Ohitashi

I'm sharing a favourite appetizer of mine that I often order when I go out for sushi. I'm not sure why I've never tried making it. I think because I eat sushi at least once a week. Yup a slight obsession of mine for those who don't know that about me.

Here is what I came up with.

Spinach

1 container of 312g of tripled pre-washed organic spinach leaves

**I also made one with exactly the same as above with a spring mix minus the radicchio (seen below)

Method

Boil spinach, drain/rinse and squeeze and squeeze as much water out with tongs to remove the bulk of the water. This will make the spinach more compact and easier to squeeze with your hands without spinach slipping out on you. Now squeeze the rest of the water out with your hands till spinach is very compact and dry. 

Divide spinach in half as this is for two servings and shape the spinach into somewhat of a ball or tater tot like shapes. You could also leave it as one piece but I think three or four or more small ones are a nicer way to eat these. You get more balance in flavours that way.

 

Sweet Miso Dressing

1/4 C white miso

1/4 C luke warm water

2 tbsps agave syrup

1 tsp braggs apple cider vinegar 

1 tsp tahini

Sesame seeds for garnish  

**use organic when possible**

Yields 2 appetizer servings

 

Method

Add all miso sauce ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.

Drizzle over spinach peices and garnish with sesame seeds white, black or both

Serve chilled

Enjoy! 

Next is to successfully master their salad dressing. That I just can't figure out. For now at least.

May you find this recipe as nummy as I did and mostly may you be Nutritionally Well.

Cashew Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups unsalted cashews

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

2/3 cups of filtered water ( a little more if you would like the mix thinner )

1 tsp each of salt & pepper

4 green onions

Method:

Soak cashews overnight in filtered water sealed & refrigerated

Drain & rinse cashews when ready to prepare the cheese 

Add all ingredients to your high speed blender except the green onion

Purèe till creamy smooth

At this point give it a taste test to see if you would like more garlic, salt or lemon juice

Pour the cheese mix into your bowl 

Chop the green onion and stir it into the mix and serve

This should last a minimum of 1 week in the fridge in a sealed container

This cheese is amazing on absolutely everything. I use it as a pizza base, pasta sauce, a dip and of course in a sandwich and in wraps. 

Being that it's high in protein, it makes a great go to snack that fills you up fast.

Low Fat Mexi Dip

This hardy & nutritious snack is low in fat & calories plus it's simple to make and simply hard to stop eating. Add this to salads, wraps or simply just dip into with your favourite chip, cracker or veggies.

Ingredients:  

1 can (540ml) of black beans

1 tomato (approx 1 cup)

1/4 onion ( approx 1/4 cup)

1/2 avocado

3 garlic cloves

1 lime squeezed

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

**use organic when possible

Method:

Drain & rince beans

Add all the ingredients to your mixer/food processor and blend to your desired consistency 

Hope you enjoy!

Sweet Potato Banana Bread

I don't bake much as I find baking to be a little to fussy with all the measuring etc. Plus sweet is not my first taste either but I knew I needed to use up my very over ripe bananas and left over sweet potato. I wanted to make something other than a smoothie with them so banana bread with a twist it was going to be. 

Not only did this turn out very moist, the topping I made for it really made this loaf even more delicious.

I gotta say even sweet, I'm lov'n this recipe and I was the first to dig in.

Loaf Ingredients:

Wet mix:

3 ripe bananas ( 1 3/4 cups )

1 sweet potato ( 3/4 cup )

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

Dry mix:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon 

Topping Ingredients: 

1 cup pineapple

1/2 cup walnuts

1 tsp vegan butter

1 tsp coconut sugar

**use organic when possible 

Method:

Boil or bake the sweet potato till tender. Once cooled remove its skin.

Heat oven to 350 F.

Grease a loaf pan with vegan butter.

Mash banana & sweet potato in a bowl. Set aside.

Melt coconut oil and add it plus the sugar to the mash. 

Mix well. 

In a separate bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon. 

Mix well. 

Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir until it's all blended.

Pour the loaf mix in your pan and spread out so its evenly dispursed. 

For the topping, Heat a small pan on medium low heat and add the 1 tsp of vegan butter then add the pineapple and sugar. 

Cook for about 5 minutes. 

Place the  walnuts in a mixer and chop into small pieces  and set aside. 

After the 5 minutes are up, add the pineapple mix to the walnuts and blend till the pineapple becomes a mash. 

Now spread the pineapple topping evenly over the loaf. 

Bake for 60 minutes. 

Poke with a toothpick or a wooden skewer, if it comes out dry it's done.

**note if you don't have sweet potato you can use butternut squash, pumpkin or more banana.

Serve & Enjoy!

Creamy Cheese Sauce

Nothing to feel guilty about when eating this cheese sauce. It's cholesterol free, dairy free & low calorie. Go ahead eat the whole jar. Just as I say with all dips, dressing and sauces, they can all be added to almost any food. Pour over noodles, zoodles, veggies, use it as a pizza base or even as a veggie dip. The options are endless. 

Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

1 small onion ( approx 1/2 cup )

1 carrot ( approx 1/2 cup )

1 sweet potato ( approx 2 cups )

1 roasted red pepper 

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 cup almond milk or one of your choice that's carrageenan free or better yet "homemade"

Salt & pepper to taste 

**use organic when possible**

Method:

Heat a cast iron pan or one of your choice on medium heat. 

Put a pot of water on to boil.

Slice or dice onion.

Add vegan butter to the hot pan and sauté till the onion is translucent, set aside.

Peel & cut carrot, potato & garlic and add them to the boiling water.

Once tender, drain, rince and add all ingredients to your blender.

Blend till creamy smooth.

Give it a taste test. This is the time to add more salt, pepper or other spices to the sauce if you desire, if not its ready to be served.

I do make another cheese sauce with white potato, carrot & sundried tomatoes but since I have roasted red peppers and a sweet potato that needed using up I thought it would be a great combination. I have to admit that I just love how the pepper shines in this recipe.

Hope you enjoy.

Raw Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

1 medium size cauliflower ( approx 4 cups of florets )

1 cup chopped spinach

1 cup finely grated carrot

1 large garlic clove

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 cup crumbled nori seaweed ( the sheets used in sushi rolls ) 

4 tbsp ground flax + 12 tbsp water ( flax egg ) 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

** use organic when possible**

Method: 

Add the ground flax & water together. Stir and set aside to allow it to gel.

Add cauliflower florets to your mixer and chop till it resembles rice. Transfer to large mixing bowl.

Grate carrot, chop spinach, mince garlic, crumble the seaweed then add them to the cauliflower. 

Mix well so all the veggies are evenly mixed. 

Now add salt, pepper, nutritional yeast and mix again.

Finally add the flax egg. Once you feel it's all incorporated set aside.

I don't have an Excalibur so I need to take this time to cut parchment paper for mine, but that's ok, this allows the pizza mix to bind longer.

If you have an Excalibur then you can make 1-2 pizzas out of this recipe. Because my dehydrator is round, I need to divide this into 6. So small rectangle pizzas for me or call it flat bread. Either way dehydrate till you are satisfied with the dryness, but flip them half or when they do not stick to the paper. Mine was about 5 hours at this point.

 First in

 All done. 8 hours later 

Top it with all your favourite raw veggies & sauces

 

Hope you enjoy!

Zoodles & Kale Pesto

Was craving this today. Pesto pesto pesto, but with zoodles. Yummy and it hit the spot.

To make this, this is all you need:

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

2 cups kale/stems removed and saved for juicing

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 tbsp filtered water

1 small avocado

4 cups of spiralized zucchini 

Method:

Soak sunflower seeds for a couple of hours or overnight. I added my seeds to boiling water and let them soak for about 5 minutes as I prefer a crunchier texture.

Drain & rinse seeds.

Add all ingredients to your mixer/blender & blend to your desired consistency. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the mixer to make sure everything gets incorporated well.

Serve with the above zoodles or with veggies or your choice. How about on crackers, use as a pizza base, spread on a sandwich or add to your favourite pasta. Many options as there is with an dip. 

Hubby enjoyed his with some sauteed spinach, homemade sauerkraut & mashed potatoes. 

Hope you enjoy.

Refried Beans

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked pinto beans ( pre-soaked & cooked or you can use canned )

1/2 cup onion ( approx 1/2 a medium onion ) 

1 tomato ( approx 1/3-1/2 cup )

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp chilli powder 

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice ( or store bought )

2 cups of water

*** use organic when possible***

Yields about 3 cups

Method:

Chop and sautèe onion in a pan on medium/low heat for about 5 minutes

Chop garlic and add to the onions and cook approx 2/3 minutes

Chop tomato and add them with the beans, spices and water

Simmer on medium/high heat till the liquids have reduced to about 1/2 or a smidge less

Remove from heat and let cool

Transfer to your mixer or blender ( I used my vitamix ) and blend till your desired consistency.( I puréed mine creamy smooth )

This recipe is mild in flavoured. You can add some hot spices or more of the others already used. Some garlic would be lovely too.

Serve however you like.

I topped mine with some homemade corn chips and it was so delish! Lots left over for more recipes & meals.

Raw Corn Chip Recipe:

1/2 cup corn ( frozen & defrosted )

1 yellow pepper

*** these are the main ingredients-- spices can be whatever you wish )

I used:

1 tsp each ( approx ) 

Cumin

Chilli powder

Salt

Pepper

Paprika 

Method:

Blend all together in you mixer or blender till creamy smooth

Dehydrate at 115-120 for about 12 hours

Score crackers into the shape you wish at about 1 hour in

Flip pieces 1/2 way through or when they are ok to without breaking or ripping

Hope you enjoy!