2 c blueberries (frozen works too)
1/2 banana
2 tsp brown whole flax seeds (omega-3, fiber & essential fats)
date, raisins, or raw honey for a bit of sweetness
2 tbsp. green protein powder (or hemp protein powder)
2 tsp raw almond butter
dash of cinnamon
touch of cayenne pepper
1 big handful of spinach
ice (if blueberries are not frozen)
1/2 c of almond milk (or filtered water)

This delicious, healthy smoothie recipe is loaded with protein, omegas, fiber and nutrients.
I'm so grateful to finding this amazing recipe from Kardena's Kitchen. If you're opting out from a heavy breakfast, drink this!