Category — Healthy Cooked Recipes

I hope you enjoy this simple recipe for kale chips. This kale chip’s recipe can be made in the oven or the dehydrator fairly quickly and is a great substitute for potato chips. You can also experiment with different seasoning to make this recipe for kale chips your own.

Simple Recipe for Kale Chips

Ingredients

1 bunch curly kale, stems removed and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (can use lemon or orange or a combination of citrus)
1 teaspoon Simply Organic All Purpose Seasoning (or any favorite seasoning such as Mexican seasoning, curry powder . . .etc.)
¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste

In a large bowl, drizzle kale with oil, lime juice, seasoning of choice, and salt. Toss until evenly coated. I love Simply Organic all Purpose Seasoning, but you can also use Mexican seasonings, curry powder, or any type of seasoning that you like.

If you are going to make them in the dehydrator you can dehydrate them at 118 degrees for 4-6 hours or until crisp, and be sure to flip them over half way through.

If you are going to make them in the oven, heat the oven to 200 degrees. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and, using a spatula, flip kale leaves over. Return to oven and continue to cook until kale is dry and crisp, about 30 minutes more. Let cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can crisp up the kale chips again by putting them in the oven or dehydrator until they are crispy again.

I hope you enjoyed this simple recipe for kale chips and please share your own recipe for kale chips in the comments section below.

♥,
C

Some people are intimidated by quinoa but I am here to tell you that cooking with quinoa can be so simple!

Hopefully you have heard about quinoa by now. It’s an ancient gluten free grain revered by the Incas. It is high in protein compared to other grains and has a slightly nutty flavor.

I love its fluffy texture and it makes a great substitute for any recipe or dish that calls for rice. You cook quinoa similar to rice with a 1:2 grain to water ratio. The best part is, it cooks in 20 minutes! Below are two of my favorite quinoa recipes. Hope you enjoy!

 Quinoa with Leeks

~ one the easiest and one of my favorite ways to cook with quinoa

2 cups water or mineral broth
1 cup quinoa
1 kombu strip or a sprinkle of kelp granules
1-2 baby leeks chopped, about a ¼ of a cup (if don’t have baby leeks you can use a regular leek)
1 tablespoon coconut butter
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Wash and thinly chop the baby leeks using the white part of the leeks only. Put all ingredients except for the coconut butter, salt, and pepper in a pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off heat, remove Kombu strip, gently mix in the coconut butter, and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Let stand covered for 5 more minutes. Serve as a side dish.

Quinoa Tabouli

Inspired by Jo Anna (Raw Glow reader donated recipe)
Serves 4-6

3-4 cups cooked quinoa
Juice from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
1/4 cup cold pressed Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste (optional)
Zatar seasoning to taste (optional)

Mix thoroughly and place in the fridge 2 hours or until chilled.

Then in a large bowl mix the following:

2 – 4 medium tomatoes – diced
1 cucumber – diced
1 packed cup parsley – chopped
¼ cup mint leaves – chopped
1 cup scallions – chopped
1/2 cup Black or Kalamata Olives – sliced

Add the remaining ingredients to the cool quinoa. Mix thoroughly and enjoy! It tastes every bit as good the next day and keeps in the fridge for a few days.

You can serve this recipe over greens as a filling salad, in a wrap with some hummus, or just as is. And this recipe is so versatile it can be used with brown rice or sprouted buckwheat.

Hope these recipes inspire you to start cooking with quinoa!

Please share your favorite cooking with quinoa recipes in the comment’s section below.

♥,
C

When I started Raw Glow I never dreamed that I’d start eating cooked food again because I was so happy being all raw, but as time went on I realized that the warm comforting nourishment of cooked food did me no harm and actually helped me to feel grounded and psychologically satisfied.

The bulk of my diet is still raw, but a percentage of my diet is full of whole foods that are cooked with water such as soups, stews, and steamed vegetables and grains.

Many people ask me what I eat when I eat cooked and here is a sampling of two recipes (a hearty vegetarian lentil stew and a steamed kale recipe) from Cathy Fisher who teaches whole food and vegan cooking demonstration classes at the True North Center in Santa Rosa in Northern California.

If you like these recipes please check out her amazing vegan recipe blog for some more healthy recipes!

Enjoy!

♥,
C

Hearty Lentil Stew

Ingredients
¼-½ cup water, for sautéing
½ large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, diced

8 cups water
2 medium Yukon potatoes, diced
1 ¼ cups dry brown lentils

1 teaspoon powdered cumin
1 teaspoon dried coriander
2 teaspoons dried basil

½ of a medium green cabbage, sliced thinly, (about ¼-inch thick)

Directions
1. In a soup pot on medium-high, sauté the onion in a bit of water until soft, about 3 minutes (add water as needed to prevent sticking); add the garlic, celery and carrots and sauté another minute or two, adding water as needed.

2. Add to the soup pot: the 8 cups water, potatoes and lentils, and bring to a boil. Add the cumin, coriander and basil, stir thoroughly and then reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 30-40 minutes (until lentils are not hard but also not mushy).

3. Turn up heat and stir in the cabbage, cooking until it is tender (about 5-10 minutes). Serve garnished with diced green onions or chives.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Makes: 4 big, hearty bowls of stew

Rosemary Mushrooms & Kale

 Ingredients
½ cup water
1 large yam or sweet potato, skin on, cut into 1/2–inch slices
1 clove garlic cut in half
1 bunch curly kale, roughly chopped, end stems trimmed
6 large cremini mushrooms or 4 portobellinis (small Portobellos)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions
Place ½ cup water in a large fry pan or skillet with the yam slices and garlic and bring to a boil. Place the kale on top followed by the mushrooms (place them stem side up). Lay the two sprigs of rosemary on top and cover. Decrease heat to medium-low and steam for 10-15 minutes, until the yams are easily pierced with a knife. Remove the rosemary and serve immediately, dividing between two plates or pasta dishes.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2

Both recipes by Cathy Fisher at  www.straightupfood.com/blog

*Above is a picture of some mineral vegetable broth I made with the left over juice pulp of celery, carrot, and beet juice. It was a beautiful red orange color that I then sprinkled with dulse flakes.

Last November I wrote a post about how to stay warm on the raw food diet and in the post I explained how I make mineral vegetable broth full of essential nutrients and electrolytes. The original post elicited a positive response and a few questions from readers, so now that the weather is cooling down a bit I decided to make a short video about how I make the (now famous!) mineral vegetable broth.

Click here if you can’t see the vegetable broth video above.

I’ve experimented with making mineral broths many different ways and I’ve found that they turn out the best when I make sure the broth has sweet, spicy, and salty elements.

Choose 3 or more from each category:

Sweet Elements

*Carrots
Beets
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Apples (without core)
Potatoes
Winter or Summer squash

Spicy Elements

*Onions
Leeks
Ginger
Garlic
Scallions
Spicy Peppers (use sparingly)
Bay leaves
Thyme
Oregano
Rosemary

Salty Elements

*Kombu Seaweed
*Celery
Shitake Mushrooms
Miso Paste (optional)
Chard
Parsley
Cilantro
Kale
Collards
(any greens will do with the exception of dandelion greens which can make the broth too bitter)

You can also add any culinary or medicinal herb as well!

*Essential

Directions:

Rough chop the vegetables and put them in a large pot of water. Add a few sprigs of herbs, a few bay leaves, and at least 2-5 good sized pieces of seaweed. Kombu and Wakame work best, but any seaweed will do. Let the pot come to a boil and then simmer on low for at least 3 hours. You can then strain the broth and add a sprinkle of salt if desired. For a really clear broth you can use a sprout bag to strain it after it has cooled. Sip the warm broth like tea or use it as a base to make cooked vegetable soups and grain dishes. You can also freeze the broth to defrost for later.

Hope you enjoyed this recipe and stay warm!

♥,
C

Most people I know involved in the raw food movement including myself eat some cooked food at least occasionally. On today’s blog post I wanted to give a healthy suggestion of what to eat when you’re not eating raw:)

When my husband and I were in Venice Beach not to long ago we came across this amazing restaurant that serves Macrobiotic style food call Seed Kitchen For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Macrobiotic diet, it is a primarily whole foods diet that focuses on seasonal organic food. The staples of the diet are traditionally prepared grains, vegetables, beans, and sea vegetables. Click here for a more in depth explanation of the Macrobiotic diet.

When I went to Seed Kitchen I ordered their Macrobiotic bowl which contained perfectly steamed brown rice, kabocha squash, black beans, shitake mushrooms, steamed kale, seaweed, and fermented vegetables. I sprinkled it with gomasio and it was one satisfiying bowl of warm goodness.

When I’m in the mood for something heavy and warm I try to recreate this bowl at home using the below ingredients:

For the grain element I use steamed brown, wild rice (or a mix of both) or quinoa. Quinoa is a lighter grain and it’s the easiest and most quick to prepare grain that there is!

For the squash element I have used steamed Kabocha, Delicata, Butternut, Curry Squash, but any winter squash will do.

For the bean element I usually use well cooked black beans or black eyed peas because they are my favorite, but any bean like pinto, navy, white, or kidney will do. Sometimes I skip the bean element because it requires soaking the beans in water the night prior. If you do decide to cook your beans make sure to cook them with a piece of Kombu seaweed for the minerals and Kombu helps soften beans and makes them more digestible.

I stick with steamed Shitake mushrooms for the mushroom element for the health benefits and the taste. I’m so lucky I get to buy organic Shitakes at the Santa Rosa farmer’s market, but you can get them fresh at a quality grocery store. If you can’t find Shitake mushrooms you can skip the mushroom element.

For the green element I usually use chopped and lightly steamed collards or kale but any leafy green will do.

For the seaweed element I’ve use soaked and rinsed wakame or you could use steamed arame, laver or my favorite, silky sea palm.

For the fermented vegetables you can use your homemade or store bought raw fermented veggies like sauerkraut or kimchi. Most health food stores carry these items in the refrigerated section just make sure the ingredients are just vegetables and there is no vinegar or sugar added.

I make homemade raw gomasio by putting 1/2-1 cup of hulled sesame seeds in my Vitamix with a little sea salt. If you don’t have a Vitamix you can try grinding the sesame seeds in a spice/coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge and you can use it as a nutritious seasoning during the week.

After you have cooked all the ingredients you can put a little of each of them in a big bowl, sprinkle with your gomasio, and if desired finish it off with a good quality cold pressed oil such as hemp or olive but I’m sure it would taste good with some sort of tahini or miso based dressing (chickpea miso is my fav because it doesn’t contain soy).

I only eat this for dinner because it’s pretty heavy if you’re not used to eating a lot of cooked food, but it really hits the spot and it’s full of massive nutrition such as iron, calcium, zinc, omega 3′s, beta-carotene, protein, fiber, and it’s low fat!

♥,
C