Tag Archives: Recipes

Vegan Dish: Stuffed Zucchini w/ Brown Rice & Veggies

healthy living

So, I decided to make a vegan dish tonight while eating with the fam. Haven’t had brown rice in a few months, but I’ll live. Too much of it, makes me feel not so great, but little amounts I can handle. I tend to fluctuate between periods of all raw, and then I have cooked things like brown rice, quinoa, and steamed plantains that I love to incorporate every once in a while. I also really wanted to make something yummy to possibly encourage my father to get back on the veg bandwagon. My mothers stayed on as far as I know, but I hear he’s fallen way off since their 40 Day vegan fast. Anyhow, I was toying with doing stuffed bell peppers or zucchini, and stuck with the latter because I have so much from the garden right now. Below is the recipe. Remember that you can modify this any way you like to suit your taste buds. You can make a veggie version w/ no brown rice, or a version with quinoa, which is probably equally as delicious. You can even make a vegan version that includes daiya cheese (vegan cheese) as a topping. When I cook food, I choose to not cook things very long, because I don’t believe in zapping every last ounce of life force from my food, but you can modify the cooking times to suit your preference.

Ingredients:

Cooked brown rice

1-2 Zuchinni

red or green bell pepper

red onion

tomatoes

garlic (diced)

broccoli

Seasonings: Braggs, black pepper, curry powder, pinch of sea salt

Heat oven at 350 degrees. Cut your zucchini in half and scoop/cut out insides without breaking the skin. You can use a spoon and/or knife. Place on a baking pan or foil that has been drizzled with olive oil. Dice up veggies: broccoli, garlic, bell pepper, red onion, and insides of zucchini. Rinse thoroughly, and add all veggies to a wok or frying pan.  Add pinch of sea salt, two dashes of yellow curry, black pepper to taste, and generous amount of Braggs. Cover and let veggies cook/steam for a few minutes then add in brown rice. Heat until rice mixture is warm.  Use a spoon to scoop rice mixture into zucchini halves. Place zucchini in oven and let back for 15-25 minutes, depending on your preference. Serve & enjoy!!! 🙂

Smoothie! Moringa Mango Madness & the Anti-Aging Anti-Parasitic Benefits of Moringa

aging

So last week we introduced the miracle tree, Moringa Oleifera. As extensive as that article was, we barely skimmed the surface. If you haven’t read part 1 I suggest you check out the first blog post on Moringa here. In addition to the nutritional benefits of Moringa like the fact that it contains more than 92 nutrients and 46 types of antioxidants, moringa is extremely beneficial for slowing the aging process and guess what, killing parasites! If you are a regular reader of this blog, you should know how much I love any natural product that I can add to my parasite killing arsenal.

If you don’t know, antioxidants are key in slowing the aging process because they neutralize free radicals. The combination of superior nutritional value, which in includes providing all eight essential amino acids and 18 of the 20 amino acids absolutely essential for good health, seven times the Vitamin C content of oranges, four times the Vitamin A of carrots, four times the calcium of milk,  and three times the potassium of bananas, high amounts of iron, along with 46 antioxidants makes moringa probably one of the strongest natural sources of antioxidants. In the O.R.A.C. rest (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) test, moringa was tested against and beat out superfoods like acai, dark chocolate, garlic, blueberries, goji berries, pomegranate, red wine, and baobab for the most antioxidant capacity.

In addition to the powerful antioxidants, moringa leaves contain healthy amounts of cytokinins, which are naturally occuring plant hormones that induce cell division, growth, and delay aging of cells. Clinical studies have shown that this compound also called Moringa YSP produces anti-aging properties in humans and caused new skin cells grew faster than the older cells died. This resulted in an almost miraculous reduction of wrinkles on the face and other parts of the body. Sound better than botox? I think so. 

Now lets get to the parasite killing properties of this other worldly plant. Moringa not only kills parasites, it kills their eggs as well! This is really important to note because in most parasite cleanses, even ones you buy over the counter you have to take cloves in combination with black walnut hull and wormwood to effectively combat both the worms and their eggs. The cleansing effect cause by taking moringa has been used by traditional people to combat worms for years and years. It can effectively help to get rid of waste and parasites while also providing enough nourishment to rectify any imbalances caused by the worms as they leave your body. I am very excited about incorporating this tree into my diet long term for nutrition and to combat parasites and plan to grow it. Last week, I bought some moringa powder and I’m testing out this particular brand. I plan to find the best, most potent brand of leaf powder and continue ongoing use. Will most definitely report back my results! If you want to check out what I am using now, go the Raw Girl Store, and you’ll see it under super foods. Below is the recipe for my first moringa smoothie. -XoXo Raw Girl

Moringa Mango Madness Smoothie

Ingredients: 2 bananas, 1 cup to 1.5 cups of frozen mango, 1 tablespoon moringa powder, 1 tablespoon flaxseed, Young thai coconut water and meat or almond milk.

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend, serve, enjoy! 🙂

 

Benefits of Romaine & Juice! Romaine Cucumber Mint Lime Twist

healthy lifestyle


Lately I’ve had a lot of romaine lettuce stocked up that I have been putting to use in creative ways. I love to juice it, toss it with other greens in a salad, use it for lettuce wraps, or blend it in a green smoothie. When you think of romaine you may automatically assume it doesn’t have much nutrition to offer because it doesn’t have the deep green coloring of other super greens like kale. Do not be deceived, romaine lettuce actually does have some great nutritional benefits! Not only does romaine consist of 17% protein, it is a complete protein and contains all 8 essential amino acids! It also has 21% of your recommended daily allowance of calcium. Add it to a green smoothie with papaya, another calcium rich fruit and you’ll have a smoothie with way more calcium than in a glass of milk. Romaine also has 167% the daily recommended value of vitamin C. My favorite nutritional benefit of romaine that I never knew until now is that it has around 44% the daily allowance of omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial to our balancing our diets that tend to be high in omega-6’s, minimizing stress, and preventing inflammation related diseases.  In addition to all this, throw in super servings of vitamin A & K, and minerals like magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Every veggie has its place, and romaine is definitely not a green vegetable to discard as useless. If you’ve relegated your romaine to wimpy salads or ignored it all together, I challenge you to give it another chance. It’s high water content also makes it a nice hydrating addition to juices and smoothies as a base. Below is a recipe for  the juice I had this morning, you’ll find a few more juices I’ve put together in the past with romaine as a main ingredient in the blog archives. Happy Juicing!

Romaine Cucumber Mint Lime Twist

Ingredients: 1 head of Romaine Lettuce, 1 large cucumber, 2 limes, handful of mint, 1 apple. 

Juice all ingredients, strain and pour into blender. Blend juice with mint leaves, and serve. Enjoy! 🙂

Callers & Email Questions Needed for Radio Show ASAP!

Dearest Veggie Lovers, I am back on the air. My radio show Healthy Living in a Toxic World will begin airing all over Northern Virginia in September via WKCW 1420 AM. You can learn more in the new tab on the sidebar of the blog.  Right now I am looking for people willing to call in and ask health questions (you will be on-air) or email questions that I can use for the shows. Many of you have emailed me questions, and I may contact you directly to get your permission to feature the questions and answer in the show. If you are interested in being a caller or want to email a question for the radio show please email rawgirltoxicworld@gmail.com by this Friday latest! So appreciate your contribution to the show, can’t wait to share it with you. -XoXo Raw Girl

Quick Meal-on-the-Go: Raw & Vegan Lettuce Wraps!

easy recipes

Last week I had a bunch of romaine lettuce left in my fridge along with tons of zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc from the garden. Rather than juice all of it, I chose to make some yummy lettuce wraps. These are an awesome, quick n’ easy to make meal that can be very satisfying. Below are my versions, one is raw, and the other vegan (has cooked lentils in it). Whatever versions you choose, have fun with it, and get creative with your veggie choices! -XoXo Raw Girl

Ingredients: Romain Lettuce,  Zucchini, Avocado, Tomato, Cucumber, Green Pepper, Rosted Nori Krinkles. 

Wash all veggies thoroughly. Use a grater and grate zucchini into a bowl. Dice cucumber, green pepper, and tomatoes and add to bowl. Add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, dash of Braggs Liquid Aminos, dash of curry, and a pinch of sea salt (optional). Use fork to mix together. Grab one head of romaine lettuce and chop off bottom. Wash leaves and choose some that are the right size to suit your tastes. Tip: If you peel back a couple layers you’ll get smaller leaves that hold your filling better. Place your chosen lettuce leaves on your serving plate and scoop in filling. Chop avocado and add on top, and sprinkle roasted seaweed or nori krinkles as a final touch. Serve & Enjoy!

Ingredients: Romain Lettuce, Lentils, Zucchini, Tomato, Red Pepper, Lime.

Cook regular lentils or red lentils, whichever you prefer. To make 100% raw use sprouted lentils. Add in sea salt to taste. Dice raw zucchini, tomato, red pepper and season with dash of Braggs and a pinch of black pepper. Mix thoroughly, then stir into lentils. Cut a small lime in half and squeeze over blend. Grab one head of romaine lettuce and chop off bottom. Wash leaves and choose some that are the right size to suit your tastes. Tip: If you peel back a couple layers you’ll get smaller leaves that hold your filling better. Place your chosen lettuce leaves on your serving plate and scoop in filling. Serve & Enjoy!

Breakfast Options for a Raw Girl On-the-Go

breakfast

It’s morning, you have a full day ahead of you, and you want to stay on the healthy track. Here’s ten quick breaking-the-fast/breakfast ideas to get your morning started right! There is an asterisk next to some of them to indicate that those recipes require some overnight soaking or prep the night before. I try to mix it up, but my favorite breakfast meals are quick, usually liquid meals that include superfood supplements. Below, I’ve also compiled links to a few past recipes from the blog that work well for breakfast. Have a favorite raw breakfast you’d like to share? Feel free to post your recipe on the Facebook page. –XoXo Raw Girl

  1. Fruit Smoothies with superfood supplements or green powders
  2. Green Smoothies
  3. Green Juices/ Vegetable Juices
  4. Cacao Smoothies/ “Milk” Shakes from nut milks
  5. Young Coconut Water/ Meat/ Young Coconut Smoothies
  6. Fruit Yogurt/ Puddings
  7. Chia Seed Pudding
  8. Raw Oatmeal*
  9. Raw Granola*
  10. Raw Banana Pancakes*
Click on the links below to review some past recipes featured on the blog that can work for breakfast. Also be sure to check the recipe category for more juice combinations and recipes!

How to Make a Green Smoothie

How to Make Raw Blueberry Pancakes

How to Make Blueberry Banana Coconut Yogurt

How to Make a Sweet Popeye Smoothie

Carrot Juice For Glowing Skin & Juice! Spicy Carrot

acne

Just in case you missed the memo, carrot juice is good for you. In the raw vegan world we spend a lot of time talking about green juices and keeping our bodies alkaline, but it’s good to have balance, and not neglect the benefits of juices like carrot and beet, although they are sweeter. This post was sparked by the fact that right now I have something like a 10 lb bag of organic carrots in my refrigerator that I am determined not to waste. Needless to say I’ll be getting my carrot juice fix in for the next week! After doing some more research to remind myself exactly why carrot juice is so good for me, I was not disappointed. Carrot juice is definitely packed with a lovely amount of vitamins and minerals. Beyond that, as I consider myself a life long acne-zapping samurai, I was pleased to learn that carrot juice can help one get that vegan glow and stay acne-free. Rather than give you a long rundown, I’ve picked my top five reasons why carrot juice rocks my world and will boost the beauty of your skin. If you have diabetes, you should stay away from carrots because of their high natural sugar content. Everyone else, if you’ve been ignoring carrot juice, I urge you to get some and get juicing. Remember healthy skin is the result of everything you eat, so make sure to get a wide variety of fruits and veg and not just rely on one magic smoothie, formula, or vegetable. Recipe for my spicy carrot juice below. -XoXo Raw Girl

  1. Vitamin A. Carrot juice has an insane amount of vitamin A which is in the form of beta carotene. If you wanted to O.D. on Vitamin A, this would be the vegetable of choice to get your fix. Vitamin A helps the body to maintain tissue growth, healthy vision, and healthy bones and teeth. All this said,  too much Vitamin A is also not a good thing and can cause problems for you liver and other health issues.
  2. Vitamin C.  Carrots contain a nice amount of this lovely vitamin in highly absorbable form which helps to boost your immunity. Even more importantly for those of us who are vain—(raising my hand)—vitamin C helps the body to produce collagen which is essential for skin elasticity, preventing wrinkles, and slowing signs of aging. Doesn’t drinking carrot juice sound so much better than a collagen injection? Sounds great to me!
  3. Potassium. The potassium in carrots will play a role in the growth of new skin cells, and helping the body maintain the proper electrolyte balance. Getting a regular dose of potassium will reduce acne/blemishes, prevent and cure scars or dark spots on the skin. FYI, If your body is in need of potassium and become deficient this can result in dry skin, acne, or muscle spasms.
  4. Carotenoids. I know it sounds like the name of some sort of carrot wielding alien, but it’s not. I promise. These friendly but powerful antioxidants available in carrot juice/carrots protect your body from free radical damage and boost your immune system. They can also increase your skins immunity to the sun by preventing sun-induced collagen breakdown. Essentially they help to protect the skin against sun damage and sunburn, like an internal sunblock. Beta carotene is one of these carotenoids that prevents cells from degenerating, helps to slow aging, and maintain a youthful appearance.
  5. Cleans Your Liver. When your liver is overworked or overloaded it has to find a way to get rid of toxins. One of the ways it does is through your skin, causing acne. Carrot juice is a great liver cleanser that will help keep things in balance and your skin blemish-free.

Juice! : Spicy Carrot

8-10 carrots, 1 apple, 1 cucumber, 1 big piece of ginger root, (add 1/2 lemon optional)

Juice all ingredients. Strain, serve, enjoy! 🙂

Juice! : Cucumber Melon Lemonade

cantaloupe

Made this juice yesterday which I found pretty refreshing. Did you know you can juice melons? In this recipe you can try honeydew melon or cantaloupe, they both will work.  Melons in general are great for alkalinizing the body because of their high water content. They are a great addition to your diet if you are trying to lose weight, keep your skin clear, or just get your daily fruit and veg. Honeydew melon contains Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, beta carotene, and B Vitamins with the exception of B12.  -XoXo RawGirl

Ingredients

2 Long English Cucumbers or 4 regular cucumbers, 1/4 Honeydew melon or cantaloupe, 1/2 lemon, 1 whole lime, 2 apples.

Juice all ingredients, strain, serve, and enjoy! 🙂

Veggie Love: Watercress & Juice! Cucumber Watercress Delight

green juice

This weekend I tossed in some watercress to my green juice and it made for a delightful addition. If you know nothing about watercress, it’s a green herb aptly named due to its high moisture content that has been used for food and medicinal purposes since ancient times.  Having an almost peppery taste somewhat similar to mustard greens, watercress can be added to salads or juiced. One bowl of watercress salad greens contains a high level of antioxidants, and almost 1/2 the daily recommended intake of Vitamin A. In addition eating watercress will give you a nice dose of Vitamin C, beta carotene, B vitamins, Vitamin E, folate, iodine, calcium and more. Just 100 grams of watercress will also give you 200% of the daily recommended value for Vitamin K which can strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis.

Incorporating watercress in your diet can also help to prevent several kinds of cancer including skin and breast cancers. Some of the uses of watercress as a medicine or natural remedy include: purifying the blood, healing colds and coughs, asthma, anemia, and much more. Because of its high sulphur content, watercress is also a beauty vegetable that will assist in clearing and improving your complexion. The juice of watercress has been applied directly to the skin to aid in getting rid of acne, blackheads, dark spots etc.  I chose to juice my watercress, but you can also toss it in salads, nori rolls, or veggie wraps. Check out the recipe for my juice below, and if you’re looking for a new green to add some spice to your veggie life, give watercress a try. -XoXo Raw Girl

Cucumber Watercress Delight

 2-3 long English cucumbers or 4 large regular cucumbers

4-5 leaves of Lacinato Kale

large handful of Watercress

1-2 apples

1 lemon

Juice all ingredients, strain and serve. Enjoy!

Juice!:Cucumber Lime Cocktail

cucumber

Had fun last weekend using ingredients left in the kitchen and mint from the garden to create this very refreshing summer juice. -XoXo Raw Girl

Ingredients: 2 limes, 2 large cucumbers, 1 carrot, 3 baby apples or 1 1/2 -2 regular sized apples, a couple mint leaves.

Juice everything but the mint. Strain juice into blender and blend juice with mint leaves. Serve & Enjoy!

Juice! : Green Pineapple Zinger

health

If you’re a frequent juicer, you know there is a science to making great fresh juice. It’s always good to have some sort of water based veggie like cucumbers or celery as a base, and then add additional greens, and maybe a little something to sweeten or not. My go-to’s to add a little sweetness to juice if I want it are apples or coconut water. If I’m getting a little fancy pear or pineapple. If you’ve never tried pineapple, give it a chance, it has a nice flavor! -XoXo Raw Girl

Ingredients:

2 Cucumbers, 5-6 leaves of Kale, 2 Collard Green leaves, 1 generous wedge of Pineapple, Ginger