PRETTY SMART RAW FOOD IDEAS

7/24/08 CSA SHARE: What I got

prettysmartone — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:54:44 +0000

Yea!!!!! I got everything that was promised!!!!!!!

GOLDEN BEETS…………………1 bunch
PARSLEY……………………………1 bunch
SWISS CHARD…………………….1 bunch
ROMANO or STRING BEANS…..1 bag
ZUCCHINI………………………… 3 pieces
GARLIC……………………………..2 heads
RED GOLD POTATOES………….1 quart
CUCUMBERS………………………3 pieces

I also got a big box of BLUEBERRIES and…. a nice bag of PEACHES!!!!

I will figure out what to do with everything and post some recipes tonight or tomorrow. (I gave the potatoes to Mrs. Murphy next door, who says she will make home fries - I’ve decided that counts toward using everything in the box this week).

I’ve got everything ready for the demo, and most of it is sitting at the CSA location now. I’m so glad that I packed everything up and carried it over early, because it gave me a chance to realize what I had forgotten, so I could get it and take it with me when I go back. I even found some disposable cutting “sheets” so I did not have to carry my ratty old cutting board (weekly cloroxing only makes me know that it is sanitary – it helps not one bit in the looks department).

I miss Farmer James, but apparently doesn’t like to drive the farm’s new truck.

7/24/08 CSA SHARE: What they say we’ll get

prettysmartone — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:12:54 +0000

This is what they say we will get.

GOLDEN BEETS……………………1 bunch
PARSLEY……………………………1 bunch
SWISS CHARD…………………….1 bunch
ROMANO or STRING BEANS……1 bag
ZUCCHINI…………………………3 pieces
GARLIC…………………………….2 heads
RED GOLD POTATOES…………..1 quart
CUCUMBERS………………………3 pieces

I emailed the farmers about possibly making a link of useful member sites (as in mine), for recipes, etc. They responded favorably, so I have started to collect all of the recipes I have posted to date so that I can put them all on a page (or pages) for easy access. I have collected almost all or the recipes now. Once I finish going through the entire blog, I will start to categorize them, and, from there, I will figure out how best to get them on the blog.

Meanwhile, I am getting ready for my food demo tonight. I am going to do marinated greens and a ground beet salad (lucky for me, there are beets in the share!!!!) I am scheduled to be one of the first demos - good! I can watch the others!!!

Now back to the kitchen!!!!!

THIS IS YUM!!!!!! (that’s what I thought when I tasted it!) zucchini idea

prettysmartone — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:02:58 +0000

Okay. First you need to understand that I grind up all my garlic and put it in olive oil (because my roommate cannot stand the smell of dehydrating garlic)… the good part is I have garlicky olive oil, and my garlic lasts as long as it takes me to use it, if I keep it in the refigerator.

Next, it is a good idea for you to understand that I put a lot of my “dehydrator sun-dried tomatoes’ in olive oil to save them and use them more easily (they stay softer than if they are just dried and stored)

I got a lot of zucchini in the last two shares, and, with my roommate in Japan now, I am really stretching to get through the share…. There is a limit to how many times you can eat zucchini pasta in a day…….. let alone in a week.

INGREDIENTS

2 med. zucchini
1 sm. onion
1/4 C sundried tomatoes in olive oil (fork out of the container)
1 fork-worth of ground garlic in olive olive oil (@1 T garlic powder plus 1/8 t oil)

In a food processor, combine all ingredients, and process to a fine paste.

Use as a pate, served on a plate; as a dip for vegetables or crackers; or as you will.

I plan to dehydrate anything I have not used by tomorrow afternoon. (I will smoothe the leftovers on a teflex sheet and dehydrate them, then use the crumbles in salads or pile them into green smoothies, or add them into sauces.

WHAT TO DO WITH ZUCCHINI

prettysmartone — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:37:39 +0000

I love zucchini! Don’t get me wrong! There is, however, a limit to how many times I can eat zucchini pasta in a 7 day period, and how many zucchinis I can put in green smoothies. Hence, I felt it necessary to explore new things to do with zucchini.

Here is a recipe for beanless zucchini based on something I found in Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen, by Ani Phyo.

BEAN-LESS ZUCCHINI-KALAMATA OLIVE HUMMUS
1/4 C sunflower seeds, soaked 6 hours
1 C zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic
juice of 1/4 lemon
1/8 C olive oil
1/4 C tahini
1/8 C kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
generous sprinkle cayenne pepper

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth hummus consistency.

This turned out pretty good. (I am not crazy about lemon, so I may eliminate it, or else only put a teaspoonful in next time)
It is a good dip for vegetables and it works well on my crackers, also.

I am imagining including red bell pepper the next time I make it.

I am also picturing how to dehydrate this if I don’t finish it in 2 or 3 days.

GREEN SMOOTHIES! yes, I am doing them!

prettysmartone — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:33:21 +0000

Close your eyes! Cover your ears!

I’VE BEEN SECRETLY DOING GREEN SMOOTHIES!! – but my way.

TONIGHT’S GREEN SMOOTHIE
1-hand-sized radiccio
1-red Cippolino onion
1 clove fresh garlic
1 cucumber
3 small celery stalks
5 tomatoes1/2 T spirulina
water

I find I enjoy the salad tasting smoothies better than smoothies with fruit, i.e., I am happier with green smoothies that garlic and onions than with ones that have fruit.

I am satisfied to have my fruit plain in a smoothie.

CABBAGE, CARROT, BEET, & ZUCCHINI RECIPES

prettysmartone — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:55:00 +0000

CABBAGE SLAW (no mayo)
Cabbage - depending on how much you need
1/2 to 1 onion (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
red pepper (to taste)
No Salt Spike (or other herb blend) to taste
Garlic powder (or fresh garlic) (to taste)

Finely slice cabbage (or process in food processor to desired texture – I like it slightly coarser than apple sauce)
Remove to a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

COLESLAW WITH CASHEW MAYONNAISE
CASHEW MAYONNAISE
1 C cashews, soaked 1-2 hrs., drained
1/2 t paprika
2 cloves garlic
1 t onion powder
3 T lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
2 T water, or as needed

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process to a creamy consistency.
Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

COLE SLAW
In a food processor, process to a fine texture (or chop finely)
1 lg. cabbage
1/2 lg. onion

Add cashew mayonnaise to taste.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

ZUCCHINI/CARROT/CABBAGE SLAW
1 med. zucchini, julienned
1 med. carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, chopped
!/2 small head white or red Cabbage, finely chopped or finely processed in a food processor
DRESSING
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Mix dressing ingredients well in a small bowl.
Toss chilled vegetables in a large bowl and mix in dressing.

ZUCCHINI PASTA
1 or more zucchini (or carrots, beets, or kohlrahbi)

Use a spiralizer to process zucchini into spaghetti-like strings.

BEET SALAD
1 - 2 lg. beets (or parsnips or turnips)
1 - 2 T apple cider vinegar, to taste
optional: 1 t extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder to taste

In a food processor, process beets to an “apple-sauce-like” texture.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

WHAT TO DO WITH GREENS: got collards, kale, beet, or turnip greens?

prettysmartone — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:43:10 +0000

Your beets came with nice pretty fresh green leaves? Wondering what to do with them (you did not throw them away, did you?)

Here are some recipes I enjoy so much that I make them over and over again.

WHAT TO DO WITH GREENS

MARINATED GREENS
MARINADE
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1/4 C sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 C scallions, white parts only, finely only
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t red pepper flakes
2 t sea salt, divided
1/2 t black pepper
1 bunch collard greens (or other greens)
1/8 C olive oil

1 - Mix apple cider vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 t sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
1 - Roll up 2 - 3 leaves into a cylindrical “cigar” shape.
2 - With a sharp knife, thinly slice the rolled greens crosswise into ribbons.
3 - Cross-chop the “rounds”
4 - Place in a large bowl.
5 - Repeat steps 1 - 4 until all greens have been chopped.
6 - Add in olive oil, remaining 1 t salt, and marinade mixture.
7 -Massage all ingredients until mass is reduced by half.
8 -Refrigerate and marinate for 1 - 24 hours

MASSAGED MARINATED GREENS
this comes out enough like old-fashioned Southern greens to satisfy your longing for Grandmamma’s cooking.

1 bunch greens (collards, kale, beet, turnip)
5 - 10 kalamata olives, finely chopped
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, slivered
fresh garlic, finely chopped, to taste, or garlic powder (optional)
chili seasoning, to taste (optional)

1 - Roll up 2 - 3 leaves into a cylindrical “cigar” shape.
2 - With a sharp knife, thinly slice the rolled greens crosswise into ribbons.
3 - Cross-chop the “rounds”
4 - Place in a large bowl.
5 - Repeat steps 1 - 4 until all greens have been chopped.

6 - Add remaining ingredients to bowl and mix.
7 - With hands, ‘massage” greens until bulk is reduced by half.
8 - Set aside to marinate for one hour (or up to 24 hours).
Alternatively, eat right away.

RAW PEACH COBBLER

prettysmartone — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:36:04 +0000

PEACH COBBLER
2 sm. peaches, pitted
1 t raw coconut oil (optional but highly recommended)
4 t raw honey or agave nectar
2 dashes cinnamon
1/4 lb. raw walnuts, soaked 4-6 hours
5 dates, pitted

1 - Combine peaches, coconut oil, 2 t honey (or agave nectar) and dash cinnamon, and process until smooth. Remove to a separate bowl.

2 - In the food processor grind walnuts to a medium fine texture.
3 - Add dates, cinnamon and 2 t honey (or agave nectar). Process until crumbly.
4 - Add crumb mixture to bowl on top of peach filling.

Serve immediately and enjoy!!!

BLUEBERRY RECIPES

prettysmartone — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:29:24 +0000

I’ve decided to post these recipes in groups. Here are the blueberry recipes.

RAW BLUEBERRY PIE

1-1/2 C nuts and/or seeds (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and/or pecans), soaked for 6 - 8 hrs.
1-1/2 C dried fruit (raisins, dates, etc.)
9-10 oz. blueberries
Sliced bananas (optional)

*Drain soaked nuts/seeds.
*Process nuts/seeds with dried fruit in a food processor with the S blade, until very fine. Process until the mixture forms a ball of dough.
*Press the dough into a pie plate.
*Process berries in the food processor until smooth.
*Taste. If the berry blend does not seem sweet enough, add a few raisins or dates (but not too many, as the crust is quite sweet on its own. The larger part of the berry mixture must be blueberries, in order for the pie filling to gel well.
*Pour filling into pie shell. Chill until firm.

OPTIONAL: layer the bottom with sliced bananas.

NOTE:: Do: do not use frozen berries– they will not gel.

BLUEBERRY FRUIT TART

1 pt blueberries
2/3 C banana
1-1/2 C dates, pitted and soaked
2 C walnuts, soaked 4-6 hrs.
1 T agave nectar (or honey
pinch sea salt
little coconut oil

Crust
1. In a food processor, process 1/2 C dates, walnuts, agave nectar (or honey), and sea salt until fine.
2. Use coconut oil to grease cup cake holder
3. Pat crust mixture into cup cake holders

FILLING
1. Process remaining dates, banana, and 1/2 pt blueberries in a food processor until smooth.

2. In a bowl, combine blueberry/date/banana mix with whole blueberries.
3. Divide blueberry mix into individual crusts.
4- Chill for 2 hrs.
5. Carefully remove tarts from cupcake holder.

BLUEBERRY JELLO

Quick, easy, delicious, and refreshing 3-ingredient dessert
1 pt blueberries
2 bananas
juice of 1/2 lemon

In a blender, puree blueberries, bananas, and lemon juice.
Remove to a bowl and chill until jelled.

7/17/08 SHARE: Where will it all go???

prettysmartone — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:39:50 +0000

They said I would get the items listed. The ones I got are colored.

CIPPOLINO ONIONS - 1 bunch
CARROTS | Qty: 1 bunch
apparently, in the end, boxes had either carrots or golden beets.
BEETS | Qty: 1 bunch
I got two bunches of beets: golden and regular, both with nice greens
CABBAGE | Qty: 1 head
this is a cute little head, about 5 inches in diameter.
BASIL | Qty: 1 bunch
GARLIC | Qty: 2 heads
ZUCCHINI — I got about 5 zucchini
CUCUMBERS — I got about 4 small but healthy looking cucumbers

HAPPY NOTE: I found where they were craftily hiding the discard/exchange bin, and, rummaging through it, I scored 2 bunches of carrots, 2 heads of garlic, 1 cabbage, and 1 bunch of basil, a radicchio, and another bunch of onions.

Oh! THE FRUIT SHARE!!!!!

I got a big bag of peaches and a pint of blueberries!

Where is all this going? Duh! the refrigerator!!! Seriously… i have recipes! Do I ever have recipes! I am prepared. Stay tuned for my next post, wherein I will divulge all!!!!