spaghetti squash with sautéed kale

It has been a cold and rainy week here in Nashville. I've been struggling to warm up and stay warm! So, I've been craving hot food. While smoothies, fresh fruit, and tasty salads will keep you energized and healthy this winter, sometimes you may just want some hot food.

I recently discovered spaghetti squash (how did I go so long without it?) and it is my current addiction. When  cooked, the squash strings out like spaghetti noodles. It tastes great and is an excellent alternative to processed noodles. With only 40 calories per cup, this veggie is very low in fat but high in vitamins and minerals. Try it - I think you'll love it, too.

spaghetti squash with sauteed kale
1/2 spaghetti squash
2 handfuls of curly kale
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1-2 tbsp. coconut oil

 




Preheat the oven to 370. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and place it face down on a sheet in your oven. I use a Silpat (stick-free), but if you're just using a cookie sheet you may want to add a little coconut oil so the squash doesn't get stuck. Cook for about 30 minutes. You'll know it is ready when the edges touching the sheet begin to brown.

When the squash has about ten minutes left of cooking time, begin to sautee the rest of the vegetables. On the stove, melt the coconut oil and add the garlic on medium heat. Once the garlic begins to brown, add the kale. Stir it around to evenly cook. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and let it sautee for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Squeeze the orange and lemon juice on top and continue to sautee. 
Take the squash out of the oven. Holding it in one hand (with an oven mit) begin to scrape out the "spaghetti" using a fork until only the hard shell is left. Top your "spaghetti" with the sauteed veggies from the stove. Sprinkle a bit of pepper and sea salt on top. 

Enjoy!

curry, curry, curry

I cannot get enough Thai food lately! I was in Singapore and Malaysia in November and I have just been on chili-garlic-curry overload ever since. YUM.

I've been making it on my own lately and it is so simple and tasty. I'll start by slicing a bunch of vegetables (long, rectangular shapes are the best) and add it to the curry sauce. Experiment with the spice level and let me know what you think. Good luck!

vegetable curry:
zuchinni
carrot
broccoli
mushrooms
snap peas
bell pepper
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp. red curry paste (or curry powder)
pinch of cayenne
pinch of ground ginger
basil leaves

Mix the coconut milk, paste, cayenne, and ginger in a large pot on medium heat. Just before it begins boiling, add all the veggies you want. Let it simmer on medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into your bowl and top with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

thanksgiving day recipes

Yesterday I shared some tips for staying healthy and feeling great on Thanksgiving. Today I want to share some recipe ideas for the big day! If you're looking for more LFRV recipes, check out the rest of my blog and let me know what you'll be making. I hope this helps you celebrate Thanksgiving the vegan way! (  ;

pumpkin shake

2 ripe bananas

¼ sweet potato

½ cup almond milk

handful of ice

3 dates (or 2 tbsp raw honey, or 2 tbsp agave)

pumpkin pie spice (as much as you’d like!)

Blend together all ingredients and enjoy!

apple cinnamon smoothie

2 granny smith apples

½ ripe banana

1 cup coconut water

1 tbsp cinnamon

1-2 cups spinach or kale

Blend together all ingredients and enjoy!

raw kale salad

1 large bunch of curly kale

1 lemon

1-2 tbsp olive oil

dried cranberries

cherry tomatoes

sea salt & pepper

Chop the kale as finely as you’d like. Massage in lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. Top with tomatoes and cranberries.

peachy arugula salad

1 large bowl of arugula

1 -2 ripe peaches

red onion

1 1/2 tbsp tahini

½ -1 lemon

garlic

Mix together the tahini, lemon juice, and a pinch of garlic.  Stir dressing into the arugula to cover the greens. Finely slice the peaches and onion and mix into salad. Top with balsamic. 

harvest quinoa salad

3 cups cooked quinoa

1 butternut squash

green onion

pecans

dried cranberries

Sea salt & pepper

Pinch of cayenne

Steam the quinoa per package directions. Steam the butternut squash and chop into small pieces. Chop the apple and green onion. Mix all ingredients together and top with spices. Serve on a bed of arugula. (recipe adapted from K&K)

mashed sweet potatoes

3 large sweet potatoes

1-1.5 cups orange juice

1 small banana

2 tsp. nutmeg

sea salt & pepper

coconut oil

Chop and steam the sweet potatoes. In your Vitamix, blend the banana, 1 cup orange juice, sweet potatoes, and nutmeg.  Add more orange juice or nutmeg to taste. Place in bowl and top with 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted) and salt & pepper.

cranberry sauce with mint
1 bag of fresh cranberries
juice of 2 oranges
2 small, sweet apples
up to 1/2 cup raw agave or honey
handful of mint leaves
Blend together cranberries, orange juice, honey, and apples until smooth. Finely chop fresh mint leaves and stir in. 

mini cherry pies

4 cups dates

2 cups raw almonds

3 cups fresh black cherries

In the food processor, chop 2 cups of dates and 2 cups of almonds until finely ground together. Line a cupcake dish with syran wrap and press date/almond mixture into the bottom and side of each cup. In your Vitamix, blend 2 cups of dates and 3 cups of cherries until smooth. Pour into cupcake dishes and chill for 3 hours before serving.

FullyRaw pumpkin pie

Kristina created this amazing recipe for a fully raw, vegan, low fat pumpkin pie. I cannot wait to try it!

3 lbs. dates

2 cups pecans

sugar pie pumpkin

1 ripe persimmon

ginger

cinnamon

vanilla bean

For step by step directions, click here.

So, what are you going to make for Thanksgiving? 

glowing green smoothie

Delicious, easy, perfect breakfast! Get your mornings started right! 

Kimberly Snyder's glowing green smoothie:

Enjoy daily.

italian fix

Yes, another pasta recipe... I just can't get enough pasta these days. Plus, I want to prove to you that I don't just eat salad and bananas all day!

I am finding that the subtleties in flavor can make all the difference in a dish. Each pasta recipe is a little bit different, can satisfy a different craving, and brings out the different flavor tones in the tomato. 
So, last night I tried something new and I think it is my new favorite recipe (for now). It is not completely raw, but it is still low fat, gluten free, and vegan. 

 Here is goes... 

basil marinara pasta: 
3 round tomatoes off the vine
2 slices white onion
1-2 zucchinni
1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove)
pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
pepper to taste
1 tsp coconut oil
4 leaves fresh basil

Coat a pan with the coconut oil and slice each tomato into 6 wedges. Spread the wedges and onion slices over the pan and broil for about 7 minutes - until the tomatoes look dry on the top and the onion begins to brown. If you have garlic cloves, add these to the pan to broil, too. While that is cooking, spiralize 1 large (or 2 small zucchini) and place on your plate. Place the cooked tomatoes and onion (and 1 garlic clove) into the blender and add the cayenne, pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes. If you did not have garlic cloves, add the garlic powder into the blender. Blend until chunky. Pour warm sauce over your zucchini noodles and top with the fresh basil. 

Enjoy!

mango gazpacho

It seems like we're all fighting to stay cool in this summer heat! With temperatures over 100 degrees, we are getting quite the summer. I love feeling the warmth, though...especially when I can relax with some summer snacks or a refreshing meal. 

So, gazpacho for dinner it is! Gazpacho is a chilled, tomato based, chunky soup that you typically find in Spain. It is filling and refreshing at the same time. I used a couple of mangoes in mine to add some sweetness and brighten up the soup. I also had a huge heirloom tomato from the garden that I was excited to eat. This recipe was incredibly easy to create, but had some really great flavors. I'm excited to share it!

mango gazpacho:

2 mangoes

1-2 large tomatoes

2 cups spring mix

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. tumeric

1/2 red bell pepper

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup cilantro

If you can, chill all ingredients in the fridge before preparing. Chop up all ingredients and blend together in your Vitamix (or blender). I preferred my soup a little chunky, so I blended on the low setting until everything was mixed up. Pour into a bowl and top with avocado, red onions, and more tomato. A little hot sauce would be nice, too. I used spring mix today, but spinach would also work.


This recipe makes about 2 bowls. Since it is LFRV, you could eat both... or share with a friend. 

Enjoy!

basil & peach salad

Peaches! I cannot get enough of them this summer. I've been eating them for breakfast and dessert, so adding one to dinner seemed like the next step. When making a savory or salty dish, adding some sweetness helps balance out the flavors. As you know, I'm all about adding lots of color to each meal, too. 
Since I've made it the last three nights in a row, I decided it was a recipe worth sharing.



Your best bet is fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from your local farmer's market. If you cannot get to a farmer's market, be sure to buy organic when buying foods like greens, herbs, and fruits that you eat the skin. 

The quinoa is optional for this recipe. It definitely makes it heartier and can add a little more depth to the meal, but if you're eating completely raw leave it out. Quinoa is a great substitution for a rice or grain because it is gluten free, full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, and it is a superfood! It is a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. It is full of fiber and has been proven to help prevent and treat breast cancer and diabetes. So, if you're craving bread or rice... skip it and go for the quinoa instead.

Before slicing, dicing, and mixing, start cooking the quinoa. You'll want about 3/4 cup of cooked quinoa for this recipe, so follow the instructions on the back of your package for cooking information. I buy the Whole Foods brand and it takes about 15 minutes to cook. If you cook a larger portion, just store the leftovers for tomorrow.

for the salad:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp. raw tahini
1 tsp. garlic powder
Mix the ingredients together until smooth consistency. Pour over 2 cups of chopped spring mix and stir until each piece is coated. I like to add arugula to my spring mix for an extra kick. 

for the peaches:
finely slice 1 peach 
finely slice about 1/8 cup of red onion
chiffonade 4 big leaves of fresh basil
Toss all ingredients together.

Once the quinoa is cooked, you're ready to put it all together. Start with the mixed greens on the bottom, then add your quinoa, and top with the peaches. Top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

Enjoy!

summer snacks

I've been getting asked a lot lately for some good summer snack recipes. For me, I always carry a snack in my purse - usually an apple or a banana. But, if you're looking for something a little more interesting, here are a few of my new favorites...


peachy fruit salad:
1 chopped peach
1 sliced banana
1/2 cup blueberries
sprinkle of goji berries
drizzle with honey


Nothing says "summertime" like a juicy, ripe peach. Eat them while they are in season and fresh. Yum!






hummus and carrots:
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sesame tahini
1/4 cup soaked sesame seeds
1 chopped zucchini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne 
4 small garlic cloves
sea salt to taste
Blend  all ingredients in your food processor or Vitamix, adding the sesame seeds and tahini last. 


This no-bean hummus is an adaptation Dara Dubinet's recipe. Beans contain both a starch and a protein, making them harder to digest. Beans can also leave you feeling bloated. This raw, bean-free hummus is light and filling, and will satisfy your cravings for some creamy hummus. 


summertime spinach dip:
1 cup spinach
1.5 cup chopped zucchini
1 slice of red onion
3 tbsp. hemp seeds
1.5 tbsp dill
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. thyme


Blend all ingredients until smooth. I like to eat this with bell peppers - so refreshing and summery!

papaya smoothie:
1/2 fresh or frozen papaya
1 fresh or frozen banana
juice from 1 orange
1 tbsp. chia seeds
handful of ice cubes


Blend all ingredients until smooth. This summer smoothie recipe is filling, refreshing, and creamy! 






What are some of your favorite snacks? 

more pasta, please

Not gonna lie... I had two plates of this...

This veggie pasta took about ten minutes to make, but was incredibly savory. It is a new favorite for sure. 

veggie pasta:

1 zucchini

1 large tomato, diced

1 cup chopped broccoli

sliced red onion

1 tbsp. coconut oil

fresh pepper, to taste

chopped garlic

fresh chopped basil

fresh chopped oregano

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

Spiralize the zucchini and place in a bowl. In a saucepan, melt the coconut oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about a minute. Add the chopped broccoli and stir. Once the broccoli begins to brown, add the tomato and herbs. Pour mixture over the zucchini and top with pepper and nutritional yeast. 

Enjoy!

spicy marinara

I know a dish is good and spicy when it gives me the hiccups. The good thing about making dinner at home is you can control the level of spicy to suit your craving! Tonight, I was craving something with a kick and decided to "heat up" my pasta. Instead of using the spiralizer, I used a peeler to make zucchini noodles. I used the hand blender to mix the pasta sauce (you can get one of these for about $20), and used up the last of some parmesan I made the other day. Full of flavor, fresh pasta has always seemed like a tricky meal to make, but this raw dish is incredibly easy! And don't shy away from the spice... a little heat is good for ya!


spicy marinara:
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
few leaves of fresh basil
few leaves of fresh oregano
few leaves of spinach
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cayenne (or more!)
1 tsp. garlic powder
Using the hand blender, blend all ingredients until chunky. If it is too chunky, add more cherry tomatoes or a squeeze of orange juice. 


parmesan cheese:
1 cup finely chopped cauliflower (use a food processor)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
*This parmesan "cheese" can last in a glass container in the fridge for about 10 days


Peel 2 zucchini to make the noodles. Top with marinara and parmesan, and garnish with some oregano or basil. 


Enjoy!

mexi "rice" bowl

I've been on a Mexican food kick lately. Maybe it's because I have THREE cilantro plants in my back yard! Or maybe it's because I'm from Texas. Either way, Mexican food is great in the summertime. I put this recipe together with just a few minutes of chopping. It was great as a meal, but could also be a nice side dish. 

mexi "rice" bowl: 

1/2 head cauliflower 

1-2 cups chopped red cabbage

1 chopped red bell pepper

1 diced tomato

1/2 corn on the cob

juice of 1 lime

1 large (or 2 small) mangoes 

cilantro

sea salt & pepper 

Chop the cauliflower in the food processor to make cauliflower rice. Place chopped cabbage in the bottom of a large bowl, add cauliflower, pepper, tomato, and corn. You can cut the corn right off the cob and eat it raw! In your vitamix, blend the mangoes and lime juice into a sauce. Pour on top of the rice bowl and garnish with cilantro, salt, and pepper. 

What it really looks like when you're eating it.

creamy cilantro dressing

My mom has an immersion blender at home which makes it really easy to make dressings, smoothies, and even soups! If you don't have a Vitamix, this is a much cheaper option that will help you make many of my recipes. They are also very easy to clean up!

For lunch today, I made a big spinach salad with cilantro dressing. I got these orange cherry tomatoes at H-E-B because I love the color. I added chopped red onion, some dressing, and voilà! 

creamy cilantro dressing:

1/4 cup cilantro

1/4 cup raw cashews (preferably soaked for 2 hours)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

sprinkle of garlic powder

add water as needed for consistency

Using the immersion blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Stir into salad. Enjoy!

sauerkraut salad

When I started eating raw I ate a lot of sauerkraut. It is so bold and salty, it will definitely round out any meal. It is also great on salads as a dressing replacement. Sauerkraut is an excellent probiotic, which is important to aid in digestion and promote healthy bacteria in our intestines. Probiotics remove acidity in our system which, in turn, increase vitality and immunity. Basically, daily probiotics assist the colon tremendously. You'll see this positively affect your digestion, sinuses, and even acne! 

You can find raw sauerkraut at Whole Foods, or make your own following Kimberly Snyder's easy step-by-step guide. I highly recommend eating this as much as you can! 

Did you know that broccoli has more protein than steak? This is true. 
100 calories of the green stuff (about 12 oz) contains 11.2 grams of protein. 
100 calories of sirloin steak (about 0.84 oz) only has 5.4 grams of protein. 

Broccoli also has 182 mg Calcium...Steak has 2.4 mg.

Broccoli has 2.2 mg Iron...Steak has 0.7 mg.

Broccoli has 71.4 mg Magnesium...Steak has 5 mg.

Broccoli has 643 mg Potassium... Steak has 88 mg.

Broccoli is also MUCH higher in Folate, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A than steak. It is also rich in fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants while steak doesn't have any of this. It is a common American misconception that we need animal meat for protein. Eat your greens and you'll be full of protein, vitamins, and minerals!

sauerkraut & beet salad:

3 cups chopped spinach and spring mix

1.5 cups chopped broccoli

1/2 cup raw sauerkraut

1 cup orange ginger beets

orange ginger beets:

Lightly steam 1 large, chopped beet.

Marinade overnight in chopped ginger & orange juice in a glass container in the refrigerator. This will stay fresh in the fridge for about 5 days.

it's taco time

I love authentic Mexican food! I think I could eat it everyday. Fresh lime and cilantro... mmmm. I've started making a LFRV version of Mexican tacos and I must say, they are tasty!  BENNY APPROVED! This recipe is gluten free, vegan, and raw (except for the tortillas). Best of all, it is so colorful. For a completely raw version, sub out the corn tortillas for full red cabbage leaves.

veggie tacos:

corn tortillas (find these in the ethnic section of the grocery store)

chopped cucumber

chopped tomato

chopped bell pepper
chopped red onion

cilantro

shredded red cabbage
guacamole
sliced lime






Heat the tortillas in a pan on the stove and flip once it starts to brown. Then, fill the tortillas with the cabbage, guacamole, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

the best guacamole:
2 ripe avocadoes
1/8 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/8 cup fresh lime juice
Smash the avocado with a fork. Blend in onion and cherry tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir and squeeze with fresh lime.

cilantro lime "rice":
1/4 cauliflower
chopped cilantro
1 chopped mango
1 slice of lime
1 tsp. sea salt
Place the chopped cauliflower in a food proccesor and process until finely ground. In a bowl, mix in the cilantro and mango. Squeeze a lime on top and sprinkle with sea salt.

Enjoy!

spring rolls for spring time

I love spring time. Flowers start blooming and it is slowly beginning to warm up outside. Everything just starts to come alive. Take some time to sit outside. Go for a walk, climb a tree, plant a garden. Spend time soaking up the sun. You will be better for it, I promise.

Then, make these spring rolls! Simple, colorful, and nutritious...what more could you ask for? These are gluten free, vegan, raw (except for the spring roll shells), and BENNY APPROVED!

spring rolls:

carrot

cucumber

bell pepper

tomato

celery

avocado

spinach

red onion

sprouts

mint

basil

spring roll shells (found in the ethnic section of the grocery store)

Slice the carrot, cucumber, tomato, pepper, celery, avocado, onion, and spinach into long, thin strips. In a large pot, warm about 4 cups of water on the stove. Before the water boils, slowly dip a spring roll shell into the pot and take it out. It will be flimsy! Carefully place flat on a plate. Starting with the spinach, fill the shell with each ingredient and garnish with mint or basil. Roll it up until everything is covered in the shell.

tangy dipping sauce:

2 tbsp. raw almond butter

3 tbsp. raw soy sauce or nama shoyu

1/2 fresh squeezed orange

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. sirachi sauce

Stir all ingredients together.

zebra

I'm so excited we planted a green zebra tomato plant this year! This was a zebra tomato I got at the farmer's market. So pretty! I'm learning more about food presentation, so anything unique and tasty is interesting to me.

ginger citrus pad thai

Fresh, raw, nutritious pad thai courtesy of Megan Elizabeth.

This dish will definitely satisfy your cravings.

citrus ginger dressing:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/3 cup fresh coconut meat

1/2 cup cilantro

1/3 cup chopped scallions

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1.5 tbsp. raw tahini

2 sage leaves

1 quarter sized slice of ginger

blend all ingredients well in your Vitamix.

pad thai:

4 cups spiralized zuchinni

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/3 red bell pepper sliced thinly

mix the dressing in with the noodles

serve over fresh spinach and garnish with sprouts

Enjoy!

st. patty's day

I made a green lunch for St. Patty's day!


Today's lunch is:
spiralized zuchinni noodles coated with avocado and nama shoyu (raw soy sauce)
broccoli lightly sauteed in coconut oil

Easy, delicious, and green!