Mango Madness - Sorbet Recipe

Mango's are my all time fav of the tropical fruit family.  When I say they are my fav I mean I am CRAZY for them.  Not only are they delicious, they are a powerhouse of Vitamins A and C.

Here are some of the Mango's Health Benefits

Protect cells from free radical damage.
Lower certain cancer risk.
Improve iron absorption.
Great for the eye.
Helps fight off viral infections.
Relieves constipation.

If you've never tackled a mango before you are in for a treat.  In some countries the mango is referred to as "bathtub fruit" because they are so juicy that children are often placed in the bathtub to eat them!

Pick fruit that is soft to the touch. Mangos have a large, kind of flat, oval pit in the middle so the best way to work around that is to slice off either side of the fruit, score it, then remove it from the skin.

Mangos are great on their own, in salads, or in smoothies.  A real treat is to make sorbet.

Here's an easy recipes:

MANGO SORBET

2 C frozen Mango
1 C water
1/3 C Agave
1t vanilla (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately

Sweet Potato Chips

I've been so busy since lately that I haven't had a chance to blog in a while.  I've already had big changes this year as I'm am frantically working to re-launch my website and a roll out a new program in early February in partnership with another organic company - STAY TUNED!!!!  But..........with the abundance of winter root vegetables I could pass up the chance to jot down this fabulous treat - Sweet Potato Chips.

Before I get to the recipe I want to throw out a few facts about this wondrous root vegetable. Sweet potatoes are packed with massive amounts of vitamin A, which is vital for proper eye health. One sweet potato contains nearly eight times an adult's daily need of this important vitamin, and, because the vitamin is fat-soluble rather than water-soluble, the body can store it for later use.  Sweet potatoes and yams are often confused as being the same thing but they are quite different species. Compared to yams, sweet potatoes contain significantly higher amounts of calcium, iron, and vitamin E, and they twice as much protein per serving. Sweet potatoes also contain massive amounts of anti-inflammatory compounds (more than the yam), which are very important in the health of people with IBS, arthritis, gout, and other inflammation-related diseases.  This is not to say that yams are useless.  The yam is the shining star when it comes to omega 3 fats.

Take advantage of their abundance at your local farmer's market.  Sweet Potatoes make great raw soups, can be shredded and used in raw breads, or made into delicious chips.  Try one or both of these recipes. You may want to double up because they won't last long!

Sweet Potato Chips - savory
3 small sweet potatoes
1/4 c Olive Oil
Sea Salt to taste

OR

Sweet Potato Chips - sweet
3 small sweet potatoes
1/4 c agave
2t cinnamon

Slice sweet potatoes paper thin with a mandolin, potato peeler, or run them through a food processor fitted with slicing blade.  Toss with desired ingredients.  Dehydrate at 110 until they reach your desired crispness.  I like mine super crunchy so I let them dehydrate for 24-36 hours.  To speed the process you can always start off by dehydrating at 145 for a couple of ours (the internal temperature of the food will not get this high so nutrition will stay intact) and then turn the temperature down to 110 for the remainder of the drying period.

Raw Potluck Goodies

I must say we have a pretty cool raw, vegan community in the greater Triangle area of NC.  Last night we had a snack potluck and watched Supercharge Me.  The documentary was great but the conversation and fellowship with others on the raw journey was the best part.  Whether you've been raw for 2 decades, 2 years, 2 months or 2 days we all face challenges and triumphs in our quest for optimal health.  I am always surprised at the paths that brought people to raw and the different approaches people take on their journey.

So, on to the good stuff.....recipe!  I whipped up this little hors d'oeuvre to contribute to the potluck.  Basically, I took a zucchini and cut it to make rounds.  Then I took a basic nut cheese recipe (see below) and added in about a quarter cup of fresh basil and 4 chopped sundried tomatoes:

1 ½ cups raw cashews
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
Process in food processor

On top of the zucchini I put small piece of argula or a small piece of cilantro, a dollop of cheese and then topped with half a cherry tomato.  And yes, they were a hit! Nary a left over made it home.......

Sunday Night Routine

I travel on business quite bit so part of my Sunday night routine is to prep food for the coming week for my family.  If I don't my crew with find their way over to our golf club to participate in Wacky Wing Night, Pasta Night, and other celebrations of food debauchery. 

A few nights ago I had dehydrated some apples that were about to take a turn for the worse.  The apples turnout out so sweet and delicious. I included these tonight in making my daughter's cereal/snack blend.

This cereal is prepared with coursely chopped almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnut, pecans, coconut and dried apples. Then the nuts are mixed with cinnamon and a 5-grain cereal blend.  I lightly tossed it in a little agave. 

My daughter is extrememly active and plays tennis and golf several times a week.  This cereal is a great energy booster for her especially is she has a couple of matches in one day.  For the rest of us however...... beware of the calories in this one.  Although I must say, when I am eating a nutritionally dense item such as this I don't feel like eating as much. My body gets everything it needs in a smaller portion.

As a side note, you could add some nut butter or a little nut milk with the cereal to create a dough that can be dehydrated into yummy 'nola cookies!

Kale Chips

One of the yummiest ways to consume the nutritional powerhouse Kale is by turning it into a crispy delicious chip.  I made two variations of kale chips last night (the one with a touch of agave is the best!).  Here are the recipes below as well as some facts about our friend, Kale.

For both variations begin with 2 large bunches of kale, destemmed, and cut into large pieces (if the pieces are to small they will fall apart during dehydration).  Put the kale in a large bowl and douse with olive oil (or hemp oil, flax oil, etc.) and lemon juice. Massage kale until it begins to "give" a little.

Variation #1 - I massaged in some delicious black truffle salt (definitly a splurge!) and just a touch of agave.
Variation#1 - I massaged in garlic powder, sea salt, and a little cayenne.

You can taste the kale before dehydrating to make sure the flavors are good.  Dehydrate at 115 for about 8 hours or until crispy.

Kale Facts:
Kale can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits if you will cook it by steaming. The fiber-related components in kale do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they've been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it's easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels. Raw kale still has cholesterol-lowering ability - just not as much.


Kale's risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. These types include cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these risk-lowering benefits.

Kale is now recognized as providing comprehensive support for the body's detoxification system. New research has shown that the ITCs made from kale's glucosinolates can help regulate detox at a genetic level.

Researchers can now identify over 45 different flavonoids in kale. With kaempferol and quercetin heading the list, kale's flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

WHAT???? Your Friends Want Cookies???

So...... got the biggest compliment in the world today.  My 8th grader came home from school and told me that tomorrow she needs to bring more cookies because all her friends loved them!!! This just goes to show you that just because it's good for you doesn't mean it has to taste bad.

Below is my recipe for "school lunch" cookies.  This makes about 30 cookies.  I make them fairly small (about 2" diameter).  I also keep them in the freezer so by the time her lunch break rolls around they are just the right temp.

3 cups ground nuts (I used macadamia, almond, cashews, walnuts, pecans and some coconut to make the three cups)
3/4 cup raw honey
2T flaxseed oil
1/2 C almond butter
1T vanilla extract
Just a pinch of salt

Grind the nuts in the food processor and pour into bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until you have a dough.  Pinch off small pieces, roll into a ball and then flaten on your dehydrator tray.  I dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12 hours on one side, then flip, and dehydrate until the cookies are as dry as you want them. 

You can also use the dough without a dehydrator.  Just roll into the dough into balls and then roll the balls in coconut, cacao, or chopped nuts and store in freezer.

Leftovers = Sushi!

I love this time of year when the sweltering heat of summer starts to give a little.  Finally, we are waking up to temps in the high 60's instead starting the day off at 80 degrees!  And, best of all, the AC is off and the windows are open!

Now............on to the good stuff.  I had some left over Almond Sauce from yesterday (see spring rolls) so I took that and spread it on a few sheets of Nori, added some julienned peppers, carrots, zucchini, alfalfa sprouts and avocado, then rolled it up into sushi.  I also threw together a little dipping sauce mixing together a few tablespoons of lemon juice, honey, Nama Shoyu, and some minced ginger. 

This was the perfect snack for my youngest daughter who just finished her first day of 8th grade.

Coconut Date Cookies

I love how cookies and other goodies are part of the raw food lifestyle.  When my kids get up I'm not too concerned if they grab raw cereal, a smoothie, a piece of raw apple pie or a cookie for breakfast - everything is nutrient dense.  It's really discerning to see other kids marching off to school with Pop Tarts or Toaster Strudel (especially since these are the same kids who will be buying a school lunch! Blech!).  It's no wonder that they have a hard time paying attention and learning.

These cookies are a fantastic blend of nuts, spices, coconut and dates with just a smidgen of honey. For a chocolate treat, you can throw in some raw cacao or carob. Good for a snack or breakfast!

Mmmmmm.......................Raw Corn Chip with Guacamole

It's a super hot day in Raleigh today - almost as hot as my Raw Corn Chips!  I made these in preparation for a party tomorrow night but am not sure if they will make it through the night.

These are so simple to make!

In the food processor I through the kernels from 4 ears of corn, about a cup and a half of chopped red and yellow peppers, half of an onion, one jalapeno, a cup of ground flax, quarter cup each of hemp and sunflower seeds, a couple splashes of lime, half teaspoon of chili powder, 1.5 teaspoon of ground cumin, and a couple of teaspoons of salt.  Process until smooth, spread thinly on Teflex sheets and dehydrate for about 15 hours.

Serve them up with salsa and guacamole for a great snack!