Peppermint Iced Tea
A wonderful refreshing drink for a hot day. The peppermint helps to control cravings and the green tea is loaded with antioxidants.
* 4 decaffeinated green tea bags
* 3 drops Young Living peppermint essential oil
* ¼ c. agave
* 3 limes
In the bottom of a 64-ounce pitcher, pour agave and peppermint oil. Pour hot water over top and stir. Add tea bags and steep until it has a dark caramel color. Quarter limes. Fill serving glasses with ice and squeeze one lime slice in each glass. Pour tea over ice, garnish with a sprig of mint and serve. Makes 16 4-oz. servings.
How to make plain, steamed vegetables more exciting
These hints can be applied to all steamed vegetables:
After cooking, add one tablespoon cold pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil or coconut oil to every 2 cups of greens.
Add 2 bay leaves or 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to the cooking water.
Sprinkle cooked greens with pumpkin, sesame, flax or sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts or dried shredded coconut.
Sprinkle greens with fresh herbs: mint, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, scallion.
Use a splash of tamari soy sauce or umeboshi vinegar to add extra flavor to cooked veggies.
Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice over steamed vegetables.
My personal favorite: Add 1 tablespoon cold-pressed coconut oil, 1-2 cloves minced or pressed garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger and 1-2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar. Especially tasty on greens.
For kids (or the kid inside): drizzle with a little agave nectar
For a quick, ready made option, try drizzling vegetables with Annie’s organic Goddess Dressing (not Green Goddess).
Tuna Ceviche a la Nosara
This recipe was inspired by a wonder ceviche I had while on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. There it was made with a fresh, tender white fish. I found some sushi grade Ahi tuna which was delicious!
1/2 pound fresh, sashimi grade ahi tuna
1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon minced red onion
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 avocado, peeled and diced
2 T. finely chopped cilantro
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 t. tamari (natural soy sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 English cucumber, diced
Cut tuna with a very sharp knife into a 1/2″ dice. Combine with the avocado in a medium glass or ceramic bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the cucumber and stir with a rubber spatula. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. When ready to serve, stir in cucumber. Adjust seasonings as desired. Delicious served on lettuce leaves as a fresh appetizer or small meal.
Pumpkin Pie or Pudding
Filling
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (you can make it yourself by boiling or baking a pumpkin (any kind will do, just don’t use the skin) and then pureeing it) or use canned organic pumpkin.
1/2 cup blue agave nectar (adjust amount to suite your personal taste, use some liquid stevia too if you need to cut back on sugars)
3 Tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 teaspoons arrowroot
1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk (almond milk is delicious and easy to make, see recipe below)
Crust:
2 cups ground almonds
1 tsp. sea salt
3 T coconut oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin puree, agave, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, arrowroot, and almond or coconut milk, in batches if necessary.
Process until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
Grind almonds in a blender or food processor.
Mix all ingredients together in the food processor and press into a pie pan.
Pour filling into the pie crust and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling has firmed up.
Sometimes you will see the filling start to form cracks in it, which tells you it is getting firmer.
Let cool.
Serve with cashew/almond “whipped cream”. (recipe below)
Making Your Own Almond/Nut Milk
1 cup almonds, soaked overnight (8-12 hours in filtered water) and drained
3 cups purified water
Stevia or agave nectar to taste
Put the almonds, water and sweetener into blender and puree until smooth. Strain the mix through a piece of cheesecloth or nylon stocking. You will have to squeeze a lot to get all the liquid out. You may want to make your own nut milk bag using a nylon small-holed mesh fabric. Make a 4”x6” rectangle. The bag is easy to wash by hand or in a washing machine for reuse.
The milk will stay good for about 5 days. To extend the shelf life a bit, you may add a drop or two of lemon, orange, grapefruit or nutmeg Young Living essential oil (Young Living oils are suitable for ingestion. See http://vibrant-health.younglivingworld.com for ordering info). Alternately you may add a drop or two of colloidal silver (tasteless).
The Pulp:
Save the pulp and add it to cereal, humus or you may dehydrate in a dehydrator or in a gas oven on the lowest setting. When totally dehydrated it should be dry and flaky. Sprinkle it on desserts or use as a “flour”.
Cashew or Almond “Whipped Cream”
- 1 cup almonds or cashews
¾ cup water
1 Tablespoon agave nectar or pinch stevia (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)For the smoothest consistency, use cashews or peeled almonds. Because of their alkaline nature, almonds help keep your blood at a neutral Ph. - Soak 1 cup of almonds or cashews in 2 cups of water. If you’re in a very warm climate, soak them in your refrigerator. After 8-12 hours, discard the soaking water and rinse the nuts. In a blender, place the nuts and enough fresh water to allow the blender to operate. Blend, gradually adding enough water to achieve a smooth consistency. Yields 1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups. For the best results I recommend the Vita-Mix blender. Click here to take advantage of a 30 day risk-free trial and FREE shipping ($25)
Caesar Salad
1 t. flax or olive oil
1 clove pressed garlic
8 cups washed and shredded Romaine
1 egg
1 small lemon
1 t. paprika
½ t. sea salt or Real salt
1/8 t. black pepper
¼ t. apple cider vinegar (raw)
¼ t. dry mustard
Soak garlic in oil while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Coddle the egg in boiling water for 1 minute. Break egg (discard yolk, if desired), add to lettuce and toss. Cut lemon and squeeze thoroughly over salad. Toss. Add the remaining ingredients, plus garlic and oil mix and toss well.
Dulse Dressing
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yields: 1 cup (dressing)
Ingredients: 3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup dulse flakes
2-3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon umeboshi paste
1/2 cup water
Directions:
1. Warm the water, add sesame butter and stir until creamy.
2. Stir or blend in umeboshi paste thoroughly.
3. Stir in dulse or scallions.
Velvety Spinach Soup
4 cups chopped spinach
2 cups water
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 – 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4-teaspoon nutmeg
Place all ingredients into blender and puree until smooth.
Lentil Curry Soup
8 large carrots, 5 stalks celery, 1 leek, 1 head broccoli, 1 zucchini, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 cup okra, 1/2 med. Onion (or any other combo of vegetables you like)
1 1/2 cups black, brown, red or green lentils (rinse and sort out any stones)
Equal parts water and Pacific vegetable broth to cover vegetables and lentils
3 teaspoons curry powder or to taste
1 bunch cilantro
Salt to taste
Chop vegetables and place in large soup pot with lentils, curry and liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer until lentils are tender (about 30-45 minutes).
Season to taste with salt and top with chopped cilantro to serve.
Creamy Berry Sorbet
1 cup frozen banana chunks
1/2 cup frozen berries (cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.)
small amount fresh apple juice or water (about 2-4 Tablespoons)
agave or raw honey to taste
optional: 1 teaspoon raw coconut oil
Place all ingredients into processor and process, stopping and scraping down work bowl every so often. It takes a few rounds of stopping, scraping and processing before mixture begins to homogenize and cream into an ice cream consistency. Once this happens do not over process. Eat right away, or it can be stored in the freezer for 1-2 weeks. Great for kids (young and old)!
Ana,
Please send me your Chocolate Pudding recipe made with avacodos.
Peace,
Debra