Where have I been? And some easy, quick recipes

I know it's been a couple of weeks since my last post, but WOW, I've been busy!  As of this week, I'm an official Raw Foods Chef and Instructor.  That's right, I can now teach others (with some credibility) how to create beautiful, healthy, vibrant raw foods.  In addition, I can also certify other Raw Food chefs through the Living on Live Food program.  So, if you'd like to become a raw chef, I'd love to teach you.

With all of the holiday fun going on, plus work, and the general unpredictability of a teething eight month-old, I haven't been in writing mode.  I have, however, developed a couple of amazing recipes for you to try.  These are all vegan, some raw and very quick, ya know, since I hate to spend hours making one dish.  I sure don't mind being in the kitchen for hours, but I have recipe ADD.  So without further ado, please enjoy...

Massaged Kale Salad

(This is pretty much my kale chips without the dehydrator.)

1 bunch organic kale

1 lemon, juiced

1 tsp olive/sesame oil

1/2-1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Cayenne pepper to taste

Chop the kale as fine as you'd prefer.  I like mine very fine since it's easier to chew that way.  Add the lemon juice and olive/sesame oil and massage the kale with your hands until it appears bright green and evenly coated.  Then, add the garlic powder, onion, nutritional yeast, and pepper, and toss with a fork, or you hands. (Don't forget to wash your hands immediately if you toss with your hands!  We wouldn't want any cayenne pepper to get in your eyes... Or lemon juice for that matter.)  That's it!  You're done.  It's so simple.  If you want to make a more hearty salad, feel free to toss in some nuts, seeds, dried cranberries, apples, fresh herbs, etc.  

Coconut Mushroom Soup

(This soup is very savory and really helps with those post-Thanksgiving cravings.)

12 oz (or more) mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/2 medium onion, chopped finely

1 clove garlic

1 can full-fat coconut milk

1-1/2 cup water

1 vegetable bouillon cube (optional)

2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos ( or soy sauce)

1 tbsp tarragon

1 tsp sage

1 tsp rosemary

Toppings:

Chopped red bell pepper

Sliced green onion

Cilantro

In a small sauce pan, heat water to boiling and add boullion cube.  Stir until the cube dissolves.  In a blender, pour the broth, then add the coconut milk, garlic and Bragg's Liquid Aminos, with half the chopped onion and half the sliced mushrooms.  Blend until smooth.  Then, add the herbs and blend briefly.  At this point, your soup is done, just pour it into a bowl and add the rest of the mushrooms and onion.  If you'd like to soften the veggies, just add the mixture to a pan a warm over low heat until your desired softness is achieved.  When serving, top the soup with fresh chopped bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, spinach, kale, etc.  it's beautiful!  Alternately, you could make this a "green soup" by blending fresh greens into the mix.  Yum!

Miso-Ginger Salad Dressing

(This dressing is AMAZING on any type of green salad.  The flavor is so rich.)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

1-1/2 tbsp miso (any color will do)

1" piece fresh ginger, chopped very finely

1 clove garlic, chopped very finely

1/2 cup water

Black or white pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine, or use a blender if you prefer smaller bits of ginger and garlic.  

Note:  Fresh miso can generally be found in the Nature's Market area of Kroger, or in the refrigerator at any Asian grocery store.  It comes as a paste and is very cheap.  It'll also keep for a very long time because it's a fermented food.  

Last night, I made a kale salad and used the miso dressing instead of my usual lemon juice and olive oil combo.  It was perfection!  

I hope these recipes will help you incorporate more gorgeous plants into your diet.  Whether you're a carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore, it never hurts to get more amazing greens.