Raspberry Pomegranate Smoothie | Vegan | Raw | G-free

Here's a quick and easy recipe for a pick-me-up smoothie with tons of health benefits:

• seeds and juice from 1 pomegranate
• 1 cup raspberries
• juice of 1 fresh orange
• raw honey (or other sweetener) to taste

Swirl everything together in the blender until smooth.

Renown as a "super-food" pomegranates have a long list of health benefits, including:

• Polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that aid in heart health and anti-cancer benefits
• These polyphenols may also help prevent plaque buildup in arteries 
• The seeds have more antioxidant power than cranberry juice or green tea
• Lowered blood pressure and delay the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in patients with coronary heart disease
• Improved blood flow
• May slow the progression of prostate cancer
• An excellent source of fibre, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium
• One pomegranate supplies one-quarter of a day’s worth of folate (a B vitamin needed to synthesize and repair DNA) and one-third of your daily vitamin C
• One medium pomegranate contains: 3.5 grams fiber, 9 milligrams vitamin C, 14 micrograms vitamin K and 205 milligrams potassium, as well as being an excellent source of polyphenols.

So go ahead and add a little pom to your next smoothie.

Smoothie Catalog Now Available

I finally have a visual catalog of all my favourite smoothies featured on the blog.  I separated them by green and non-green varieties.  I never realized until I saw all the smoothies side-by-side, but it's pretty much just green and pink smoothies.  I'll have to post an orange one soon ;)

And if you're not a smoothie lover, there's also a section at the end for juices, teas and other drinks.  I sure could use a homemade vegan chai tea on this cold and wintery morning. 

Check out my new SMOOTHIE page now!

Updated Recipe Page (& embarrassing photos)

 Updated!

It took hours upon hours of HTML code and re-uploading photos from 2008-2010, but I finally have a modern and up-to-date list of my recipes (mostly raw and vegan) featured here on the blog.

I have a separate page for smoothies and other drinks, which I am currently working on updating as well.  I'll be sure to announce when everything is done, so stay tuned.

As all you fellow bloggers know probably just about the worst thing about having a blog is looking back at your photography from when you first started ...

Oh my!  
This is a raw vegan apple pie from my Raw Thanksgiving Post, which incidentally (and also incredibly embarrassing) is currently the most popular post on my blog!  Looking at the photo makes me cringe ... I think I might have even photographed it IN the fridge!!  I mean I couldn't even arrange the apple slices in a decorative way??!!

Anyhow as a result, I now have an irrational urge to re-photograph EVERYTHING!  I think the yogi in me can "let it go and let it be" ... except for the apple pie.  It has to be re-done.

Have you ever gone "back in time" on your blog?

  

Strawberry Rose Champagne Tea (copy cat recipe)

 

You know those free samples of tea at the mall?  Well I never really pay much attention to them since 1. the tea is always heavily sweetened and 2. I hate all those little plastic disposable cups they use for the tea (you can usually see a very large heap of them in the nearest trash can).

But today something was drawing me into the sample section of the Teavana store.  A powerful force ... Strawberry Rose Champagne oolong tea!  A small bag of tea retails at $12, but you can make this fruity tea at home for just pennies.  Since I was a little girl I have been going strawberry picking around this time of the year, so we always have lots of those little red gems around here.

Here's what to do:

Boil some water and let it sit while you prepare the tea.  Most tea snobs enthusiasts will not use boiling hot water for herbal tea because it will scold the herbs.

I use a stainless steel ball shaped strainer for my tea, and I love it.  I picked it up years ago at my favourite Asian market. 

It's easy to combine different ingredients and then pop it in a cup with some hot water.

After a few minutes of steeping you can take it out, empty and clean.  That easy.

 In your tea strainer combine:

• 2-4 fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon oolong (or green) tea leaves

Place the strainer in your cup with a drop or two of rosewater.  Add the boiled water, which by now should still be hot, but not scalding.

Let everything steep for 5 minutes and then consume!   

No actual champagne in my version (however according to Teavana's website their tea includes a "hint of bubbly champagne" (whatever that means).

You can sweeten the tea with some sugar or honey, but it is already naturally a bit sweet from the strawberries.  Try to use the best quality strawberries possible, as this will ultimately determine the taste of the tea (I didn't just sound like Martha Stewart there, did I?)  If you can't make it to the pick-your-own farm like me, then find some fresh, local strawberries from your farmers market for the sweetest cuppa'.

Raw Vegan Lunch & Dinner Ideas

I know it's been a million years since my last post, but I just couldn't resist posting another list of raw vegan dishes to make once I return "home".  Yep, I'm still in India ... my home away from home.

Raw Sesame Noodles from KrisCarr.com

Christmas Tree Salad by Healthy. Happy. Life.

Lavendar Creme de Cashew Cakes by better raw

Lime Chipotle Avocados by Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!)

 

Blackberry, Jicama & Apple salad from Vegetarian Times

 

Salad Rolls with Cashew Sour "Cream" by Organic Empire

Fresh Cantaloupe & Beet Juice from For the Love of Food

I guess I will just have to drool over these photos until I get back to Canada in March. 

If anyone is still out there, thanks for reading!!

Rhubarb Blackberry Raw Margaritas

Celebrate summer with frozen margaritas! 

Simple to make, raw and vegan.  These ones are virgin, but you can add some booze if that's your style.

Meltin' in the hot summer sun

Here's what I did:

• 15-20 stalks of fresh rhubarb, juiced in a juice extractor then frozen in an ice cube tray
• 1 cup blackberries, frozen
• raw vegan sweetener, to taste

Mix everything in a blender until well combined.

It's a little labour-intensive to haul out the juice extractor for the rhubarb, but I thought it was well worth it.  Besides I didn't want to do the same old boring strawberry rhubarb tart.  I really wanted to try something different. 

I hope you enjoy!

5 Raw Vegan Recipes To Try When I'm Back in Canada

No blender, no food processor, no fridge, heck I don't even have my julienne peeler!  So these 5 yummy recipes will have to wait until I get back on Canadian ground ...

1. Raw "Oat"meal (oat-free) from Raw Therapy (my new favourite blog)
2. Juice: carrot, grapefruit, ginger, lemon - Facebook status update from Ani Phyo (love her!)
3. Broccoli & tahini heaven from Path Less Trodden
4. Heart Beet Rawvioli from My New Roots (which is an awesome blog BTW with amazingly mouth watering photography)
5. Avocado, fennel & citrus salad from Vegetarian Times

Of course there's no reason why you can't prepare these recipes right now, unless of course you're away from home like me.  That's why I`ve shared my raw to do list with you all.

Pre-Flight Green Smoothie

The last green smoothie ... well for a while at least. 

As you read this pre-scheduled post, I am sitting in a tiny airplane seat taking off for a land I've only dreamed of.  The length of my entire trip from my door in Canada to the door of the resort where I'll be teaching in Thailand is probably 48 hours.  YIKES!  Of course I need something in my belly that will be easy to digest, nutritionally dense and give me a little energy. 

When I'm home I drink a large green smoothie every morning, but alas, a quick search of my blog revealed that the last time I posted a green smoothie recipe was over a year ago!!  Here's what I tossed into the blender this morning ...

Pre-Flight Green Smoothie

• 2 cups fresh spinach (or another leafy green)
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 banana, frozen
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• water, enough to make everything go 'round

I like my smoothies to taste green, so you may need to add more fruit if a cuppa grass ain't your style.  Try raspberries or mango.

I love the creamy decadence that the avocado brings to this drink, and the banana adds just a touch of sweetness.  Being my third winter now, travelling to the east, this just may be the start of an old tradition of mine - the annual pre-flight green smoothie.

Flashback to 2009, Juice Recipe & Food Definitions

Way back in 2009 (it seems like just yesterday) I posted this list called "The Vegan One Hundred".  It's a list of 100 food items and you mark the ones that you've tried.  I think I've been fairly adventurous in my eating sampling over the years.  There was a good number of items on that list that I've had.  But there was also several things that I hadn't tried ... or even heard of!

Today when I was looking over this list I realized I have everything to make #49: Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne fresh pressed juice ... with Extra Ginger.  It's so simple and easy!  Why didn't I make this way back in 2009??!!

Ah well, the past is done.  Now is the present and it's time for Apple-Lemon-Ginger juice!!  Here's what went into the juice extractor:

• 1 granny smith apple
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

To get the maximum amount of juice I scoop out the pulp and run it through the juicer a second time.  Then pour 1/2 cup of water through the juicer.  Yes, this juice is that good.  I need to get every last drop ;)

Stir in a pinch of cayenne and consume!  Don't let your freshly extracted juice sit around too long.  It will start to oxidize fairly quickly and start to turn brown, not to mention that the vitamins and nutrients diminish the longer you wait to gulp it down.

After I had my juice I felt energized, so I decided to do a quick Blackle search and find out what some of those unfamiliar items are.  Here's what I discovered:

• #2 Nopales - also known as prickly pear, this pink-ish fruit grows on the cactus plant.  Hey I have tried this, but I think my mom called it "ugly fruit".
• #7 Arepas - mini corn cakes made with large kernel cornmeal. 
• #12 Umeboshi - Japanese pickled plum.  Since it's pickled, it's not considered sattvic, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't try it at least once.  Often sold as a type of vinegar too.
• #26 Scotch Bonnet - an extremely hot (but very cute looking) chile pepper.  I love that whoever made the list put the qualifier "raw" in front.  I've had lots of cooked hot peppers, but not raw.  I'll have to try to make a raw sauce with this one day.
• #46 Fuyu - hey I've had this too!  I sure am learning a lot.  It's a type of persimmon that's hard when eaten.  The other type of persimmon, hacheeya is soft when ripe.
• #54 Ramps - otherwise known as wild onion or wild leeks.  It's said to have a strong flavour of garlic and onion ... another one I think I'll stay away from.
• #60 Poi - I crossed it out because for some reason I thought it was fish, but then I realized it's a vegan list.  A quick search revealed that poi is actually a Hawaiian pudding-like dish made from the stem of taro.  Poi is also a type of fire dance (I haven't tried that either)
• #70 Mache - a dark lefty green!  Oooh I have to try this in a green smoothie!! 
• #79 Lapsang Souchong - Chinese tea with a smoky flavour.  I'm not really a fan of the smoky taste. 
• #93 Harissa - another hot & spicy one.  A hot sauce made from chiles, garlic, cumin and caraway seeds.

Wow, I really learned a lot.  Hopefully all my dear readers have found this research helpful too.  Have you done the Vegan 100?

Raw Vegan Sattvic Summer Strawberry Recipes

It's strawberry season, and I love a fresh, ruby red strawberry picked right off the plant.  There's lots of "pick-your-own" farms around here. 

I have lots of fond memories from my childhood of strawberry picking with my dad (now deceased).  We used to make our own homemade jam with the strawberries we collected on the weekends.  We even made our own labels for the jam and distributed it out to family and friends as gifts. 

I can't make jam with my father anymore, but I can make these healthy, raw, vegan desserts in honour of his memory.  It just so happens that father's day is during peak strawberry season ;)

Here are some of the strawberry recipes featured on my blog.

Raw Strawberry Pie

When I first started my raw journey I was famous for just making the pie filling (sans crust) and calling it a pudding.  This was my first attempt at an actual pie back in 2009.  It's a super quick and easy raw pie with a few basic ingredients and appliances.  I got hooked on making pies after that!  Get the recipe here.

Raw Strawberries & Dream

An equally easy and delicious recipe that can be whipped up in no time (pun intended).  Get the recipe here.

Double Strawberry Raw Serve

I recently had some strawberry flavoured ice cream while taking care of my nieces, and let me tell you, it tasted nothing like actual strawberries!  This quick "soft serve" type ice cream does.  Get the recipe here.

So like any good auntie I made them a pink princess strawberry smoothie.  As you can see from the picture they opted to eat it with a spoon.

Strawberry Mandarin Spinach Salad

All the ingredients are pretty much in the name of this one, but if you want see my original post for this salad back in 2009 which includes a raw salad dressing to pour on top, click here.

Strawberry Post Yoga Snack

Here's one for the coconut lovers!  I called it my post yoga snack because it's not too heavy, but absolutely delicious.  I ate loooOooots of coconut in India when I was there teaching yoga.  Everything from coconut in curry, chutney, rice pudding and of course fresh coconut water.  Get the recipe here.

Raw Strawberry "Cheese" Parfait

HA HA This is a strawberry "cheesecake" where I neglected making the crust and called it a parfait.  Despite my laziness, it's amazing and one of my all time favourite raw vegan recipes.  Get the recipe here.

Pretty in Pink Smoothie

Wow, I had no idea how many strawberry recipes I have on my blog until just now!  This last one is near and dear to my heart.  I posted this back in 2009 before I went hard core with my green smoothies, but I also like non green smoothies occasionally for a quick snack.  This smoothie uses strawberries and mango, one of my favourite fruit combinations.  Get the recipe here.

I hope you enjoy my strawberry highlights post.  I really enjoyed putting it together.  I will have to do another one soon for another ingredient (suggestions?).  If you are celebrating father's day this Sunday, have a great time with your dad and dad-type people in your life.



Sweet Sesame Sattvic Smoothie

I created this one late night when I had soaked a lot of dates and I just couldn't bring myself to dump the date soak water down the drain ...

Sweet Sesame Smoothie

• 1 handful of dates, soaked for a few hours in 1 cup of fresh filtered water
• 1/2 cup raw tahini (make sure there is only one ingredient listed on the label: sesame seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Combine everything (including the date soak water) in the blender and mix until frothy. Add more/less dates depending on the sweetness you like.

Enjoy the sweet sesame goodness!

 

A Few Things I Think Are Just Great ...

- playing with my niece & nephew (usually yoga related) -

- trees - all kinds, everywhere, always -

- thrift stores -


- strawberry picking with my dad (& then we make jam) -

- long silent walks @ 6 AM -

- Martha Stewart crafts -

- (raw) honey facials -

- big glass of greenie goodness (but you already knew that) -

Ah simple pleasures ...

Organic Canada Logo Spotted Once More

Remember my obsession with finding the new Canada Organic logo?? Well I've fallen back on my old ways, and the obsession has begun again (LOL! Good thing I'm leaving for India soon). This time the logo was spotted on Natur-a organic soy milk individual drink boxes. I'm so incredibly happy to see this logo proliferating, and helping consumers identify products that are genuinely organic. In case you missed this post, there's lots of fakers out there pretending to be organic and using their marketing cons to make your believe their product is organic. To learn more about organics read my previous posts on the Canada Organic logo, or visit the Canadian Organic Grower's (COG) website.

See more products that I've spotted the new logo on:

• So Nice organic soymilk unsweetened
• Salba Smart organic white corn tortilla chips
• Kiju organic fruit juices
• And many more to come!

'Til next time organic fans (or maybe I'm the only organic nerd who loves this stuff??)