Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
I got this recipe from NYT.com and modified it to suit my palate. It’s full of good stuff including protein-rich quinoa, tangy dressing and veggies!
Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini
A vegetarian dish – Stuffed zucchini with tomatoes, shallots, garlic, feta cheese and a little olive oil. A delightful change of pace for zucchini lovers!
Spicy Chilled Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cold Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup, originating in the southern region of Andalusia. It’s is widely consumed throughout Spain, neighboring Portugal (where it is known as gaspacho) and parts of Latin America. While this soup is typically eaten in the summer, it fit well into my raw food project, so I am going to post it now. Top with an avocado to add even more raw food benefits :)
Spring Mix Salad with Potatoes, Peppers and Scallions
This recipe only has one cooked element – the potatoes. It definitely fits into my 40%/60% raw diet ratio for my January raw food project. You could add other vegetables to this easily, especially if you’re trying to get more raw food in your diet. With just a few ingredients, you can create this delicious salad that will fill you up! Plus it tastes great the next day for lunch.
The Benefits of Raw Food: My January Food Experiment
Fad diets – super foods, super juices, “all-natural” pills. We’ve all heard about them, seen the “amazing results”, dropped 50 pounds. But really, how many of these diets remain sustainable over a lifetime of eating? Over the holiday break I watched a documentary on the benefits of eating raw food. Of course I’ve always know that eating “the fruits of nature” is beneficial to my health, but what about all the other yummy things I like to eat….like cheese?
Chili Zucchini and Tomatoes
This recipe came from a diabetic cook book I received from a website called Canola Info. I liked how it was an easy, healthy side dish with a significant kick. I’ve modified it a bit from the original because I wanted to add my own flair :) That’s what chef’s are supposed to do, right? While this is definitely a better recipe for the summer (being that zucchini and tomatoes are summer veggies) it can really be made any time of the year.
Homemade Pine Nut Hummus
Hummus is a staple in my fridge on most days. It’s healthy and it tastes great on pitas, chips, crackers or even on a sandwich as a spread. What’s even more amazing is how easy it is to make from scratch (you will need a food processor for this recipe). Most of the ingredients you probably have in your cabinet, with the exception of chickpeas and tahini.
Polenta with Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade
Crispy pieces of polenta topped with a tangy sun-dried tomato tapenade makes a pretty and tasty appetizer. Polenta is great because you can buy it already prepared and refrigerate what you don’t use (optimal for single person recipes!). This lower fat appetizer will surely be a hit if you bring it to a party or prepare it at home. This recipe below will work for 1 or 2 people depending on how much you plan to eat :)
Goat Cheese Dip with Green Chiles
This is just one of a few appetizers I plan to post in the next few days. With all the holiday parties coming up there is no doubt some of you might be in need of an appetizer idea that isn’t just the standard. This creamy and cheesy dip has an added kick with green chiles and cayenne pepper. Be sure to drain the ricotta the day you want to serve the dip. I recommend serving it with tortilla chips, but bread or crackers would also work well.
Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry
Spice, spice, spice! For me, the more spices added to a dish, the better. I love making asian-inspired curries for that exact reason. This dish has a lot of really great flavor and isn’t terrible high in fat. I recommend using a wok for this dish, but if you don’t have one a large non-stick skillet will do the trick.
