Real Deal Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 4 cups soaked and sprouted oat groats (see Happiness and Wellness blog to learn how to sprout oats).
• 1.5 Tbsp. almond butter
• 1.5 medium bananas
• 3/4 cup raising (soaked 1 hour and drained)
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 medium apple cored and grated
• dried shredded coconut for garnish

Instructions: 

Put all the ingredients except coconut and grated apple in a food processor and blend well. It's always nice to have multiple textures and consistencies in your food, so one trick for achieving this is to process the mixture a little, then stop and remove half of it to a medium bowl. Then blend the rest well, and combine the two mixtures in the bowl. This creates a creamy base with a little chunkiness. Stir the grated apples and coconut if you like, and you're ready to eat!

Boost your bowl: 

Emerald City Oatmeal: 1 tsp. spirulina powder and 1 Tbsp. flaxseed oil. 

Count Choco Maca Oatmeal: 1 Tbsp. cacao powder and 1 tsp. maca powder.

Fruity Oatmeal: Slices peaches, mangoes, blueberries, strawberries and many other fruits work well.

Hershey's Kisses Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:

• 48 Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2T milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 all purpose flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Granulated sugar 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls
4. Roll in sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes 4 dozen. 

Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 cup malt vinegar
• 1 lb fingerling or Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying
• 2T chopped chives
• sea salt to taste

Instructions: 

1. Boil vinegar in a small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Let cool. 
2. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inches slices. Rinse in several changes of cold water. Pat dry.
3. Heat oil, 2 inches deep, to 375F in skillet. Working in batches, fry potatoes until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with reduced vinegar. Toss with chives and salt.

Note: Cook chips as close to serving time as possible so they don't get soggy.

Fresh Juices - The endless varieties

Juicing is a great cheat to consuming vitamins that we wouldn't eat otherwise, however, we end up throwing a lot away by disposing of the pulp. A great alternative to juicing is investing in a power blender, like Vitamix. Blending ingredients to a fine pulp and diluting with water or other juices ensures consumption of every drop of vitamin filled veggies and fruits.

Fresh Starts

• 4 small Granny Smith apples
• 3 medium sized carrots
• 4 sticks celery
  
  
• 2 medium tomatos
• 1 large carrot
• 1 lime, peeled
  
  
• 2 medium carrots
• 3 medium beets
• 4 oranges, peeled
  
  
• 1 small Red Delicious apple
• 2 large peaches
• 2 grapefruits, peeled
  
  
• 1/2 small pineapple
• 2 peaches
• 2 small pears
  
  
• 1 small Granny Smith apple
• 2 small pears
• 1 cup strawberries, trimmed
  
  
• 1/2 small cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and halved. 
• 2 springs fresh mint leaves
• 1 mango, halved, seeded, and peeled
  
  
• 3 medium tomatos
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley
• 3 medium carrots
  
  
• 4 sticks celery, trimmed
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 in piece fresh ginger
• 4 oranges, peeled
  
  
• 2 parsnips, trimmed
• 4 sticks celery, trimmed
• 4 medium pears
  
  

Vitamin Replacers

• 2 small red bell peppers
• 3 medium tomatos
• 3 carrots
• 4 springs parsley
  
  
• 1 pint basket blackberries
• 3 large pears
• 2 grapefruits, peeled
  
  
• 3 medium beets
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples
• 4 sticks celery
  
  
• 2 pints blackberries
• 2 pint baskets blueberries
• 2 pint baskets strawberries
• 1 lime, peeled
  
  
• 1 large cucumber
• 3 sticks celery
• 1 bulb fennel - trimmed
• 2 cups bean sprouts

Energy Fuel

• 3 cups green grapes
• 2 kiwi fruits
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 cups coconut or rice milk
• 2T powdered protein mix
• 1/2 cup crushed ice
  
  
• 4 large apricots
• 2 small red apples
• 3 medium pears
• 1/2 cup crushed ice
• 1 cup mineral water
  - Blend fruits with ice, mix with mineral water, serve.
  
  
• 8 carrots
• 2 small beets
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 4 oranges, peeled
  
  

Refreshing

• 1 mango
• 1/2 small cantaloupe
• 5 oranges, peeled
• 3T plain yogurt (may be substituted for any vegan yogurt variety)
  
  
• 4 large apricots
• 3 large pears
• 1 cup mineral water
• 1 cup crushed ice
  - Blend fruits, mix with ice and mineral water
  
  
• 1/2 pineapple
• 2 cucumbers
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 cup crushed ice

Complete Tea Preparation

Brewing tea is an art of itself. It has been cherished for centuries and many books have been published on the subject. Here's a quick guide to preparing a perfect cup of tea.

Black tea: 212F for 5 minutes

Green tea: 180F for 2-3 minutes

Oolong tea: 190F for 4 minutes.

Use 1-1.5 teaspoons dry tea for every 6 oz (3/4 cups) of water.

1. Put tea in a teapot, then pour hot water over tea and allow it to steep.
2. Strain the brew to remove the leaves.

Black tea can be infused only once.

Green tea can be steeped 2-3 times

Oolong 4-5 times.

Tea leaves are sensitive to air, odors, extreme temperatures and moisture. Store in a stainless steel or aluminum container away from heat or sunlight.

Black tea keeps for up to 1 year, green and oolong for 6 months to a year.

Carrot Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 peanuts, chopped
• 1/2 golden raisins
• 1/2 brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1.5 cup carrot pulp (grated)
• 1/2 oil
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten (for a vegan Carrot Loaf, substitute 1T of ground flaxseed mixed with 3T of warm water for each egg).
• 1/2 cup sour cream (for vegan, substitute with Smart Balance butter mix or thick coconut cream). 

Instructions: 

Grease and line 4x8 in loaf pan. Sift flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, peanuts, raisins, brown sugar and carrots. Mix eggs, oil and sour cream in a separate bowl. Add to dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer. Pour into greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour. Remove, let stand for 5 minuts, invert into a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Fresh Vegetable Soup with Noodles

Ingredients:

• 1 small tomato
• 1 small onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1T butter
• 1T whole wheat flour
• 1.5 cups vegetable stock
• 15 oz cooked beans
• 1 packet noodles
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions: 

1. Blend tomato, onion, carrots and green pepper with a little water in Vitamix or another high powered blender.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in vegetable blend and baked beans
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add noodles and cook until fully cooked (depending on noodles, anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes).
6. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Watermelon Mint Julep

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups seedless watermelon, diced
• 1/2 Bourbon
• 1/2 cup torn fresh milt leaves
• 2T sugar
• 1T fresh lime juice
• crushed ice
• Fresh mint springs

Instructions:

Combine watermelon, bourbon, mint leaves, sugar, and lime juice in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Mash melon with a potato masher to release juice. Add crushed ice and serve with fresh mint sprigs.

Alternative: 

Add all ingredients except mint sprigs into a blender. Blend until smooth. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and serve.

Vegetable Rice

Ingredients:

• 5 bell peppers
• 2 medium onions
• 3/4 cup rice
• tomato paste
• carrots
• potatoes

Instructions:

Pre-cook rice 5-7 minutes. When ready, mix with onions, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Then add chopped carrots, peppers and potato. Cook for 45 minutes.

Vegetable Bake

Ingredients:

• potatoes
• white onion
• bell pepper
• tomatoes
• Veganaise
• (vegan) cheese

Instructions: 

Cut vegetables into thin rings and layer:  potatoes, Veganaise, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, Veganaise, sprinkle (vegan) cheese on top and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.