Tag Archives: Recipes

Heavenly Vegan Blueberry Pie

Recipes

Yesterday for some was “turkey day,” but for the seasoned vegan you know it’s time to get prepared to compromise. Holidays for raw foodies and vegans can be an uncomfortable and incessant barrage of  meat-eater taunts that really take all of the fun out of giving thanks. Rather than compromise your diet, I’ve found the best way to interject a bit of thanks-giving for the time shared with loved ones is to make a few meals yourself that allow you to chow down with no reservation.

Luckily for me, I’ve been vegan so long, my fam is accustomed to my vegan contributions and make accommodations for my diet. In fact I am deemed the ultimate holiday pie maker. Yesterday I made my staple Vegan Pecan Pie (which takes no time at all to prepare) and tried a new and exciting first: Vegan Blueberry Pie. Nobody was disappointed. In fact, I surprised myself, cause it truly was so good you wanna smack somebody; much less get another serving. The best part about this vegan dessert? You won’t feel bad about yourself afterwards, and your waistline will still be in tact, while your mouth has a funky good time. Try the recipe below & share the love! -XoXo Raw Girl

VEGAN BLUEBERRY PIE

Ingredients: 2 Whole Wheat Crusts (I get them from Whole Foods, but if your industrious and have all day, make them from scratch), 3/4 cup organic cane sugar,  3 tbsp Organic Non-GMO Corn Starch, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp lemon zest,  4-5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Use a fork to Punch holes in your pie crust with a fork and prebake for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool.

Find a large bowl and  combine the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest. If you are using frozen blueberries, let them sit out for 15 minutes or so at the beginning of this process and then strain them. Or you can do what I did which is using a sauce pan on very low heat I defrosted them and strained the juice.

Next step mix in the blueberries with the mixture in your bowl, and pour into pie crust. For the top crust, I used another crust and let it bake in the oven until it was firm enough to not fall apart on me. Then I sliced strips from that crust and laid it over the pie with the filling inside and let it bake for another 25 – 30 minutes.

Make sure you let it sit for an hour or two before you dig in! I know its tempting, but burning your tongue is no fun, so let it chill and serve.

Smoothie of the Day: Acai Mango Rush!

acia berry smoothie

Today’s smoothie was exceptionally exciting  and of course tasted divine. I wanted to make use of this brand of organic Acai juice that my cousin found at Walmart of all places—-it is actually Whole Foods quality (all natural fruit puree and acai) and it only costs like five bucks. Great deal if you ask me. So I whipped up this smoothie which was a major energy and immune booster thanks to the spirulina, and got a little antioxidants to boot.  -XoXo Raw Girl

Ingredients:

1 banana

1 cup acai berry juice

1 mango

1 Tablespoon Spirulina

Blend & enjoy 🙂 Makes one serving.

The copyright of this recipe is owned by Esosa Edosomwan AKA  Raw Girl AKA Chef Eazy E. Permission to republish this recipe in  any format must be granted by the author in writing.

Hibiscus Iced Tea: A Refreshing Summer Beverage w/ Nutritional Benefits

hibiscus

www.foodandwine.com

During one of my regular trips to Brooklyn, a girlfriend of mine made me Hibiscus Ginger Iced tea, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Not only does this tea (served hot or cold) have a lovely flavor, it is caffeine-free, and also comes with some very lovely nutritional benefits. So if you are still someone who gets down with the packaged iced tea mix to co0l you down, consider investing in some dried hibiscus flowers and giving this refreshing tea a try. Several variations can be made just by adding lime, ginger, or even mint. Try what suits your taste buds and make sure to sweeten with unrefined sugar: raw sugar, agave, stevia etc. I actually used cactus honey, which was delicious. Taking an early Raw Girl Vacay Weekend to work on a new project! Be back on Monday with more fuel for your raw fire. -XoXo Raw Girl

Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea

  • Can lower blood pressure and control cholesterol levels. Many studies have confirmed this benefit: In a study conducted in 2004 which was published in the journal Phytomedicine, seventy people drank 16 oz of hibiscus tea before breakfast or took anti-hypertensive medication. In one month’s time, the group who was drinking the tea had a reduction of at least ten points in their diastolic blood pressure.
  • Assists in weight loss. Hibiscus tea contains an enzyme inhibitor that blocks the production of amylase, which is an enzyme that breaks down complex carbs and sugars. If one drinks hibiscus tea after meals, this will reduce the absorption of dietary carbs and help shed some pounds!
  • Boosts Your Immune System. Hibiscus tea is rich in vitamin C and therefore regular ingestion can help to fight off colds and infections.
  • Prevents bladder infection and constipation.

How to Prepare

  • Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 4 whole flowers or 2 tablespoons of dried flower petals.
  • Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes.
  • Strain.
  • Add sweetener (preferably not refined sugar). For variations try adding mint, ginger (add in while boiling), lemon juice, or an orange peel to add extra flavor.

Another way to prepare hibiscus tea:

  • Soak dried hibiscus flowers in water for 2 days (no boiling required).
  • Strain.

To maximize the benefits of hibiscus tea, store your flowers in a cool, dry location.


How to Make a Sweet Popeye Smoothie

popeye

Hey there veggie lovers, got another quick and easy  smoothie for you. This is a variation of the “Popeye” which is named that way cause Popeye got all his strength from spinach, if you remember….Although I think it was canned spinach or something, right? So this may be a better, organic version, with a little extra tanginess to boot.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgvilWBQrog]

Ingredients:

Water and meat from 1 Thai Coconut, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1/2-1 cup diced organic pineapple

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!

How to Make a Romaine Refresher Juice

green juice

Hey party people: I got a new juicer! So I am having fun creating some new juice concoctions. This Romaine Refresher  juice, I made up on the fly because there happened to be a lot of romaine lettuce in my fridge. It is as refreshing as the title leads on—and is a lovely light juice to drink, especially as the weather gets warmer. Although we never think too much about getting nutrients from the lettuce in our salads, Romaine lettuce is the most nutrient-dense of all the lettuce varieties and is an excellent source of vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, folic acid, manganese and chromium. Hope you get down with some romaine in your green juice soon! – XoXo Raw Girl

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9RnFOZJrjU]

Ingredients:

1 head of Romaine Lettuce, 1 whole lemon, 7-8 stalks of celery, 1/3 ginger root

How to Make a Papaya Breeze Smoothie

diet

It’s been gorgeous outside! When it starts to get warm I get in smoothie/juice mode, so I had a little fun in the sun and whipped up this papaya concotion. Has a very lovely and refreshing flavor. To make even cooler, add in some ice or freeze the berries before blending.  – XoXo Raw Girl

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLMgFFQERnk]

Ingredients:

1/4 large papaya, 1/2 mango, 1 banana, 8 strawberries, juice of 1 lemon

Cut up and put all ingredients in your blender and give it a whirl. Enjoy!

How to Make 3 Mushroom Ginger Miso Soup

fermented foods

So at some point about two weeks ago, it went from feeling like summer to being freezing again, and I had a particular penchant for soup. But not just any soup…I wanted Miso soup which has the added benefit of promoting good bacteria in your body because miso is fermented! So heres my recipe for a fabulous 3 Mushroom Miso.  When making the video I forgot the essential ingredient that makes this miso lip smacking—GINGER. Make sure to add in diced ginger root in step one when you add mushrooms to boiling water. It is so easy and quick to prepare its insane. It takes me about 5 minutes if my mushrooms are prepped. Hopefully, we won’t have many more days of yo-yo-ing weather, but if we do and your feeling a jones for something warm and light, try this recipe! – X0X0 Raw Girl

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwJaJQTdz98]

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Shiro Miso (or any kind you like: barley miso is yummy), 1 1/2 to 2 shredded carrots, 2 cups mushrooms ( i used Shitake, oyster, and baby bella mushrooms), 4-5 sheets organic Nori, 1 bunchful of Scallions chopped, 1/4-1/2 GINGER ROOT diced

How to Make a Cleansing Cocktail

cleanse

Hey:

So I had a blast while on vacay in Brooklyn with my good friend Khepera and her beautiful children and we made a cleansing cocktail. The highlight of making this video was her little two year old screaming throughout because he wanted to help her make the juice! I’m feeling like doing some spring cleaning and it’s getting warm outside so juices and fresh coconut water are so in, and heavy foods are out for me right now. My long time fetish is coconut water. If someone figured out how to make that come from a tap I would be in heaven. Anyway, I hope you start your own spring cleaning and give this fabulous cocktail a try. Feel free to add apple to sweeten. I drank mine straight and still found it to be delicious. Enjoy! -XoXo Raw Girl

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbewPA_WCQo]

Ingredients:

Handful of kale leaves, 3 stalks celery, 3 carrots, 2 or 3 broccoli stalks, handful parsley, 1/4 beet, 1/4-1/2 ginger root, *apple (optional)

How to Make Raw Blueberry Banana Pancakes

banana pancakes

Hey raw vegan party people! So I had a blast dreaming up this raw pancake recipe. They are yummalicious and since making these I have come up with several other delectable variations that I promise to share (raw apple cinnamon pancakes are also delish). Back in the days when I was on the S.A.D.D. (standard American death-trap diet) I used to love pancakes and french toast, but now the thought of all that white flour and bread makes my stomach queasy.  There were a bunch of raw pancake recipes I came across. Most consisted entirely of nuts. I decided to make a version that was less nut heavy and ground the oat seed or “oat groat” into a flour and added that into the recipe.  In order to make these you need a dehydrator and a high-speed blender, and you are ready to go! The longest part is the dehydration, but its easy if you start the day before. It takes no time to blend the batter and you can just leave them in the dehydrator and go about your business. Trust me, It’s worth the wait ;). -XoXo Raw Girl

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BthWV75RVGg]

Ingredients:

2 bananas, 2 cups almond flour (made from grinding raw almonds), 2 cups oat flour (grind oat groats into flour), 1/2 -3/4 of a small container of organic blueberries, 1/2 cup agave nectar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1/4 cup flaxseed meal, 1/2 cup water (or as needed)

First grind your almonds into almond flour, and grind your oat groats into oat flour.  If you have less oats than nuts you can use a 3 cups to 1 cup ratio—3 cups almonds and one cup oat groats, feel free to play around with it. Put all ingredients except for flaxseed into blender and blend. Stop and use wooden spoon or spatula to mix in ingredients, then blend again until smooth.  Pour batter into a bowl and mix in flaxseed meal to thicken batter. Set dehydrator for 115 degrees and portion out your pancakes onto teflex sheets after coating with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Dehydrate for 6 hours minimum then flip off of teflex sheet and let the other side dehydrate for another 4.5-6 hours. When done they should not be gooey, but firm and little flexible. Serve with fruit and grade B maple syrup if needed. They will already be sweet so you may eat them as is!

Makes around 8-9 medium size pancakes. Enjoy!

How to Sprout Step-by-Step

health

Hey fabulous vegan lovers:

Sorry that Raw Girl was M.I.A. yesterday! I am on day two of another film shoot 🙂 Almost done. Here’s a short video which breaks down step-by-step how I sprout wheat berries which I use to make Rejuvelac. There are many other ways to sprout. Sometimes I use a sprouting tray, others recommend using a glass jar and then growing the sprouts in a dark cupboard. Do what works for you; this method was the bootleg method that I used when I first started going raw using a bowl and covering with a plate. A dark environment without too much humidity is key, and rinsing is necessary to ensure they do not mold. Happy Sprouting! 😉 -XoXo Raw Girl

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=facf7wpMG0Y]