Wakame salad

In my last post I wrote about my diet dilemma. It seemed like I was gaining weight on a raw food diet (probably due to a combination of high sugar from fruit and high fat from nuts). Following this I've brought some healthy wholegrains back into my diet: quinoa, millet (my fave), amaranth and oats. The improvement is incredible,  I feel so much more energetic and I quickly got back to my ideal weight! What Okriina from Keittiökameleontti (an inspiring blog filled with excellent raw recipes in finnish) said when she commented on my last post really hit home. I believe I was not absorbing protein well from raw nuts. 

Anyway, I digress. Just wanted to post a recipe that gives you guys some idea of what I eat these days. This is a simple raw asian-inspired wakame salad, boosted with toasted sesame seeds (you could use soaked and dehydrated too, if you are on a raw food diet). As lunch, it would work wonderfully on its own. For dinner, I served it along with vinegared millet.

WAKAME SALAD

Salad:
1 small zucchini and/or cucumber
4 medium carrots
1 small apple
1C or more of green peas, preferably snap peas
5 stalks of wakame seaweed
couple tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
1,5 tbsp brown rice vinegar
Sweetener of choice, I used a bit of xylitol here
4 tbsp cold pressed sesame oil
Mineral-rich salt (Himalayan, gray sea salt)

Soak wakame for 5 minutes in cold water. Julienne the zucchini, carrots and apple. Chop up the wakame. Mix together the veg. Blend the dressing ingredients, taste and adjust it according to your liking. I use toasted sesame seeds here for flavor, I just love them combined with the sesame oil in the dressing. This would be even better with snap peas, but as you can see from the pic this time I only had regular ones.

VINEGARED MILLET
3/4 C millet + 3C water (or thereabouts)
2 tbsp brown rice vinegar + salt + a little bit of sweetener of choice
2 strips of Kombu seaweed

Cook the millet in water with salt and kombu. Remove from heat, chop up the kombu and mix it in along with vinegar, salt and something sweet to round off the taste.

Raw spanish scrambled "eggs"

Hi everyone! We're back from a weekend out of town, celebrating my graduation (BSc), gathering spruce shoots and visiting with family and friends. I'll be back to post about the party, I made an amazing raw tropical mango strawberry cheesecake which was a hit! But for now I decided to post one of my husband's favorite raw breakfasts. 

This recipe is inspired by Ani Phyo's raw scramble. I made it once (added more spices and dash of olive oil), but my husband complained about tasting the almonds. He said it was very good, but the almond flavor bothered him in a savory dish! To please him, I replaced the almonds with brazil nuts. Cashews would be even milder and probably work as well, but I like brazil nuts because they are so packed with minerals such as selenium and zinc. Although not raw, I also added my husband's favorite spice: smoked paprika. I enjoy the spice as well, and as long as it is not unhealthy I tend to choose taste over "100% raw."

Anyway, onto the recipe:

Spanish scramble:
1C dry brazil nuts (soaked and dehydrated always best)
0,5C sunflower seeds (soaked and dehydrated always best)
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp or more of organic smoked paprika
0,5tsp italian seasoning (or herbs of choice)
1/4 tsp mineral rich salt or to taste
1/2 cup water
dash of your favorite cold-pressed olive oil (optional, but I think it improves flavor and texture)
black pepper

First blend the nuts and seeds and add water to reach a consistency similar to scrambled eggs. If you like, you may leave it a little chunky. Add turmeric to give it the right color and other seasonings to taste.

Add-ins:
tomatoes
1/4C fresh cilantro
spring onion
Marinated and dehydrated mushrooms (1:1:1 ratio of balsamic vinegar+olive oil+honey, salt, pepper, yumyum!)
sweet pepper
raw olives (I just had organic ones)

Chop your add-ins of choice, mix in and enjoy! We like to let it sit a bit to warm it up (we keep our nuts in the fridge) and allow the flavors to mingle. 

The scramble is served on greens, either spinach or romaine leaves work wonderfully. Sometimes I also like to wrap the scramble in a salad leaf!

Spicy summer curry

The sunshine is back and that calls for something light, colorful, refreshing and flavorful! This recipe definitely delivers that.

Raw parsnip rice:
3 parsnips
1/2C of dry coconut flakes (preferably sun-dried)
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp ume plum vinegar (or anything acidic)
Himalayan salt, freshly ground black pepper

Pulse the pine nuts and parsnips until they resemble white rice. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Mango curry sauce:
1 large mango
1/8 of a sweet onion or more to taste
Himalayan salt, pepper
Garam masala, ground coriander, cumin
Fresh coriander leaves

Puree mango and onion, add spices. Pour in a serving bowl, stir in roughly chopped fresh coriander. The onion can either be omitted entirely or replaced by spring onions. 

Veggies:
Pea shoots or just peas
Finely chopped raw broccoli
Carrot (we had yellow and red carrot)
Tomatoes

Sweet peppers would have been delicious, but they are not in season yet. Likewise we had to substitute frozen peas for pea shoots, but looking forward to trying this with those later! Alfalfa or mung sprouts would be excellent, unfortunately I didn't have those at hand either. I did serve this curry with a side of curried nut balls, yum!

To serve, top parsnip rice with veggies and curry sauce. It will look something like this:

I had so much fun making this, since my daughter (18 months) got on her tippy toes to snatch my broccoli off the kitchen table. She got such a kick out of munching on it, so cute! As a mom, something inside me lights up every time she enjoys eating something raw and green. She even likes to snack on sunflower sprouts.

Enjoy the summer guys!

Raw onion bread

Raw onion bread:
2 medium sweet onions
1 medium carrot
1C sunflower seeds
1C brazil nuts
0,5C pumpkin seeds
0,5C flax meal
cold-pressed olive oil, water
salt, pepper, dried parsley

Grind nuts and seeds into a fine flour in a food processor. Chop onions and carrot into big chunks and process into tiny pieces, almost mushy. Mix the carrot and onion mixture to the nut flour in a bowl, add flax meal and enough water and olive oil to get a flax gel consistency (batter should only barely moist, so that you can mold it by hand).

Shape into round flatbreads or spread evenly onto a teflex sheet. The thinner you make it the less time it will take to dehydrate. I made them a little thicker because I wanted them soft in the center like bread instead of crackers. Dehydrate at 116F for about 5 hours on one side and then a couple on the other.

The sweet onions lend to an amazing flavor, which softens and intensifies in the dehydrator. Your kitchen will be filled with a delicious scent while dehydrating. I normally don't like raw onion, but using sweet onion really makes all the difference. 

We enjoyed these as raw sandwiches, but also just topped with hummus. This hummus is not raw, but really delicious if your body can tolerate legumes. I have a pressure cooker, and I love that I can boil garbanzos in 15-20 minutes. Not only because it's a time saver, but also because nutrients are better preserved.

Smoked paprika hummus:

1,5 C garbanzo beans

3-4 tbsp cold-pressed sesame oil

1-2 tsp raw honey

1 tbsp lemon juice

fresh spring onions and flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt, pepper, smoked paprika

cayenne pepper (optional)

Blend cooked garbanzo beans, lemon juice, oil and honey until smooth but chunky. Transfer to serving bowl. Add chopped spring onions and fresh flat-leaf parsley and seasonings. Sprinkle some more smoked paprika and parsley on top for garnish.

Amazing raw sour cream!

Just a brief note to let you guys now I am alive and thinking of what to make for my husbands birthday tomorrow. Hopefully it will turn out successful and make its way into this blog! 

Last night we enjoyed blinis. Well, I have yet to figure out a decent way to recreate the actual blinis in a raw way. The toppings however, have been raw for a long time now. Every time we make them, I try to think of a way to improve the raw sour cream we love to dab on the blinis. Usually I have added acidophilus, and allowed it to sour up in the fridge for a couple days. This time I felt the urge to make blinis ex tempore, so I had to come up with something faster. Here it is (sorry, no pic!):

Quick raw sour cream:
2 handfuls of soaked cashews
1 small handful of your favorite raw sauerkraut, or to taste
dash lemon juice, Himalayan salt, pepper, fresh or dried dill

Blend all until smooth. You can add the dill after blending, so that it won't turn out completely green :)
Check seasoning.

The Blinis:
handful of cashews + water (should equal 5dl or 2 C after blending into cashew milk)
organic buckwheat groats ground into flour or whole-grain buckwheat flour (didn't measure this, you want somewhat of a thick pancake batter consistency)
1 organic egg
Himalayan salt

Beat until there are no lumps, let sit for a while for the flour to "swell up". Add more, if it seems too thin.

Heat the skillet. Makes about 35 small blinis.

Traditionally blini recipes use carbonated beverages and yeast or baking powder, but for health reasons I settle for this recipe. 

Serving suggestion: tuna or salmon ceviche, dehydrator-marinated shiitake mushrooms, marinated veggies and of course heapings of raw sour cream!

Raw buckwheat sandwiches with parsley nut cream

This was not the first time I have made raw bread, believe me I've tried a fair amount of recipes.. somehow I've never liked them too much (read: edible with plenty of toppings to mask the flavor). I thought this bread would be no different, but I was suprised to find that this was actually tasty on its own. It was good with raw spreads and veggies, and we also have enjoyed it with a (cooked) indian brown lentil dahl.

Raw brazil nut-buckwheat bread (aka best raw bread I have made)

1/2 C brazil nuts soaked

1 C flax seeds

1 C water, to soak the flax seeds with

1/3 C pumpkin seeds

1 C sprouted buckwheat (soak 10min, sprout 24h, little tail)

2/3 C grated raw seet potato

Quality salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried organic thyme (just a touch)

Soak buckwheat groats 10 min, place in a sprouting jar. Rinse at least 4 times during the 24h. Soak brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds 6-8h, discard soaking water. Also soak flax seeds with water (min 1h) to make a thick gooey paste. When they're all done, place nuts and buckwheat in a food processor, along with sweet potato. Give it some spins, I left mine chunky on purpose. Season. Shape into bread slices and dehydrate overnight.

Parsley nut cream spread:

1/2 C brazil nuts

´1/4 C sunflower seeds

handful of fresh parsley

clove garlic

lemon juice

salt, pepper

(water)

Blend brazil nuts and seeds, add lemon juice, garlic clove and salt + pepper. Blend until smooth. If you like, you can also through in the parsley. This will lend the spread a light green color. Alternatively, you can finely chop the parsley and mix it in with a spoon.

Serve together, or eat the bread on its own or with your choice of toppings. We had simple sammies with split pea greens and julienned carrots.

Zander with lime sweet potatoes & persimmon chutney + my lab results

In finnish: Kuhaa limebataatilla ja persimmon-chutneyllä

Zander is a highly valued fish in Finland known for it's soft, unique flavor. It consequently happens to be one of the most expensive fishes in stores. I love fish, but I am picky when it comes to selecting it. We always buy wild-caught fish, usually species which come from relatively clean waters. This zander has been caught by a family member from a lake not too far away. Next year, we talked about going to fish ourselves.

Clearly, I am not a vegan. To me, eating fish and meat from the nature is natural (in moderation). Since childhood I have disliked red meat, and I doubt I'd ever touch beef or pork. However, though I haven't yet, if the opportunity presented itself I might be interested in trying some organic lamb or wild game. Currently, we eat fish 2-4 times a week and organic chicken maybe once in a blue moon. I serve my 13-month-old daughter organic turkey/chicken 1-2 times a week and fish 2-4 times. This is because I feel strongly that growing children need a lot of vitamin B12 in their diets. She has not had any red meat yet, and we probably won't give her any unless for some reason we were having some organic or wild meat.

Speaking of B12, I had some blood tests done as a part of starting my new job. Here are a few highlights:

B12 = 228 pmol/l (normal range 180-700)

Cholesterol = 3.1 mmol/l (<5)

HDL-Cholesterol (good) = 1.42 mmol/l (>1)

LDL-Choleserol = 1.4 (<3)

GT (indicator of liver health) = 6 (10-45)

TSH (thyroid hormone) = 2.3 (0.3-4.5)

So, even though I am eating fish several times every week and usually eat 1-2 organic eggs a week as well, I still have B12 count on the lower end of normal. I do not supplement, and according to the doctor there is no need to start doing either. But clearly this shows that, if you are a vegan or eat only little meat you should definitely have your values tested. A B12 deficiency can cause permanent brain damage. Other than this, my cholesterol levels, liver tests and hormone tests were to quote the doctor "perfect". The fact that my GT-value is below the normal margin is only good, the higher it is the more likely you are to suffer from a liver condition such as cirrhosis later in life. The thyroid test is also almost exactly in the middle of the range, indicating an optimal level. Maybe it is the coconut oil!

Well, now on to the recipe. I was planning on serving the zander with the sweet potatoes and a persimmon salsa inspired by Yaelian's marinated persimmon salad (in finnish). Unfortunately I discovered that my persimmons were too mushy to be diced in any way, so I decided to make a chutney-type sauce to go with the fish and yams.

Zander fillets:

2 zander fillets

Himalayan salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried lemon zest or a little more fresh

organic cold-pressed coconut oil

Warm up the coconut oil in a pan and add lemon zest. Then on medium heat saute the salted and peppered fish fillets until just done, don't overcook. Always keep heat low to avoid destroying the healthy fats in the fish.

Spicy lime sweet potatoes:

2 large sweet potatoes

juice of 2 large limes

1-2 tbsp honey

organic chili powder

Himalayan salt

freshly ground black pepper

organic olive oil

Cut the sweet potatoes into around 1/3 inch thick and wide sticks, squeeze lime juice on top. Add honey, olive oil and other spices. Mix until the seasoning is evenly spread. Bake in a 375F/200C until they have softened but still have a bite to them.

Raw persimmon chutney

3 ripe, mushy persimmons

2 small red onions

2 tbsp fresh parsley

0,5 tsp balsamic vinegar (or raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar)

Himalayan salt

Black pepper

Finely dice the red onions and chop the fresh parsley. Blend persimmons until smooth. Mix in a serving dish with minced onion, vinegar and spices.

I had intended the chutney more for the sweet potatoes, but we were both surprised how well it complemented the fish as well. They all worked well together, but especially the yams and the chutney turned out to be a match made in heaven. Try it out, easy to make and the ingredients are in season!

Hope you all have a nice weekend and like my new blog layout :) I will be posting some recipes that have come out of my dehydrator experiments once I get them all polished and perfected.

Exciting New Year 2010

A special thank you to all my readers for hanging along and following my new blog. Geek gone raw has not been around too long, and it is really in an experimental stage trying to find its own niche in the vast world of online blogs - any feedback is therefore greatly appreciated. I'd like to wish you all a wonderful, exciting New Year 2010 full of challenges!

Here are some snap shots of our party spread:

Indian-spiced rudabaga wedges (first pic)

Curried split pea burgers

Guacamole

Amazing Hummus (with fresh parsley, sprouted sesame seeds and turmeric)

Faux Ketchup (organic tomato puree, braggs raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar, dark agave, spices)

Marinated garbanzo beans (olive oil, coconut oil, pepper, Himalayan salt, lemon juice)

Seasonal organic vegetables for dipping

We also made some raw pomegranate chocolate, which we will enjoy with a glass of real Champagne. Of course champagne isn't really health food, but there is something to be said about all things in moderation. One glass a year won't certainly do any harm.

Enjoy your evening! Eat well :)

Turmeric protects against DNA damage!

What kinds of ingredients should each and everyone of you be consuming as often as possible? Answer: turmeric, avocados, fresh flat-leaf parsley and organic lemons. But why?

Turmeric:

+ related to ginger, used as medicine in Asia since ancient times

+ can help fight and prevent cancer since it is clinically proven to reduce DNA damage due to potent antimutagenic properties

+ fortifies cell walls

+ detoxifying

+ strong antioxidant

+ shown to prevent peroxidative injury of DNA with approximately an 80% prevention rate

+ dietary turmeric can activate bowel motility and carbohydrate colonic fermentation

+ can help prevent and treat symptoms of atherosclerosis, Alzheimers, Cystic Fibrosis

+ superior antioxidant power slowing down and reducing the symptoms of aging

+ anti-inflammatory: could play a role in the treatment/management of arthritis

+ evidence suggests curcumin can interfere with replication of herpes simplex virus

+ might boost liver function and aid recovery of liver injuries

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as you can see from the bibliography this research is very recent. I am sure that in time, we will discover even more benefits of turmeric. So for your health, beauty and overall well-being, start inducing this true "superfood" into your diet!

To maximize the benefits it is best to consume organic turmeric raw and unheated. Remember also to always consume your turmeric with quality fats (like with avocados), because this significantly increases the absorption of the active ingredient, curcumin. Otherwise, by itself curcumin has relatively low bioavailability.

Because I do want to focus this important message, I will not flood this post with too much further info. I will remind you though that flat-leaf parsley is the best kind of parsley, and it is packed with nutrients - predominantly vitamins C, A, K, calcium, iron and folic acid (very important for women especially!). Lemons on the other hand are loaded with enzymes and antioxidants. Furthermore, just one 200g avocado contains a third of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C along with beneficial fats, protein and dietary fiber.

Try out this easy, simple and quick recipe that combines all three:

Super synergy soup:

Serves 2

1 avocado

2 medium carrots

handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 small clove garlic

lemon juice, to taste

water, to desired consistency

Spices:

organic turmeric, to taste

pinch quality salt (Himalayan/Celtic sea salt)

freshly ground black pepper

chili/cayenne powder, optional

Blend soup ingredients until smooth in a high-speed blender. I highly recommend organic carrots, because you don't have to peel them and lose nutritional value by doing it. Depending on the quality of your blender, it might be a good idea to chop up the hard carrots. Use your imagination and add any other seasoning you enjoy! Fresh ginger would also add a nice touch. Pack in a bottle for an easy revitalizing meal on the go or enjoy topped with seeds or sprouts.

Bibliography (very recent innovations!):

Akito Shimouchi et al, "Effect of Dietary Turmeric on Breath Hydrogen". Digestive Diseases and Sciences. Volume 54, Number 8 / August, 2009 .

A. Ramirez Bosca et al, "Effects of the antioxidant turmeric on lipoprotein peroxides: Implications for the prevention of atherosclerosis". AGE Volume 20, Number 3 / July, 1997.

Marie E. Egan et al, "Curcumin, a Major Constituent of Turmeric, Corrects Cystic Fibrosis Defects". April 2004. DOI: 10.1126/science.1093941

Marano, Daniel A. "Currying Favor With the Brain. "Psychology Today Nov/Dec 2009, Vol. 42 Issue 6, p51-52.

Tweed, Vera. "Prevent alzheimer's", Better Nutrition Oct2009, Vol. 71 Issue 10, p26-28.

V. K. Goud, K. Polasa and K. Krishnaswamy. "Effect of turmeric on xenobiotic metabolising enzymes." Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Formerly Qualitas Plantarum)

Volume 44, Number 1 / July, 1993.

Masazumi Miyakoshi et al. "Hepatoprotective effect of sesquiterpenes in turmeric" . BioFactors Volume 21, Numbers 1-4/2004.

IMG source: http://www.turmeric.co.in/images/turmeric_powder.gif

1st birthday party and double-chocolate apricot cake heaven

Apricot double-chocolate bliss

Dark chocolate cake layer:

2 C almonds

1 C raw pumpkin seeds

1/3 C raw cacao powder (or less)

1/3 C coconut oil (or less)

1 C soaked raisins (or dried sweet fruit of choice)

some dried dates

raisin soak water

vanilla

dash of Himalayan/Celtic sea salt

Process the nuts and seeds into a powder, but avoid separating the oils into a paste. Add the dried fruit, cocoa powder and as much liquid oil+water as necessary to get a uniform ball of dough you can shape in your hands. Add vanilla and pinch of salt. Taste and add more sweetener if desired.

White chocolate layer:

150 g raw cacao butter

70g ground almonds

70g cashews

1 large ripe banana or 2 smaller

Water

Agave syrup, to taste

Vanilla

touch of fine-ground dried orange/lemon peel

(pinch salt)

Melt cacao butter in a warm water bath (105F or 40C). Grind nuts, add banana and liquid cacao butter. Then pour in agave, vanilla and citrus peel. I did not measure ingredients exactly and you don't have to either. You want the consistency of a pudding and a wonderful, sweet rich nutty chocolate flavor.

Apricot preserves:

soaked organic dried unsulfured apricots (not the poisonous yellow ones!)

Agave

little lemon juice

Blend until jam consistency, or use a ready-made organic apricot preserve.

Constructing the cake:

Mold dark chocolate cake layer into 3 separate cake layers, mine were round and about 7-8 inches in diameter. Chill them first until they are firm, and once they are firmed up make the white chocolate filling. I made the dark cake layer the night before and the white chocolate layer first thing in the morning. Then place the first dark layer on a serving plate, layer with apricot preserves and a layer of white chocolate. Add another dark layer, the jam and the white chocolate. The last layer is one with white chocolate, then decorate it with grated mint chocolate and dried pink cranberries. The mint and the cranberries really enhance the experience. Chill in a fridge until ready to serve. Our party lasted for a few hours, and it still kept well in room temp.

Making the food for the party was really a series of unfortunate events. I had ordered the cacao butter well in advance, but due to some problems it did not arrive in time. We figured we could get some from Tampere once we got there, but then there was an accident where a bus caught fire and we were stuck in traffic for 1,5 hours. First we went to Ruohonjuuri, and they had none. Called Punnitse & Säästä, they didn't have it either. We thought Runsaudensarvi was closed, but thankfully they had special Xmas time hours and were still open. And they had it! So cake was still on the menu.. until the night before when our current food processor broke beyond repair. I had to use my mothers small electronic hand-mixer, which somehow got stuck and cut deep into my left index finger. For a moment I thought it was actually cut off, but the cut is "only" down to the bone. Still hurts.

Regardless, everything turned out great and all 12 guests enjoyed themselves. Everyone besides me and my husband were strangers to raw cuisine, but they still loved the cake. The complete menu was:

The Birthday cake

Raw lingonberry brownies

Raw Tzatziki dip with dipping size pieces of celery, yellow carrot, zucchini and broccoli

Organic yeast-free 100% rye bread with all natural butter (which we didn't eat, but others enjoyed)

Green shrimp garbanzo bean salad (shrimp stir-fried in garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, with fresh cucumber, dill, mixture of green salads, boiled garbanzo beans, dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper)

Everyone ate and people were intrigued. Mission accomplished :) Unfortunately we had so much fun and our hands full with a certain little toddler that there are only a few pics. We might get some more later from friends.

Honey beets on a bed of blushing quinoa

After reviewing the poll I discovered that some of you would like to see cooked recipes. The purpose of this post is to show that healthy nutritious food does not have to be completely raw. It doesn't have to contain meat or be difficult either. Nutritional value is determined by the ingredients and how they are cooked. Naturally some cooked foods can be healthier than raw ones, but ultimately it is all about the balance. Eating lots of scrumptious desserts everyday is not good for you, even if they are raw organic ones. Needless to say it is still important to include plenty of fresh raw food in your diet, as roughly 80% of what you consume in a day should be uncooked. If you want to eat 100% raw and are certain you are getting all vitamins and minerals you need (especially B12 for vegans), there is no reason not to.

Onto the recipe. This is one of those "tastes better than it looks and sounds"-dishes. It is also one that was completely born out of improvisation and necessity, with only a limited selection of ingredients available. You know the scenario: you just start throwing things in the mix as you go along. Then when you have prepared yourself to eat something less successful, you are surprised to find that actually what you concocted is pretty genius.

Honey beets:

4 Large beets

Water

Himalayan salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Organic honey

Cold pressed coconut oil

Wash beets until all dirt is gone. Boil water in a pot and add the whole beets, some salt and allow simmer for around 30min depending on size of the beets. You want them slightly tender but not mushy. Once they are ready, take them out (reserve the pink cooking water!) and cut out the root and the end you don't want to eat. Slice them into about 1/2 inch thick discs and coat the discs with salt and pepper. At this point start making the quinoa and while it is simmering take out another pot or frying pan to heat up some coconut oil, and once the pan is warm add the honey. Add the beet slices and fry for a little while, you want to caramelize just to create a thin crispy layer, but not brown or burn the beets.

Blushing quinoa with garbanzo beans and fresh parsley

1,5 C quinoa (I replaced some with millet)

Left over pink cooking water (add more if necessary)

1 C boiled or sprouted garbanzo beans

2 large onions

Coconut oil

Himalayan salt, pepper

Lots of fresh parsley

Boil the quinoa in the beet water, add salt or more fresh water if you need. Just a gentle simmer is enough to allow the quinoa to open up and "sprout" while cooking, too high heat will only compromise nutritional value. Cut up the onions and caramelize them in a frying pan with a little coconut oil. Once the quinoa is done, add boiled garbanzo (chick) beans and the caramelized onion. Take off heat and allow to cool to around 110F or 46 C before adding the chopped fresh parsley. This is because parsley is packed with heat-sensitive nutrients. If you are using garbanzo sprouts instead of cooked beans, add them at this stage as well. Check seasoning.

It really is difficult to eat a mostly raw diet in the colder parts of the world, especially in the winter. It is so environmentally unfriendly to eat tons of green house tomatoes or cucumbers, but the veggies that are locally in season are challenging to eat uncooked. Of course you can eat them in raw grated salads and puree some into soups, but I myself don't really enjoy raw root vegetables that much. Other than sweet potatoes that is, I think the three of us eat pounds of them every week. Parsnips are ok as well. This is one reason I'm thankful of the Finnish blog society, it is nice to give and receive ideas how to eat healthy but also eco-consciously during the cold season. Especially since international raw blogs and books are filled with recipes that require young coconuts and other fresh exotic fruits and vegetables. Even zucchini pasta is not quite so feasible right now (at least not too often), because the organic ones are imported and very expensive. But let's not let the cold gray weather drag us down and instead start using this opportunity to create completely new and interesting recipes :)

Pure and nutritious baby food, Part I

I've been talking about a baby food post for who knows how long. Here is part I, I'm predicting this is a topic I'll keep coming back to. One reason why I've waited so long to post about this is because I've been thinking about how I should phrase my knowledge into words. I have so little experience in this type of writing, which is why I ask you to be open-minded and understanding. My way is not the only way, and there is a lot I don't know. If you have something to add or want to comment on anything, please do. If you have some good recipes or ideas, please share them!

First of all, I want to begin by stressing the importance of breastfeeding. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies should be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. Some nurses in Finland practically push you to feed solids after 4 months, even though even here the national recommendation is 6 months. I for one was accused of starving my child more than once. Even when she was always just normal in weight, developing right on schedule or even early. Their answer to every growth problem is solids - if your baby weighs too much, "your milk is not enough" and if your baby weighs too little "your milk is not enough". Well, what do they recommend instead? Formula made with cow's milk, pureed potatoes, corn porridge? If your baby is underweight, substituting your milk, the natural source of nutrition tailored to meet your child's needs, for overcooked potatoes is definitely not the answer. And no matter how much your baby weighs, breastmilk is still optimized to meet his or her dietary needs. Remember, breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts a mother can offer her child. But there is also no reason to beat yourself up, if you have a valid reason not to nurse. Guilting yourself will only hurt both of you.

But what should you do when your child is 6 months? I believe it is more important to watch for clues for whether your baby is ready for solids or not, there is no exact chronological deadline for this significant step in your child's development. Some tell-tale signs include: teeth(ing), sitting upright, signs of curiosity towards what you are eating and excessive nursing needs. My daughter actually started stealing food off our plates, which was a natural time to start introducing her new flavors.

What not to feed your baby (under 12 months):

Foods high in nitrates (beets, spinach, rutabaga), interfere with oxygen transport

Honey, increased risk of botulism

Any food additives (especially avoid artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers)

Animal milk

White, refined sugar

Fructose (not fruit sugar as it is falsely called, it is made from corn starch by microbes)

Potato, deficient in nutrients and packed with starch which can cause tummy trouble

Liver, or any other animal product high in vitamin A

Corn, very often genetically manipulated and low in nutrients

Wheat, white rice

Soy, even organic non GMO, mimics estrogen (female hormone) in the body causing a harmful hormone imbalance

Nuts, mycotoxins and risk of inhaling

Cacao, caffeine, oxalic acid (lowers calcium absorption) and other harmful compounds for your baby

Salt

What TO feed your baby:

Chia seeds, good ratio of beneficial fatty acids, high in protein and fiber

Avocados, essential fats

Hemp seeds, perfect ratio of omega's, high in protein

Fresh organic fruit, berries and vegetables

Cold-pressed organic oils (coconut, canola, camelina etc)

Lucuma (highly nutritional, improves taste)

Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet

Berry powders made by freeze-drying whole berries (high in nutrients, antioxidants and good flavor, especially sea buckthorn, cloudberry, aronia berry, blueberry)

I also believe fresh, wild-caught fish is good for you baby after 7-8 months age. Remember to give different species and to avoid ones which gather high levels of toxins, fish can be served 1-3 times a week. Avoid fish altogether if there is a family history of fish allergies, as the reaction can be severe. I do not recommend restricting your baby's diet because of your personal ethical viewpoints, but rather to ensure your baby is getting everything he or she needs. There is however good reason to avoid red meats not only due to ethics but health concerns as well. Fish isn't necessary, but if omitted care must be taken to provide your child other sources of healthy fats for optimal brain development.

Wondering what to do about milk? If you're from Finland, I'm sure you are aware of the "Calcium myth". The nurses and doctors will stress that dairy products are the only source of calcium. The national recommendation is giving your child cow's milk several glasses a day after 10-12 months of age. Did you know that only around 30 per cent of the calcium in animal milk is properly absorbed? Compare this with the 60% of total calcium content of sesame seeds that is absorbed (even higher when soaked in water for 8h and sprouted for 6h-3 days). Did you know that most zoo animal babies are fed goat milk because if they where fed cow's milk they would die or become very ill? Many of you are aware of these things, and those who aren't I strongly encourage to do your own research and then decide for yourself. Calcium is crucial for normal bone development among many other things, so cow's milk or nut milk or no milk, make sure your child is getting enough calcium. Remember also that WHO recommends breastfeeding be continued at least for the first 2 years and after that for as long as it feels natural for both mother and child. Because this is considered unrealistic and thought to guilt mothers, Finland ha s set a recommendation to nurse for the first year. My daughter will be a year soon, and I plan on breastfeeding until she is between 12-18 months (when most experts feel it is easiest to wean). I just started making her smoothies with sesame seeds a couple times a week. My husband and I both feel strongly about avoiding animal milk, especially because I get a strong reaction from it.

How to cook for your baby?

Does the food necessarily have to be cooked? All fruits and berries can be served raw for babies any age. For first foods, hard vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, can be steamed briefly and then pureed smooth in a food processor. When it is time for finger foods, serve fresh vegetables and fruit. If you want to give your child cereal/porridge, I recommend grains like millet, spelt, amarath and quinoa. In Finland Holle makes organic baby cereal where you only need to add (breast)milk. No cooking or heating necessary. NEVER, EVER use the microwave for anything that your child eats.

All this text and no recipes? Well here are some:

Berry porridge (6 months and up):

Holle-cereal, preferably millet or spelt

Aronia berry, sea buckthorn, blueberry, cranberry or other berry powder to baby's taste

Hemp powder, to baby's taste

(Breast)milk

Measure out an appropriate amount of dry porridge flakes (4 or more tbsp usually). Express milk to desired consistency, stir. The natural enzymes in breastmilk will start breaking up the protein and other nutrients in the cereal and it will get a bit runnier, but there is no need to add cereal flakes. Stir in berry powder.

Chia-banana smoothie (6 months and up):

0,5-1 tbsp Chia seeds

1/2 C water

Berry powder of choice

Hemp powder or hulled hemp seeds to taste

(Lucuma powder to taste)

0,5-1 banana

Soak chia seeds in water until a gel forms. Blend in a blender with banana and berry powder. Add hemp powder or blend in hulled hemp seeds. My daughter loved this from the get-go, it is still one of her favorites. For variety, substitute banana for a pear, apple, mango or any other fruit or berry. You can also substitute Chia for soaked sesame seeds.

Sweet-potato salmon meal:

organic sweet potato, cubed

fresh, wild-caught salmon

coconut oil

Lightly cook salmon in coconut oil on low heat on a frying pan. Cook only until just done, don't brown. Steam the sweet potato. You can also steam the fish. Process smooth in a food processor. This is another favorite of my daughter.

Vegetable-chick pea meal:

1 part sweet potato

1 part carrot

1 part chick peas (soaked and boiled, start with smaller amounts)

Steam veggies, blend with boiled chick peas. Add water if too thick. Again, one of my daughter's all-time faves.

Suitable finger foods:

- fruit chunks, vegetable chunks

- dehydrated coconut-oil coated banana chips

- sundried organic raisins or other sugar-free dried fruit

- organic boiled eggs

A basic foundation for a healthy meal:

80% parts vegetables (raw or steamed)

10% part quality grain (such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, boiled until done to avoid indigestion)

10% part protein (fish, organic chicken, chick peas, lentils etc)

Avoid all soy products. Start feeding legumes slowly to see if your child can digest them. Your baby needs protein, but quality is more important than quantity. Nuts should be avoided due to risk of mycotoxins (highly poisonous or deadly compounds from Fungi) until at least 1 year of age, which is why especially vegan families need to be especially careful about adequate protein intake.

More important than specific meals is the balance. Most of your child's diet should be fruit or vegetables, and a significant portion of the food either raw or just lightly steamed. Always organic, because even if you can't afford all organic yourself, your baby eats so little it doesn't cost much. It is still cheaper than feeding all regular can food. Check everything twice for food additives, avoid them all. I invite every mom and dad with healthy baby food recipes to share these in the comment box, I hope this will trigger discussion and that everyone learns something new!

The picture shows my daughter with her veggie-chick pea meal, after she had poured water into it and tried to eat it herself first with the spoon and then with her little hands. :)

Greek orange fennel salad

Greek orange fennel salad:

small handful of sun dried tomatoes

cold pressed olive oil

1 small red onion

1 small bulb fennel

5 small oranges

Himalayan salt, freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley

Chop up dried tomatoes, place in olive oil to rehydrate them. Grate the peel of all 5 oranges into the olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Thinly slice the red onion and fennel into rings. Pour marinade over onion and fennel, add chopped parsley. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Allow to marinate for at least an hour. If you like, you could add some fresh finely chopped chili or sliced greek olives.

This salad is a combination of extremely nutritious foods: good quality olive oil, raw fennel, parsley and onion. Especially the fennel and parsley are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals. You remember my last post about fennel? I mentioned just a few of the numerous health benefits of consuming fennel, especially raw. I myself don't care too much for a strong anis taste, so I'm trying to find ways to mask that and enjoy live dishes made with fennel. This marinade definitely did the trick, the salad was extremely yummy. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Fennel cream linguine with basil pesto

A raw pasta recipe? AGAIN? Yeah. I might have posted one or two in the past. But fennel is in season and I wanted to create something raw and completely new out of it. Raw fennel does have a strong anise taste, which is why there aren't many raw food recipes that call for it. In this dish however the salty sweet citrus marinade softens them up in texture and in flavor.

Fennel cream pasta sauce

1 small bulb fennel

1/2 C sunflower seeds, soaked and drained

Cold pressed olive oil

Honey (1-2 tbsp)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt, pepper

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Mix together honey, lemon juice, salt, pepper and oil. Coat all thinly sliced fennel strips with the marinade and dehydrate (the low heat really promotes softer texture and allows the marinade to work its magic). If you have time, marinate overnight and dehydrate for an hour or two before making the sauce. I marinated for 30 min and warmed in 110F for 2 hours. In a blender or food processor process the sunflower seeds and fennel strips (marinade and all), add nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste. As this is served with salty pesto, the salt is only there to slightly off-set the sweetness of the honey. The freshly ground black pepper is very essential though, make sure you add plenty.

Traditional but raw pesto:

1 huge bunch basil

3 tbsp pine nuts

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

extra virgin olive oil

Himalayan salt, freshly ground black pepper

Blend until desired consistency. You could always just use your favorite pesto recipe, they all should work fine.

We used a sweet potato and a parsnip for the raw pasta. This going into the kitchen with one ingredient in mind but not having the slightest clue of what I'm going to do with it seems to be a theme for me these days.. luckily it appears to work well. This was everything I wanted: cheap, satisfying, flavorful, nutritious and new.

If you haven't had fresh fennel already, this is the time to start! It is packed with vitamin C and potassium, and most importantly a great source of benefitial antioxidants and phytonutrients. Yummy!

Coconut encrusted chicken breast on a bed of thai-marinated cauliflower

Marinated cauliflower:
1/2 large head cauliflower
batch thai-marinade

Grate or finely chop cauliflower to a rice-like consistency. Stir to coat and allow to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.

Thai-inspired marinade:
1 roughly inch-by-inch cube of grated ginger
1-3 cloves garlic
1/4 C soaked, unhulled sesame seeds
juice of one lime
2 tbsp coconut oil
perilla (purple mint) & flat-leaf parsley leaves
fresh red chili pepper
Himalayan salt & pepper
(water)

Blend smooth in a blender.

Coconut encrusted chicken breast
2 as fresh and organic chicken breasts you can get
lime juice
coconut oil
raw organic honey
Himalayan salt & pepper
chili
meat of half a coconut

Marinate chicken breasts for as long as you can in lime juice, organic coconut oil, honey, salt & pepper. Fry on a non-stick frying pan only until just done, you don't want chewy overdone chicken or black burned meat with carcinogens. "Grind" coconut meat with chili (fresh or dried), salt & pepper into a coarse mixture. Take the chicken off the heat and coat with grated and spiced coconut. Serve on top of thai-cauliflower and fresh vegetables.

This is a wonderful spicy meal for someone who still eats meat, but prefers majority of their veggies raw. If you are 100% raw, feel free to accompany the thai-"rice" with a raw burger or for example stuffed red pepper. A vegan could use the chicken marinade to marinate tofu. As with most of my recipes, they are meant to inspire your own culinary aspirations, not to tell you to eat exactly what I eat.

I've written about this a couple times, but I thought it may be a good idea to summarize. With my knowledge of nutrition I cannot recommend an unsupplemented, exclusively raw vegan diet. If you are ethically opposed to meat products, that is perfectly understandable and a respectable principle. It does not however mean that you don't need vitamin B12 and protein like the rest of us. So, make sure you are getting enough protein from your diet and regularly consume a good-quality B12 supplement. I personally believe that the best diet is one which is high in variety, consisting of mostly fresh and organic food. Raw food is high in enzymes that aid digestion and absorption of nutrients, so try to take in most of your food (80%) uncooked.

This is a quick list of what to eat and what not to eat:

Yes, often:
Fresh, wild caught fish (vary the species you eat)
Sprouted quinoa, soaked millet and buckwheat
Cold-pressed, organic oils (coconut, olive, hemp..)
Dark leafy greens
Sprouted legumes (chick peas, adzuki beans, peas, mung,lentils)
Seeds (sesame, chia, hemp, sunflower, pumpkin)
Raw organic honey (high in enzymes, tolerates heat well!)
Avocado, ruby grapefruit, pomegranate, lime, lemon
Sea vegetables
Dried fruit (especially figs and dates for calcium and vitamins, help with acid/base balance)
Berries (goji, blueberry, sea buckthorn, mulberry etc)
Nuts (cashews, walnuts, brazil, pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
Fresh herbs (especially flat-leaf parsley is packed with vitamin C, iron and antioxidants)
Turmeric

In moderation:
Raw cacao (high in caffeine, possibly other harmful side effects -> use mostly carob)
Soy sauce, even nama shoyu (high in sodium)
Salt
Raw cane juice/sugar, agave (just because it's raw doesn't mean it's healthy)
Red meat, pork (avoid if possible or buy organic)
Wine
Butter (if needed, buy pure & organic)
Soy products (if consumed always buy organic and non-GMO)
Coffee
Cooked veggies (favor steaming over other cooking methods)

No:
Dairy (casein, lactose)
Refined white sugar
White flour
Any additives, preservatives (especially ANY artificial sweeteners and MSG)
Potato, white rice & pasta (deficient in nutrients, high in carbs)
Margarine & refined oils (trans fat)
Refined sugar
Table salt (chemically synthesized sodium chloride)
Bread (replace with raw crackers or organic 100% yeast-free rye bread in moderation)
Peanuts (highly common allergen, contain toxins)
Non-organic greens (high in nitrates)
Processed food

This is just a quick list, intended as a guideline. Use your own knowledge to decide what you believe is right for you. We are all individuals. If you don't understand why something is listed, feel free to ask in either Finnish or English and I'll be glad to explain further. I hope this inspires you to do your own research so that you can make informed decisions about your own nutrition. The main problem these days with food is that so many of us have just stopped caring. It is far too easy to just grab what's fast and cheap.

Do your loved ones a favor and start valuing yourself and taking care of your body. If you have children one of the most important tasks you have as a parent is to be a role model: the only way of teaching is actually showing them how to live healthy and eat right. If you have a spouse or partner, every additional year you can spend together healthy is priceless. Cleansing your diet will also help cleanse the environment. What are you waiting for?

Embark on your own journey to increased vitality and happiness, step by step. Never stop because you think you know it all already.

Indian samosas with sweet apple cucumber chutney

This is what I concocted for dinner tonight and couldn't resist posting right away after I saw this beautiful photo my husband took of the dish. It looked and tasted delicious, almost as if they were deep-fried. Not really though, since these are a health nut version of the traditional indian deep-fried potato treat.

The samosas: (for 4-6 people)

"Dough":

1 small head cauliflower (use only florets, about 2 C worth)

1 carrot, shredded

1 roughly chopped, small yellow onion

1 C fresh or sprouted dry green peas

3/4C dried, shredded & unsweetened coconut

1 clove garlic

piece fresh ginger

juice of 1/2 lime

3 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp coconut oil

garam masala, plenty of madras curry powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, pinch cloves & ground coriander

Coating: chili powder, salt, pepper

Mix all ingredients in a food processor with an S-blade until you have a (maybe slightly chunky) uniform mixture. Shape into triangles, this should make about 12 samosas (serving size is 2 per person). Sprinkle chili powder, salt & freshly ground black pepper. Dehydrate on one side for approximately 6 hours, then turn over, sprinkle with spices and continue to dehydrate for 4 more hours. For decoration, make little holes in the surface with a fork. You should get a firm but soft in the center texture.

Sweet apple cucumber chutney:

Blend:

½ orange, peeled

few dried dates, soaked

soak water

piece fresh ginger, dash salt & pepper

½ tsp ground coriander

Blend other ingredients and add soak water until you get a not too thick sauce consistency.

Mix in 1 C tart, diced apple and 1 C cucumber with the ginger-orange sauce. Check seasoning, add more salt/pepper if necessary. The sauce should be a bit on the sweet side though to complement the savory spicy flavor of the samosas.

My husband really dislikes cauliflower, but neither he nor I could taste it in this dish. I probably wouldn't have even known these were raw if I wasn't told.. really delicious, definitely something I will make next time I am hosting a party. These could easily be made much smaller and served as finger food even for someone who is not used to raw cuisine. A must for someone like me, who loves spicy food and misses the flavor of baked savory dishes.

Linguine con spinaci

Raw pasta doesn't always have to be made of zucchini, and a raw non-dairy pasta sauce does not necessarily need to be a tomato marinara. The sauce can also be creamy and rich without nuts. This is how:

Butternut squash & yam linguine
50:50 yam and butternut squash, peeled
olive oil, thyme, salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg

Spiralize the veggies to make thin linguine "pasta". Drizzle on olive oil, season and taste if you need to add more spices. I dehydrated these for an hour to soften them up nicely and allow them to marinate, but I thought they were tasty even before that.

Hemp spinach pesto sauce
a little less than ½ C hemp seeds, finely ground (about 1 dl)
roughly 3/4 C water
3 ounces of frozen spinach (more if using fresh)
1,5 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional for cheesier flavor)
small clove garlic
Himalayan salt, freshly ground black pepper
handful of fresh basil
½ ripe avocado
lemon juice, dash honey
(pine nuts)

If you can't find already ground hemp seeds, try to grind them yourself. The unhulled seeds have a thick and hard shell that most blenders (unless you're lucky and own a VitaMix) can't grind into a powder. I know mine can't, so I buy the powder ready. Hulled hemp seeds would lend to a different, possibly better flavor and texture, but are way too expensive here. First make hemp cream: blend with high speed a 1:1 ratio of hemp seeds and water. Filter through a nutmilk bag or cheesecloth if you prefer a smoother texture. Add avocado, spinach and other ingredients. Taste and add water if sauce is too thick.

Although the picture shows the sauce on top the pasta, we both mixed them up and it was way tastier that way. I did not bother to strain the hemp cream, because we enjoy the flavor of hemp seeds. If they are new to you or you don't like to taste them use hulled seeds or filter the cream.
The sauce can be warmed up quickly if desired.

Raw romaine burritos with coriander guacamole, & marinated garbanzo beans

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for reading my blog and taking the time to write encouraging and inspiring comments. My greatest hopes for this blog is to get people interested in their own nutrition and making informed choices about their diets. It is so very important because the way we eat has a profound effect on our quality of life. Clearly, it is worth to do some of your own research to make sure you are providing your body with everything it needs.

Here's another spin on the all-time favorite, quick raw dinner. Lettuce wraps, again! This time with romaine leaves, coriander guacamole & marinated garbanzo beans.

Coriander guacamole
2 avocados
juice of half a lime
himalayan salt, pepper, ground coriander, fresh finely chopped chili to taste
(crushed garlic cloves)

Mash avocados but leave in tasty chunks. Add spices according to taste.

Marinated garbanzo beans
sprouted garbanzo beans
coconut oil
chili powder
himalayan salt, pepper, ground coriander, dried thyme

Mix all marinade ingredients and pour over whole, sprouted chick peas.

Sauteed coconut chili onion rings
2 onions, sliced into thin rings
coconut oil
2 cloves garlic
1 inch or so of fresh red chili
himalayan salt, pepper

Heat oil, sliced garlic cloves and chopped chili in a frying pan. Add onion rings, salt & pepper. Saute until desired softness.


Other fillings: tomato, zucchini, carrot, calamata olives, fenugreek sprouts

Feel free to omit the sauteed onion if you are on a strictly raw diet. If you aren't, I recommend it for the spicy depth of flavor it brings to this dish. This recipe is more intended to inspire your own culinary imagination than provide a strict recipe. So choose your own toppings and use your favorite spices. Roll in large romaine leaves like you would a traditional burrito. Be creative!

Balsamic portobello steaks with marinated vegetables

I couldn't pass up a box of huge and gorgeous portobellos, even though they were fairly pricey.
They are served with a side of basil-marinated, sesame seed encrusted vegetables. The recipe serves two hungry people, with some possible leftovers.


For the portobellos:

5 Whole portobello mushrooms
Equal parts good organic balsamic vinegar (no chemicals!) and organic cold pressed olive oil
Few teaspoons of lemon juice
Rosemary (fresh or dried)
Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper
as many crushed garlic cloves as you like

Coat each mushroom well, allow to marinate for 15-30min. Place in 115 F (46 C) and dehydrate for as long as you want. Mine were in for an hour.

For the veggies:

1 Red Bell pepper
1 Red onion
Few handfuls of long green beans
Few handfuls of zucchini
Fresh basil leaves to taste
Handful of soaked sesame seeds (I only had an hour to soak mine)
Coconut oil
Himalayan salt & pepper
Leftover portobello marinade

Mix well and warm up in the oven under 115F or just allow to marinate in room temp until mushrooms are "done". Enjoy your steak dinner! :)

I realize some raw people don't consider balsamic vinegar to be truly raw, so if you feel strongly about this you could substitute a raw vinegar for it. Or just add more lemon juice.