Tag Archives: healthy recipes

health

Sis, have you heard about phytochemicals? 🤔

In this two-part series, I’ll be talking about 7 phytochemicals you should know that are beneficial to you.

Phyto means plant. Phytochemical is simply a term that is used to describe all chemicals that are related to plant species. There are over 7,000 of them!

Phytochemicals are needed to protect the body from harmful substances that cause chronic conditions. They also keep the body functioning well. This is why plant-based diets can greatly reduce the risk of chronic conditions.

Here are 4 of the 7 phytochemicals that you ABSOLUTELY need to know about and where you can find them. Stay tuned for the rest.

Chlorophyll is the lifeblood of plants and a popular phytochemical that I’m sure you’ve heard of that is anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic. Green leafy vegetables and the blue-green algae chlorella are great sources. Chlorella can protect the body against ultraviolet radiation. It also normalizes body functions and has detoxification properties.

Carotenoids are found in bright red, yellow, and orange fruits such as citrus fruits, bell peppers, carrots, and other cruciferous vegetables. There are more than 600 naturally occurring carotenoids and all are tissue-specific, enhance immune response, and protect against depletion of glutathione, the body’s major intracellular antioxidant.

Catechins are found in a wide range of plants and in foods like tea, cocoa, and berries. They are most abundant in grape seed extract and green tea leaves. These compounds act as antioxidants and some can be antiviral, antimicrobial, and chemoprotective. Want a nice dose of them? Drink matcha tea. Matcha is high in a catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate).

Curcuminoids are pigments found in turmeric which have antioxidant, anticoagulant properties and also can be anticarcinogenic, antiviral, and help to reduce cholesterol. There are so many ways to get your turmeric in – but one of my favorites for the fall is making warm turmeric milk; using non-dairy milk, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, and a pinch of black pepper. -XO

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @therawgirl as I share lots of valuable tips on nutrition and health as a whole!

Recipe: All Green Everything Pizza

healthy living

About a week or so ago I made my All Green Everything Pizza, and posted a pic in my insta stories on my @therawgirl profile asking if anyone wanted the recipe. 100% responded YES! So yesterday I posted the videos, demoing how to make the lazy version (using a pre-made crust) and how to make an industrious version (homemade crust but Oh-so-worth-it & it only takes 15 minutes in the oven!)

This is a variation on the recipe I posted on the blog for my Gluten-Free Flatbread and Pizza Crust. For this pizza, the crust is green and includes superfoods, the sauce is green – pesto base, and you add on whatever green toppings you have on hand at home. If you make it please holla at your girl and let me know what you think.

Industrious Version
Lazy Version

XO

Esosa E., MS, CNS, LDN

Recipe! Dangerously Yummy Vegan Blueberry Oat Bars

baking

Blueberry oat barsBLUEBERRY OAT BARS : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups oat flour

 2/3 cup coconut palm sugar 

1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

¾ teaspoon fine grain sea salt  

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) Earth Balance or 1/2 cup melted coconut oil 

Blueberry Filling:

1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons oat flour  

1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries or mixed berries of your choice

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tablespoons Earth Balance or Coconut Oil

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use earth balance or melted coconut oil to butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Line the bottom with parchment paper if you have it (to help remove the bars.)

2. Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add earth balance or coconut oil and pulse until loose crumbs form. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the mixture, place in a medium bowl. Keep this at room temperature.

3. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a metal spatula to press the crust into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. This is a very dry mixture. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. This will ensure a firm crust. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the blueberries, lemon juice and coconut oil or earth balance and use your hands to toss gently until the blueberries are evenly coated. 5. Spread filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture on top of the filling. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges a little. 6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars. you can eat before it cools but it will be more of a crumble, and once it cools all the way down will be firm bars.  Keep refrigerated for up to two days in an airtight container. Eat up and enjoy! -Xo Raw Girl 

Dangerously Delicious Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Nut Muffins

gluten-free

Banana Nut 2

Hi gang!

Posted on Instagram a week ago that I made some pretty amazing banana nut muffins for Father’s Day. I love this recipe because if you never told your family or friends these muffins were gluten and dairy-free they may never figure it out! They are super delicious, quick and easy to make and don’t have too many ingredients that are hard to find.  You mix wet ingredients together, dry together, then combine. Because my body is so sensitive I can’t do much flour, but for those who can you’ll love these. Recipe below. If you try it, shoot me a message and let me know how yours turned out.

-XO Raw Girl

Banana nut 3

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup walnuts (crispy walnuts are best)
  • 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Oil or line 12 standard muffin tins or 24 mini muffin tins with paper. (I like bigger muffins so I used the 12 muffin tin.)

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Alternatively, toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet until slightly flecked with brown, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a food processor and grind with some of the flour so as not to turn the nuts into paste. You can also transfer the nuts to a cutting board and finely chop.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the juice, syrup, oil, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

Pour the wet into the dry, mixing with a spatula or spoon until the dry ingredients are completely absorbed. Fold the bananas into the batter.

Pour the batter into the muffin tins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before removing from the mold. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 1 month.

XO Raw Girl

 

Win a Free Copy of Got Veg?!

healthy recipes

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 #GOTVEG GIVEAWAY !!! Starting September 7th until September 28th, 2015 enter to win a FREE EBOOK copy!!!  

I’m excited to give away some free books packed with information and inspiration sure to jumpstart your healthy lifestyle. To enter the contest:

  1. Sign up for the Raw Girl email list here: http://bit.ly/1JBgAwK
  2. SHARE this post with 5 friends on Facebook or Instagram (Tag me on Instagram @therawgirl or on Facebook www.facebook.com/therawgirl)
  3. Email a picture and 400 words or less about your personal health journey

Winners will be announced every Sunday and will receive their ebooks the same day! XO

Juice! Tangy Cucumber Cooler

detox
Cucumber Romaine Lemon Ginger
I’m on a sugar-free regimen for the entire month of November, and it is in one word HARD. We are so used to being stimulated by sugar in so many forms, it is hard to function without it. In fact, the majority of us are so sugared-up that it leads us on the path to chronic illness and disease.
It is estimated that the average American eats 150 to 170 pounds of sugar each year. That’s the weight of an adult human being! No wonder so many are obese or sick and tired. Take stock of how much sugar you are putting in your body from morning to evening and you may be surprised. It’s in everything from condiments, processed foods, and “health drinks.
” Yes, our body needs carbohydrates to thrive and to give us energy, but it does not need refined sugars found in processed foods, desserts, and candies. Juicing is a great way to break addictions, and help the body reset from unhealthy cravings. Below is a recipe for a simple healthy juice with no added sugars, that is light and refreshing. -XoXo Raw Girl
Tangy Cucumber Cooler
1 head of Romaine
2 Cucumbers
1 Lemon
ginger root (to taste)
Run all ingredients through juicer. Strain, serve, enjoy!

 

Super Delicious Vegan French Toast

bananas

Vegan French Toast copyYesterday after yoga, I was challenged to create a healthier non-dairy version of french toast that would be worth the effort. So I went vegan and whipped out this quick and easy recipe from my arsenal.  Judging by the fact that all of it was gone by the end of brunch and we were left scraping our plates, I think I succeeded. The secret ingredient that was the substitute for eggs? Bananas! That’s right, move over egg replacer, bananas can do just as well for vegan french toast, and add natural sweetness that doesn’t necessarily require you to use any additional syrup or agave. I used Ezekiel bread so that I could actually eat some, (my body literally goes cray-cray when I eat any other kind of bread), and opted for the cinnamon raisin version to add additional flavor– it was delicious!  To fry the french toast I used coconut oil, which is the healthiest oil to cook with because it doesn’t go rancid as easily as other oils. and Below is the quick and easy recipe. Remember this one, and keep some bananas handy the next time someone challenges you to a vegan brunch-off! -XoXo Raw Girl 

Vegan Banana French Toast

Ingredients

Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread 

3 ripe bananas

3/4 cup organic coconut milk

1/4 cup organic coconut cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

coconut oil 

Blend the bananas, coconut milk, coconut cream, and vanilla. Add cinnamon if you opted to use regular bread. Prepare french toast as usual dipping each piece of bread into the batter. Use coconut oil to fry to make it slightly healthier. Make as much as you want, then serve plain or use agave or grade B syrup if you need additional sweetener.

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UPDATE!  7 Days left in the fundraiser for the new and improved Raw Girl Website and we are now only $94 away from hitting the goal. THANK YOU to all of you lovely peeps who have supported so far!  If you have not checked out the campaign, please do via the link below and DONATE what you can, every dollar is so appreciated! http://igg.me/at/rawgirl/x/536460

Juice! Carrot Lemon Blast & Benefits of Juicing Lemons

health
The Power of Juicing Lemon

Carrot Lemon Blast

Carrot Lemon Blast

6-7 carrots

1/2 head of celery

2 Lemons

1 pear

1 apple

Juice all ingredients. Serve, strain, enjoy!

Why is it never a bad idea to O.D. on lemons? Lemons are powerful citrus fruits that are effective as a food and as medicine. Ancient Egyptians believed that consuming lemons and lemon juice protected them from poisons and toxic substances. Although it’s easy to disregard lemons because they are so readily available, like that good old friend from back in the day, you always can call upon a lemon when you need it to combat a virus, a cold, ease digestion, and more. They contain vitamin C, citric acid, and B vitamins. The benefits relevant to clearing your skin include purifying the blood, cleansing the kidneys, and assisting in elimination of toxins. Lemon juice is one of the most highly antioxidant juices so drinking it helps to slow aging and deactivate free radicals. Lemon juice applied directly on the skin (would need to be diluted for sensitive skin) can help to reduce scarring, age spots, and gently exfoliates and removes dead skin cells. Need to get more lemon juice in your diet? Add lemons to your daily vegetable juice, squeeze lemon over your green salad, or start the day with a tonic of filtered water with lemon juice squeezed in. -XoXo Raw Girl

Need a spring cleaning? More awesome recipes with power ingredients and a full regimen in Raw Girl’s 7 Day Detox for Beauty, Weightloss, & Rejuvenation.

Recipe! Raw Cashew Nut Milk

health
Raw Cashew Nut Milk Smoothies

Raw Cashew Nut Milk Smoothies

My last post was about  one of the dangerous ingredients in  store bought nut milk, so I wanted to offer another basic recipe that you can make at home in addition to almond milk. Raw cashew milk is not only tasty, it is incredibly filling. If you’ve have never tried it, give it a go. After I made my cashew milk I  had a little extra fun and made a strawberry banana smoothie. In one cup is  the nut milk with some strawberry banana smoothie poured on top, and the other a plain smoothie. Have fun, get creative, and enjoy your preservative and stabilizer-free nut milk making! -XoXo Raw Girl

photo-17Raw Cashew Milk

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews

3 cups water

2 tablespoons agave nectar or grade B maple syrup

2 vanilla seeds or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (optional) 

LOVE

photo-16Soak cashews overnight and in the morning rinse. Add all ingredients in the blender and blend for at least one minute. If you have a mesh bag you can strain the milk. Serve & enjoy!

 

Recipe: The Most Bangin’ Vegan Spinach Quiche EVER

healthy cooking

Finshed Spinach QuicheOkay so the title for this post may seem a little too boastful, but seriously this quiche tasted like a slice of HEAVEN. Made it for Christmas, for my mother who wanted to have some sort of spinach pie. I looked up a few different recipes and improvised the one below, and I must say, when I finished I was pretty darn pleased with my Vegan Rachel Ray skills. The best part about this vegan quiche is that it actually tastes “cheesy” !

If you are vegan or raw, you know that strange longing sometimes to have something that really gives the same euphoric feeling that cheese used to give, sans the chemicals, hormones, and damaging preservatives. Well, the secret ingredient to this quiche is actually tofu. I’m not a regular tofu eater, but I can handle it in small amounts occasionally. For this quiche, the tofu is not only worth it but absolutely necessary. Important thing to note is that the tofu you must buy to make this recipe work is the packaged tofu that is NOT refrigerated. Firm works best, but even if you accidentally get extra firm it’ll still work.   I also added king mushrooms which was a great choice and made it more “meaty”, and used a spelt crust rather than whole wheat. Spelt seems to have a bit less gluten and therefore does not bother me as much. It also pairs well with the spinach. We really enjoyed our Christmas dinner, and I was proud of myself for giving my mother more evidence that she can still make the things she loves to eat sans meat and dairy.  Try it for yourself and let me know what you think! Best part about it, took very little time to prepare. -XoXo Raw Girl 

Ingredients: Spinach Batter

2 16 oz Bags of frozen Organic Spinach

1 package King Mushrooms (as much as you prefer) 

Red Onion

Spices: 1 teaspoon Curry, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, Dash of Red Pepper or Cayenne, Braggs Liquid Aminos to taste

Spinach Quiche 2

1 Package of Firm Tofu (packaged but not refridgerated) 

2 Spelt Crusts

Place crusts in oven and set somewhere around 375 – 425 degrees. While crusts are thawing in oven, sautee spinach with onions, and mushrooms. At some point remember to check on your crusts and poke holes in them with a fork.  Add Braggs Liquid Aminos for flavor, and Cayenne or Red Pepper. I used my mother’s special red pepper from Nigeria that is ridiculously awesome but sorry, you can’t find it in the grocery store. In  the blender put in your package of tofu, add 1 heaping teaspoon curry (gives it the yellow color like eggs) and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Blend tofu untilsmooth. Don’t add any liquid just work it with a spoon or blender accessory that allows you to work it all in until creamy.  In a large bowl mix the spinach and tofu together. The filling is done!  Take your crusts out of the oven. Fill one crust with the spinach mixture. Now, what I did next is take the remaining crust carefully  trying NOT to break it (it will still be somewhat soft and place it on top of the quiche. Then stick in the oven and back until crusts are cooked and brown. Let it cool for fifteen to twenty minutes at least. Serve & enjoy the BEST VEGAN QUICHE EVER!

Finished Spinach Quiche 2