Recipe: Coconut Mocha Coffee

Ingredients:

Coffee

1 cup  coffee

3 cups of water

Add ingredients into a large mason jar and let sit over night, shaking every once in a while. After the coffee has "brewed" use another mason jar with a coffee filter rubber banded at the opening to strain your coffee.

                                                   

                                                      Watch the YouTube Video Here.

                                                                                

                                                              

Coconut Mocha Coffee

1/2 cup cold "brewed" coffee

1 1/2 cups coconut milk (use Shelly's recipe or use a store bought coconut milk.  Either vanilla flavored or add your own vanilla.  Just a smidge should do it.)

1 tbsp cacao

2 tbsp agave

pinch of salt

Place all ingredients into Vitamix and blend, takes a couple minutes. Pour over ice and serve.

Enjoy!

-Shelly

YUM!!!

Recipe: Raw Vegan Mayonnaise 

This is a great replacement base for lots of salads!  Hope you like it! Check out our Deviled Cucumber Recipe.

1 cup cashews (try to soak for about an hour, then rinse)

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

water if needed

Simply place everything in blender and blend till smooth.  Add water when needed to move the mixture along. 

Enjoy!
- Britnee

                                                         Watch the YouTube video here.

Recipe: Deviled Cucumbers

This recipe reminds me of deviled eggs. I love the rich creaminess, and the fresh crunchiness these deviled cucumber have. You can serve these boat style like I have done or slice them into segments. 

Ingredients:

1 peeled cucumber

2 stalks of chopped celery

1/2 cup raw vegan mayonnaise 

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1-2 tbsp dried dill/fresh dill (if you are using fresh, you will probably use more)

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp kosher salt

Slice your peeled  cucumber length wise. Gut the cumber, removing all seeds and place in a small bowl. Mash up the cucumber seeds and remove the excess moisture. You can take a paper towel and blot to achieve this. Add the remaining ingredients to your small bowl of cucumber seeds and mix. Take your mixture and fill your cucumbers. Garnish with paprika if desired and serve.

Enjoy!

- Britnee

Watch the YouTube video here.

Raw Vegan Ranch Dressing

Who says vegan salad dressings are boring? Obviously they have not tried this amazingly flavorful raw ranch dressing. This dressing is packed with spices that will make your taste buds tingle. Once you add this to your favorite salad, you will come back for seconds. Get your greens on and top it with this amazing ranch dressing.

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews (soaking optional)
1 cup water (start with 1/2 cup and slowly add in more until you reach desired consistency)

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp agave

1-2 clove garlic

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dill

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp basil

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup parsley

1/2 tsp dill

Blend all ingredients except for the last three, (olive oil, dill, and parsley).  As the ingredients become well blended slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Once the mixture is completely blended turn off the VitaMix. Add dill and parsley and give it a quick pulse.  Pour on your favorite salad and indulge.

Enjoy!

- Shelly

Watch the YouTube video here.

Recipe: Berrylicious Smoothie

Smoothie time!!!!! I love smoothies!!!! I love how simple and easy smoothies are to make. Just throw all the ingredients into a Vita Mix and blend. Smoothies are great to take for lunches, and fast to make when you are running behind schedule and don't have time to make something. Don't forget all that nutritional value you will be consuming. Try out this berry packed smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 young thai coconut water and meat

1-2 cups spinach

2 bananas

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup frozen raspberries

Place all ingredients into Vita Mix and blend away!

Enjoy!

-Britnee

Watch the YouTube video here!

Sprouting 101

Why should you sprout? There are lots of reasons to start sprouting. Sprouts carry plenty of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes, all necessary for the body to function optimally.  In addition to these nutrients, sprouts deliver them in a form that is easily digested and assimilated.  In fact, they improve the efficiency of digestion. Sprouts are also deliciously fresh and colorful! Sprouts are very inexpensive, always fresh, and have the potential to help solve hunger and malnutrition problems in our communities. Sprouts are rich in nutrients, affordable, and easy to transport before sprouting.  If you are interested in purchasing sprouts take a look at our Amazon store.

The process is a simple one.

1.  Place 1 tbsp of alfalfa sprouts inside a mason jar that has a lid with a sprouting screen or some sort of mesh barrier for draining.

2.  Rinse seeds off a few times by covering them with water and then draining to make sure and remove any dust.

3.  After cleansing the seeds, cover the seeds with water.  Let sit on counter for 8-12 hours. Rinse the seeds in the morning a couple of times to make sure they are nice and clean.

4.  Day one thru completion, rinse and drain seeds 2-3 times a day.  Make sure the jar is placed upside down to allow for proper drainage.  It should take from 5-8 days for the sprouts to be ready.  It will depend mostly on how warm it is in your location.  

5.  When the sprouts are ready to be harvested, pour into a large bowl and fill with water.  Separate the hulls from the sprouts by swishing them around in the water and draining off the hulls.  Be careful not to lose too many sprouts!  

Watch the video below to see the entire process from start to finish.

 Watch the YouTube video here.

 

Recipe: Mango Sushi

Who loves mango? Who loves sushi? This girl!!!! Why not combine the two. That is exactly what I did for this recipe and I really admire this pairing. The texture of the mango kind of reminds me of fish, but tastes way better. Nori sheets are used in this recipe, which is dehydrated seaweed. Nori is full of vitamins and minerals including; iodine, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, and folic acid. With all that nutritional value how can you pass this recipe up!

Ingredients:

1 sheet of nori

1 ripe mango

1/2 carrot

1/2 cucumber 

1/2 avocado

1/2 cup sprouts

Slice mango, carrot, cucumber, and avocado into lengthy strips. Layer all remaining ingredients on to one end of the nori sheet. Roll up the nori and dab a small amount of water along the edge to seal up the roll.  Cut into small sections with serenaded knife. Serve as is or with a side of nama shoyu for dipping.

Enjoy!

- Britnee

Watch the YouTube video here. 

 

Recipe: Peanut butter freezer fudge

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup agave 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup cacao

Nuts of your choice in amount of your choice

pinch of salt

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Add  in cacao and a pinch of salt. Whisk together till smooth.  Line a standard loaf pan with aluminum foil making sure to smooth the corners. Apply coconut oil or coconut oil spray to the foil lining the bottom of pan for easy removal. Pour in mixture and top with nuts of your choice. Place in freezer until hardened. Remove fudge from pan.  Separate aluminum from the fudge and cut fudge in small pieces. Store in freezer or fridge to prevent melting.

Enjoy!

- Shelly

Watch the YouTube video here.

Recipe: Zesty Corn Salad

Time to shuck some corn! It is corn season so let the corn recipes begin! This is a light and easy summer dish, perfect to serve at gatherings or to top a salad with. The orange juice dressing really gives it a nice zesty twist that everyone will enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn

1 orange juiced

1 sliced avocado

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

salt to taste

Whisk together the juice of the orange and apple cider vinegar which will be your dressing for the salad. Combine all other ingredients into medium sized bowl and mix in dressing, Top with avocado and serve. 

Enjoy!

- Britnee

Watch the YouTube video here.

What is a Raw Food Diet?

The raw food diet consists primarily of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The food we consumes is unprocessed, uncooked, whole living foods. Most of our food is eaten raw in it's natural form. However a small portion of the food we consume is dehydrated, anywhere between 104 and 118 degrees. Heating food above this temperature will kill the enzymes present. Enzymes are the life force of our food, helping us to digest food and absorb nutrients. By consuming cooked food it is forcing your body to work harder and produce it's own enzymes. Why not eat these healthy foods that already have the needed enzymes present rather than making your body work double time. Below is a raw food pyramid as well as a video of us discussing what raw food is to us. Check them out! :)

Watch the YouTube video here.

Recipe: Chahini Hummus

Hummus!!!!!!!!! We love hummus, it is a staple around our household. We use hummus in wraps and just as a veggie dip too. Since the base for this recipe is squash it wont weigh you down like the typical garbanzo bean hummus.  The squash is nice and light and easy on your digestive system. This will be a hit, I promise!

Ingredients:

2-3 medium zucchini squash peeled and chopped

6 tbsp lemon juice (approximately 3 lemons)

3 tbsp chia gel

1 tsp kosher salt

1 clove garlic minced

1/3 cup tahini

Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until you reach desired consistency. You may want to scrape down the sides with a spatula so you make sure to get all the flavors incorporated. 

Enjoy!

-Shelly

 Watch the YouTube video here.

Squash, lemon juice, tahini, chia, garlic, and salt.

 

Dig in!

Mondays with Maddie: Banana Pecan Cereal

Maddie loves her some banana pecan cereal with extra pecans!

Ingredients:

1 chopped banana

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup pecans

Place chopped banana and coconut into a small bowl. Top with pecans and enjoy!

Watch the YouTube video here.

Coconut milk, banana, and pecans.

Recipe: Veggie Sammich

Veggies and Hummus! Yes please! This "Sammich" pleases every time. The flavors of the fresh vegetables a top a layer of hummus is always so satisfying. I love how simple and easy this recipe is.  I can prepare it in 10 minutes tops. My best friend Samantha loves this sandwich so I decided to name it after her. I think sammich has a pretty good ring to it if I do say so myself.

Ingredients:

 

2 romaine Leafs

1 avocado

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped cucumber 

1/2 cup sprouts  (any kind of sprouts will do I like alfalfa sprouts)

1/4 cup chahini hummus 

2 tbsp chopped onions

To assemble this sammich start with your romaine leaf and spread the hummus on top. Add, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, avocado, and top with sprouts.

Enjoy!
-Britnee

Watch the YouTube video here.

 

Hummus,  romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and sprouts.

How to open a coconut and their amazing benefits.

Coconut water is natures sports drink. Coconut water is packed full of electrolytes including potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. In addition the the electrolytes coconut water also contains  many essential vitamins. The vitamins present in coconut water include Vitamin C, B6, B1, B2, and B9. Coconut water has many health benefits.  It hydrates, relieves urinary problems, kills intestinal worms, breaks up kidney stones, controls vomiting, and it is antibacterial and antiviral.  

There are several ways you can incorporate coconut water into your day. I personally love to drink the water plain right out of the coconut. You could mix the coconut water with a juice such as fresh orange juice, lemon juice, or a green juice. While juice feasting,  I would mix my green juice with fresh coconut water to give it a better taste and add more volume. Coconut water can be used as a base for smoothies also. There are numerous ways you can incorporate coconut water,  try them all and see what you like best. With all these amazing benefits how can you pass up coconut water? Drink up!

Watch the YouTube video here.

Britnee's Blab

The raw food diet has changed my life in so many aspects. When I initially embarked on this journey it was solely to lose weight. That was my focus, and the pounds starting melting off right away.  I realized I was missing the big picture here. I wanted to become healthy, and if losing weight came with it will then it was just an added bonus. I knew how unhealthy I was and had been for years. I tried everything under the sun multiple diets, diet pills, exercise. I had come to the conclusion that nothing would work. Maybe I had another health issue that I was unaware of that was preventing me from losing weight? I followed all these crazy diets down to the t and still no results. I had given up hope of ever shedding these pounds or getting healthy. It just didn't seem like it would ever happen. I was always the chunky girl, and for once I wanted to take control and make a change.

Immediately I began to feel so much better. I started to feel alive! I know this probably sounds extremely corny but it is the only way I know how to describe it. The fog in my head cleared out and everything became clear. Colors were brighter and life became an amazing journey. The amount of energy I now had was out of this world. Only to make me think that I was walking around like a zombie before. The standard American diet was really weighing me down in more ways that one. Nothing or no one could hold me back.  I was on top of the world! There was no looking back from this point I was determined to get healthy.

I have been a raw vegan for a year and a half and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I still have work to do. I want to be the healthiest I can be. I have made some great progress and wanted to share with all of you. I want to inspire others to take control of their health. I never knew how good I could actually feel, and I want to spread the word! If I can do this so can you! :) 

Stay Healthy Friends!
-Britnee

My husband has also started this journey with me and he has lost a whopping 101lbs.

Recipe: Banana Ice Cream Parfait 

This is my go to dessert lately it is so simple and sweet! The best part about it is that I can have as much as I want because it is all fruit with a small amount of nuts. I have made this for my family and friends who all have loved it and it is an exceptionally big hit with children. The banana ice cream is pretty amazing who would of thought it would taste so sweet and creamy. Just having the banana ice cream would satisfy my taste buds, but I like to spice it up every now and then.  Also a side note on the bananas make sure you are freezing RIPE bananas this will make all the difference. Bananas are becoming ripe when they have small brown dots on them. Ripe fruit will make a big difference in taste and nutritional value.

Ingredients:

Frozen Bananas

Blueberries

Chopped Strawberries 

Chopped Pecans

Depending on how many of these parfaits you will be serving will determine the amount of ingredients that you will need. You can prepare the banana ice cream two different ways. You can place the frozen bananas through a masticating juicer such as the omega juicer as seen in the YouTube video which will come out just like soft serve ice cream. The alternative method to making the banana ice cream would be to blend up the frozen bananas in a food processor. When making the ice cream in the food processor let your frozen bananas thaw approximately 10 minutes or so before blending. Once you have made your banana ice cream you will then assemble the parfait with ice cream, blueberries, and strawberries. Once you have filled up your glass top with pecans and indulged!

Enjoy!

- Britnee

           Watch the YouTube video here.

Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and pecans.

     Parfait time.

Recipe: Apricot Dill-ishessness Salad

Apricots, Dill, and Ginger, Oh My! I picked up some early apricots for a great price and was about to indulge when i thought, hey these would make a great salad dressing.  With fresh dill from my garden and a bit of ginger I knew I couldn't go wrong with this pairing. This salad recipe calls for Nama Shoyu which is an unpasteurized soy sauce hopefully your local health food store carries it, but if not visit our Amazon store. This salad is sweet, tangy, and tingles my taste buds. Hope you enjoy this Dill-ishessness salad.

Ingredients:

 2 heads of  chopped romaine lettuce

15 chopped apricots

1 chopped zucchini squash

1 pinch of Dill

1 small piece of ginger

1/4 cup chopped Green Onions

1 tsp Nama shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce)

Chop romaine lettuce and add to a large bowl. Add 10 apricots, zucchini, dill, ginger, green onions, and nama shoyu into blender. Blend until smooth. Pour dressing over chopped romaine. Garnish the salad with remaining apricots, dill, green onions, and serve.

Enjoy!

-Shelly

Watch the YouTube video here.

                                          

     

 

Look closely on the apricot you will see two hearts :)

  

Two hearts and a cyclops happy face while cutting up green onions.

Yummy Salad!

Serve and Enjoy!