Wholly Guacamole!

I know very few people who don’t like avocado’s. I used to be one of them. A long long time ago – when I thought avocado’s were “fattening” and a big no no, I definitely made sure they stayed out of my diet. Then one day, by accident (after ordering my rolls without avocado) it was left in. So I figured I would give it a try – and I fell in love immediately. Over the years, I learned about how healthy they actually were and that the “fat” in avocado doesn’t actually make you fat – but makes you lean. Sounds weird right? Well not really. The healthy omega 3 oils in avocado’s are essential to our body and our cells. In this case they body actually utilizes these fatty acids for energy (as opposed to storage). Not only that, but avocados are also rich in potassium, B vitamins with have trace amounts of protein and they also help to stabilize blood sugar levels! This makes them nourishing and filling which enables you to feel satisfied when you eat them. They add a good amount of nutrients and substance to any meal – which actually causes you to eat less! Whether you make it into a dip such as guac, a spread, whirled into a smoothie or soup, sliced on a sandwich, wrap, nori or salad. Avocado’s prove to be a versatile and fun item to add to anything.

But a favourite among many is Guacamole. The creamy goodness of mashed up avocado’s is so delicious (and I have to admit somewhat addicting) and should be made and enjoyed by everybody. You can have fun with this recipe too. I love to add green peas into my guacamole, as it not only gives the dip some substance – protein, fiber and vitamins – but it also gives it a rich texture and I personally find it more satisfying. Plus you don’t feel as guilty about eating so much! Of course making regular guac with lots of jalapenos and tomatoes is also good to0 – really, anything can be added to make your guacamole recipe as wholesome and delicious as you would like.

When it comes to dipping, you can buy organic corn chips or make your own by using Food For Life’s Sprouted Organic Corn Tortillas. I cut them into triangles and pop them in the oven for about 15 minutes on 200F. Or you can just slice up veggies such as carrots, celery, jicama or  spread it on whole grain/gluten free crackers.

So get familiar, comfortable and excited about Avocado’s because to me, they are one of nature’s most perfect foods!

Wholly Guacamole

What’s in it:

1 cup cooked green split peas (1 cup frozen green peas, blanched)

4 green onions, 2 inch slice

3-5 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon garlic granules or 1 clove fresh garlic

½ bunch parsley

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 large ripe Haas avocados

¾ cup chopped tomatoes

Optional:

1 jalapeno chili, finely chopped or ¼ teaspoon red hot sauce

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

How to make it:

1. Put peas, green onions, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, garlic, parsley, (jalapeno) and salt into the food processor and process until well blended and smooth.
2. Cut avocados in halves, remove pits and scoop out flesh into a medium sized mixing bowl.
3. Mash avocados and mix in ingredients from the food processor.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, taste and adjust seasoning. Chill.
5. Serve with organic corn tortilla chips, slices of jicama or whole grain crackers.

Marni’s Delicious Knowledge:

Why with peas? Not only do peas give this dip substance, but they add fiber, protein and vitamins (they are also green which goes nicely with avocado!).

Avocado’s are fully of healthy essential fats, extremely satisfying and make a great base for a dip. Not only is this dip  great with (non-GMO) corn chips, but it is great on sprouted bread, in a wrap or topped on a salad.

See my Video on How to Pick an Avocado:

See my Video on the Health Benefits of Avocados:

My Favourite Vegetarian Meal!

This is a tough one for me, but I assure you – I do have a favourite vegetarian meal and so do you!

But first let me tell you about my favourite meal and then read on to find out why yours is important too.

Okay, so my favourite vegetarian meal is one that I like to create when I want something nourishing, warming and revitalizing. In which case I pretty much go for the foods that connect with this energy and make me feel amazing. My go to grain is usually quinoa, this is the best foundation for a wholesome dish. It is nutty, light, high in protein and digests immediately. Then I like to add in all of my favourites – starting with some baked marinated tempeh for it’s juicy and hearty texture, roasted sweet potatoes for some natural sweetness, steamed kale – a meal isn’t a meal without some greens, avocado – for it’s creamy and smooth consistency and then some chopped almonds for some raw crunch. Then to top this dish off I like to add in some tamari – natural salty flavour and tahini for a rich boost of calcium. This is my absolute favourite meal!

Now why am I telling you this, because I want to make it apparent that everyone has a favourite food or a favourite meal, maybe it’s a snack or a drink. Whatever it may be there is something that you have eaten that has made you feel amazing – and I want to know what that is – especially if it is plant-based!

So if you tell me, this is going to work out for you because I am having a contest in which you will have a chance to win a FREE Fully Nourished Cooking Class!

Yes you heard me, you can attend any one of my cooking classes for free!

Well… there are some conditions that this contest is based on.

The premise: Tell me your favourite plant based/vegetarian meal, snack or drink. It can be raw, cooked, gluten free, sweet, savoury – anything you like! Just nothing that comes from an animal (this means NO fish, chicken, meat, eggs, cheese).

The reason: I want to know WHAT about this plant based or vegetarian food item that made you feel happy, excited, proud, energized, nourished, balanced etc…You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to do this or have had this experience!

There is significance and purpose to this contest. Not only will I highlight the winning answer on my blog, but the winner will also get to come to any on of my vegetarian Fully Nourished Cooking Classes absolutely free of charge (value over $100). This contest will also demonstrate to people that plant based foods not only taste amazing but have an incredible impact on your health and I want as many people as possible to exploit and share their experiences!

So there are many factors that this veggie experience can be based on. It can be the taste, texture, smell, colour, flavour of the meal – it doesn’t matter to me. I just want you describe what it was and what it did to you that made you excited about healthy plants based food. This can be anything from a simple salad with pumpkin seeds to a coconut banana smoothie. Please share your story, your experience – the more detail you give me, the better chance you have to win.

I am giving you (my readers) one week to post your foodie delight in my comment section – share it on twitter, share it on facebook. And then after that week, I am going to pick my three favourite ones and post them and then you (my readers) will be the judge and pick your favourite one. Then I will contact the winner personally and invite them to come to any vegetarian cooking class of choice to have more amazing experiences eating delicious plant based foods.

I have one more question…are you ready?

Get posting!

This could be you!

Revived and Alive!

So it’s after 10 pm…and I should be settling down, getting ready for bed – but I can’t. Not because I am stressed, not because I have so much to do, but because I am fueled full of living and raw foods – as I just finished (not more than a half hour ago) my Raw and Ripe Cooking Class (although no “cooking” actually took place).
Since it was a Raw class, we just prepared all the meals. Delicious meals created from recipes that are based on sprouted nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, spices, fresh herbs, sea vegetables, pressed oils and a few other little goodies like dates, sea salt, tamari, cider vinegar etc…
But the reason why I am so awake and feeling so alive right now…is because these foods are living. Living means they are full of enzymes. When you soak and sprout nuts and seeds, beans etc.. you are activating all of it’s nutritive potential – so in your body it can’t help but do the same thing! Also when you eat raw fruits and veggies which are also full of enzymes -your body has to do less work to break them down, leaving bundles of energy readily available. I have to admit, I also get a bit of an adrenaline rush after all of my classes – they are so much fun and there is always such great energy throughout my kitchen that I can’t help but feel energized at the end of the night!

Okay enough rambling and back to raw foods…I am by no means ” a raw foodie” or “100 % raw” in fact, I believe in a very balanced approach to food and raw food being a huge component! Especially this time of year, it is very easy to “prepare” most of my foods as opposed to cooking them. Eating a “gourmet” raw meal like we did tonight in the class – takes a bit more thought and planning than just a salad or smoothie but still easy enough that anyone can do it (even without fancy equipment).
However, once it’s complete and you have created a whole raw meal from zucchini noodles, fennel, carrot and beet slaw, cold avocado cucumber-coconut soup, almond basil pesto and the list goes on you will be feeling really proud of yourself and not to mention revived and alive!

It is common for most people to feel intimidated when it comes to raw food, and raw food prep. But the focus of tonight’s class was on how to make raw foods simple and a apart of your everyday life without too much time and effort. You can make anything from “pasta” made from zucchini noodles (in your food processor) with an almond pesto, to “pizza” made from sprouted (Ezekiel) crust with sun dried tomato paste and cashew ricotta cheese to, nori rolls to an apple pie that wasn’t even baked!

Have a look!

Yes, this may require a tad of planning. But all in all, preparing raw food can be simple, delicious and energizing!

Try this for starters….

Sun Seed Nori Rolls

Ingredients

1 cup sunflower seeds soaked 10-12 hours
1 cup almonds soaked 10-12 hours
1 ½ tablespoons dill, fresh and minced
1 tablespoon oregano fresh and minced
1 teaspoon sage, fresh and minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon tamari
1 tablespoon kelp or dulse granules
½ tablespoon Celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup celery minced
1/3 cup red onion minced

Procedure:

Mix almonds and sunflower seeds, hand mix in remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Serve by itself or wrapped in nori with veggies (cucumber, lettuce, carrots, sprouts) or with flatbread, raw crackers or on top of a salad!

Also have a look at some of these resources to read more about the benefits of Raw Food.
Raw Food Life
Raw Food Diet
Raw Food Research
Raw Food and Energy Gains
Raw Food vs. Cooked Food

Birthday Potluck Fiesta

There could not have been a better way to celebrate my 27th birthday, then to have my closest friends over for a potluck dinner. Everyone brought over something delicious to contribute to a collection of different dishes which made up our fantastic and unforgettable dinner!

The Hidden Truth about Calcium!

Who needs a calcium supplement when you can get it from food! No, not from dairy … but from plant based whole foods!

Learning about which foods have significant levels of calcium is crucial especially if you are concerned about your bones or current calcium intake levels. Unfortunately, I hate to break the news to you, but the Calcium that you think you are getting from a glass of milk, a cup of “low fat” yogurt or slice of cheese is not being absorbed into your body in a usable or beneficial form. In fact it is doing quite the opposite.

The truth is, dairy (especially commercially processed dairy) is extremely acidic to the body and especially to the bones. So when you consume any form of processed dairy, it is actually stripping calcium away from your bones rather than building on to it. So most individuals in North America, predominantly women could be responsible for their own weakening bone conditions as a result of over consuming commercial dairy. But not to fret, this can be taken care of and quite possibly reversed.

All you have to do is start consuming adequate amounts of Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium. These sources which come from plant based foods, are extremely bio-available to the body and they taste great too!

So get your daily dose of greens in (chard, kale, beet greens, collards, broccoli and bok choy). You can steam them, blanch them, saute them, add them to soups, salads or grain dishes–you can even hide them in a smoothie. Consume nuts and seeds such as sesame seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds, all great sources of calcium, iron, protein and essential fatty acids. Other hidden but rich sources of calcium include tempeh, avocado, parsley, figs, carob, beans and legumes, salmon and quinoa.
So do what you will, but you can avoid taking expensive supplements and consuming commercial dairy and simply get your calcium from nature. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!

Recipe:

Parsley and Scallion “Butter” with Steamed Greens
This recipe is inspired by Anne Gentry owner of Real Food Daily (Vegan Restaurant in Los Angeles)

Ingredients:

1 bunch of greens such as kale, beet greens, collards, swiss chard, bok choy or spinach

1 ½ cup fresh scallions, chopped
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup fresh parsley
3 tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tablespoons umeboshi paste
1 teaspoons minced peeled fresh garlic

Procedure:

Steam greens and rinse with cold water to maintain brightness.
Combine all ingredients of “butter” in a food processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
Transfer the spread to a small bowl.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and allow flavors to blend and the spread will become slightly firm.