Showing posts with label lemon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lemon. Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2013

Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry Salad Avocado

Fresh Ginger. I have been grating fresh raw ginger on my salads, in my miso soup and over top just about everything lately. (Ginger + lemon + roasted beets = YUM!) Raw ginger is warming and soothing. Stimulating yet settling. I love it. And fresh ginger pairs so nicely with sweet strawberries. This fruit salad and sunny day lunch/breakfast or brunch tartine is one to crave. Easy to make!..







wheat sourdough. luckily, I am someone who CAN handle a little gluten (gf folks, use gf bread)..


More hemp seeds please..


Ginger-Mint-Lemon Strawberry Salad Avocado
vegan, makes 4 1/4 cups

3 cups fresh organic strawberries, sliced
1 small avocado, diced
1 large or 2 small lemons, squeezed + pinch of fresh lemon zest
1/8 tsp fresh raw ginger, grated with a microplane
splash of grade B maple syrup (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh peppermint, finely chopped + a few leaves as garnish
2-3 Tbsp raw organic hemp seeds (optional)

for tartines: add your favorite toast to serve (optional: drizzle of your favorite oil like macadamia nut, pumpkinseed or EVOO)

(You could also do "deviled avocados" and stuff avocado halves with this fruit salad - hemp seeds on top!)

Directions:

1. Wash and slice berries, removing tops. Place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add diced avocado, lemon juice, ginger, mint and maple syrup.
3. Fold well. Let marinate at least a half hour for best flavor. I place in fridge to marinate and chill.
4. Serve!

Ideas:
* Add hummus to your toast before adding the berries and avocado salad on top.
* Try sprouted grain toast for extra nutty flavor.
* Add raw walnuts for an nuttier salad.







baby tomato...



Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Cleansing Lemon Goji Berry Tea - Hello new day!




What About Just Lemon and Water? So I am also a huge fan of the simple warm water + lemon juice method which most people use. But I kinda evolved into loving this one even more. Either one will have that same cleansing effect. I just like the added antioxidants and energy from the tea, berries and maple syrup splash. I also like the fiber from those goji berries. And since the berries become very soft when they soak in the hot water, they are very easy to digest.

AM. Some people crack eggs. I crack open lemons.

Cleansing Lemon Goji Berry Tea
(serves one)

8 ounces purified water
1 lemon, squeezed (seeds removed)
1 1/2 Tbsp organic Goji Berries
1-2 pinches of cayenne
1-4 tsp grade B maple syrup
1 black or green tea bag (any variety)

Directions:

1. Add tea bag and goji berries to mug.
2. Boil water.
3. Pour boiling water. Press bag and berries and let steep for a few minutes.
4. Squeeze in lemon and stir in maple syrup. Add cayenne.
5. Drink.


Juicy Mango Margarita Mocktail - Great for summer!



Start with this..



And make this..








Frosty...






Juicy Mango Margarita Mocktail
vegan, serves 1-2 (depending on glass size)

1 champagne mango (use whole mango - some for garnish, mostly for blending..)

Blend:
1 1/2 "shots" coconut water (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup freshly diced champagne mango cubes (any mango will work, but champagne mangoes are the creamiest)
3 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup fresh lime juice)
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 cup organic peaches, frozen (add a few more slices for a frostier blend)
1/3 cup ice

Garnish:
2 lime wedges + generous pinch lime zest + mango cubes

Real Deal -> switch out the coconut water for a shot of tequila.

Directions:

Slice mango in half and cube. Reserve a few cubes for garnishing. Add remainder of mango to blender (about 1/2 cup cubes).
Add lime juice, frozen peaches, frozen banana, ice and coconut water to blender as well. Blend until smooth.
Garnish with fresh mango, plentiful lime slices and fresh lime zest on top.


Monday, December 2, 2013

Lemonade Parfaits with fresh summer berries

Sink your spoon into this summertime treat: my Lemonade Parfait. Dairy-free and filled with lemonade and fresh berry flavor, accented by nutty crunchy toppings like crushed walnuts and nutty granola.

Lemonade by the Spoonful. This tall tower of lemonade bliss makes a beautiful dish to serve for breakfast, brunch, an afternoon pick-me-up or even a lively dessert. My silky lemonade pudding is rich and creamy with bright fresh lemon flavor in each bite. This protein-rich, fiber-rich and antioxidant-rich parfait is a pretty summer treat to feel good about enjoying! Easy recipe too!..





What to do with lovely summer berries? Parfait them!





Silky Surprise.
This pudding is so easy to make because it is made using silken tofu. The tofu makes this pudding rich in plant-based protein.




Make to taste. This is a recipe that comes with a basic set of ingredients and can be modified quite generously to fit your tastes and what meal you are serving this parfait as. If you are serving it as a dessert, you can be a bit more generous with the sweetener and coconut oil. If this is for a healthy breakfast, go a bit lighter on those ingredients.

For the crunchy accents, aka crunchies, you can use a wide variety of favorites. I used crushed walnuts, a sprinkle of freshly ground flax seeds and some raw cacao granola I had in my pantry. But you can use any nut or seed you'd like - and any granola variety you have handy. Or make your own.

You could even add a few sweet spins on this parfait..

* Whip it. Add a dollop of fresh coconut whip in between the silky layers.
* Leftover Baked Goods. Crumble a homemade chocolate chip cookie in between the layers. Or a crumbled up muffin will also work.
* Creative Crunchies. Get creative and add what you crave to crunch! Granola, crushed vanilla cookies, chopped nuts or ground seeds, spirulina crunchies,toasted coconut, crushed pretzels or graham crackers.
* Fruit Galore. Add a wide variety of fruit slices to the parfait. Lemonade flavor pairs well with many ingredients. Try mango, kiwi, berries, banana, citrus, peaches, cherries, apples and more.
* Fruit Sauce. Add some fresh raspberry sauce topping.
* Make it PINK! Make a pink lemonade parfait simply by blending in 2-3 fresh raspberries or strawberries when you blend your pudding.

Or simply follow my recipe below. And let the summertime lemonade refreshment begin!



Lemonade Parfaits with fresh summer berries

Silky Lemonade Pudding
vegan, makes about 1 1/2 cups - pudding makes about 2-3 large parfaits

14 ounces silken tofu (organic)
2 small lemons or 1 large, squeezed + zest from 1 lemon
1/4-1/3 cup maple syrup (grade B) - (agave can be subbed in needed)
1-4 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil (I used 2 Tbsp)
tiny pinch - 1/4 tsp salt (salt to taste, I used pink Himalayan salt)

optional:
a few drops natural lemon and/or vanilla extract to boost flavor
dash of cayenne (spicy accent)

My Parfait - as shown:
(for each parfait glass)
2 Tbsp crushed walnuts
2 Tbsp raw chocolate granola
1 tsp ground flax seed
1/2 banana, thinly sliced
3-5 strawberries, sliced
a few blueberries or blackberries
fresh lemon zest on top

Directions:

1. Drain your silken tofu and transfer to a bowl. Place in microwave for 10-15 seconds just to warm the tofu a bit. (You want all ingredients to be room temperature or warmer when blending so that the coconut oil stays silky.)
2. Juice and zest lemons, remove any seeds from juice.
3. Warm coconut oil so that it is in a liquid state.
4. Add the warmed tofu, a few spoonfuls of the liquid coconut oil, lemon and zest, optional extract, salt and 1/4 cup maple syrup to a food processor or high speed blender. I used my Vitamix. Blend starting on low and move to high until everything is silky smooth. Do a tiny taste test and add more sweetener and salt as desired. I added 1/3 cup total maple to my pudding but you may want a bit less or more depending on your tastes. If you want a richer, more mousse-like pudding, you should blend in a few more spoonfuls of melted coconut oil.
5. Transfer the pudding to a medium bowl - scraping the sides of the blender to get every last bit. Place bowl, covered, in the fridge.
6. Chill pudding for at least two hours before serving. Best if chilled overnight - for maximum firming of the pudding. Cold pudding will be thicker than warmer pudding due to the coconut oil.
7. Serve by assembling your parfait in layers. Alternate add berries and crunchy toppings to a tall parfait glass. Garnish with a few pretty berries and a lemon slice.


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