Brussels Sprouts 2 Ways: Raw (for me) and Grilled (for the kids & hubbie!)

Who has not been stuck having to cook 2 dinners? Well, I have plenty of times! That is why I try to maximize my time and coordinate meals for me and the children if I can. So, tonight, I am going to make my Raw Brussels Sprout Salad and Grilled Kale!

When I first met my husband, he would not touch Brussels sprouts. Too many times he had been served overcooked ones growing up! One day he gave them a try and since it has become his favorite vegetable!

I have separated the directions below but I suggest that you do them both at once to save time!!!

Raw Brussels sprout salad
6-12 Brussels sprouts (depending on how much you are making)
Lemon
Olive oil
Sea salt

Optional: crushed walnuts (and, if you are not vegan, an aged Parmesan or a raw cashew cheese), sliced avocado

Also optional: drizzle of pumpkin seed oil

Clean the Brussels sprouts and thinly slice in approximately 1/8 inch strips. Place the shreds in a bowl and dress with olive oil, lemon and sea salt. And, then decorate as you would like. Sliced avocado is also good over this salad. I also love to drizzle a bit of pumpkin seed oil (Austrian's Finest Organic is my favorite.) Experiment and make it fun!
Grilled Brussels sprouts
6-12 Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Sea salt

Clean Brussels sprouts and cut stems off. Place half of them in a casserole dish and liberally douse with olive oil and a healthy dash of sea salt. Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 20+ minutes until crispy.

Who knew with Brussels sprouts could be so delicious?!?

Highline and Homemade Ices on a Beautiful Summer Day!

This Saturday we took the children to Chelsea Market to have lunch and walk on the Highline, which is the artistically landscaped promenade on the West Side running from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking district to 34th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.

For those who have not been to Chelsea Market, they have everything to eat! Since I eat a primarily raw, vegan diet while the rest of my family desires more mainstream, finding a compromise with restaurants can sometimes be tricky. Not so today! I had a green juice and a delicious, raw falafel salad from One Lucky Duck while the children had spinach quiche and a slice of pizza (not perfect but it was a real Italian thin-sliced one and not the junky kind!) and a lemonade from One Lucky Duck.

After lunch the children both had real shaved-ices from People's Pops! We all then took a leisurely stroll down the Highline. What a perfect day with the family.

Quick, Easy Raw Pizza with Avocado

Last night I got home late from my daughter's chorus performance and was starving yet didn't want to spend hours in the kitchen. So, since I had made my Macadamia nut cheese and avocado fries earlier, I decided to put together my VERY favorite raw pizza!

I believe in a well stocked pantry so all you need is:

Raw Pizza
- Love Force raw bread (sun-flax orginal and rye are my favorites but also have raison & Italian)
- Raw macadamian nuts (see my earlier post on Macadamia nut cheese) or cashews
- Slice of tomato
- Few leaves of spinach or another green
- Grated carrots (optional)
- Sprouts!
- Avocado (see my earlier post on avocado fries)
- optional: raw pesto to drizzle (did not do it here)

Take a slice of the Love Force bread. Liberally cover the bread with the Macadamia nut cream cheese. (You could also make or buy a raw cashew cheese, or if you are not all-raw use a spreadable cheese such as Tofutti or even a sliceable almond cheese.) Layer spinach or another green on top, then the sliced tomato, grated carrots if you are using them and sprouts. At the very end top with sliced avocado. Today, I used the avocado fries since I had already had them made but you can used just plain sliced avocado and it is delicious also! Note: if you are using sliced avocados, I recommend adding them after the cheese and smooshing them down with a fork so they don't slip off!

This is a wonderful lunch or snack idea for children and I promise you they will not know the difference between this and a regular open faced sandwich! To make it a bit more "kid friendly," you could also use Exekiel bread instead of the Love Force bread.

Avocado 'French Fries' Anyone?

Today it is a bit overcast here in New York City and I am having a craving for something warm and a bit salty. Last night my son had a lacrosse game and I made a gorgeous salad with avocado to go and I have 1/2 left over. And, I have another avocado that is going a bit soft so I am making my truly addictive avocado fries!

My kids and husband ADORE these and literally eat them up before they can barely get out of the dehydrator! And, they are so easy to make and delicious!

2 avocados

2 cups sesame seeds

Sea salt

Optional: dulse flakes or hemp

Step 1: Grind 2 cup sesame seeds and 1 tbsp sea salt (you can also add dulse flakes and/or hemp seeds if you desire). I grind them in a coffee grinder and usually make a largeer batch of this and keep it in the fridge so I have it on hand!

Step 2: Pur 1/2 of the mixture in a bowl, slice your avocado and liberally cover the avocado on both sides with the mixture.

Step 3: Place the avocado slices in your dehydrator for 1-2 hours turning mid-way through. If you have leftovers they can also be heated in the dehydrator to make a bit warm. Enjoy!

I have put mine in the dehydrator and am heading out to a bikram yoga class and plan to have them for lunch over some greens when I get home. I also might use them on a raw pizza crust (I use the Life Force raw bread but they would also be delicious atop Exekiel bread) with the Macadamia nut cream cheese, some sliced tomatoes and some sprouts when I get home for dinner tonight!

My New Favorite Morning Smoothie!

My new favorite is my Celery Banana Smoothie! Not only is it packed with selenium, electrolytes such as potassium and sodium, fiber and iron, but I feel light and energized after drinking it! A perfect way to start an action-packed day!

Celery Banana Smoothie

4-6 stalks celery

1 medium frozen banana

1-2 cups vanilla almond milk

Handful of parsley (or spinach)

Optional: maca, chia seeds, gogi berries or hemp seeds/powder

Blend in your blender and enjoy! This smoothie is so clean and refreshing!

Thank you Starbucks!

We moms have no excuse not to give our children healthy snacks now!!! Earlier in the week, I picked up my son from lacrosse and he was starving! We are not talking about the slightly hungry “mom, may I please have a snack” type hunger but the full-on, grumpy cranky, you have to get a snack into them NOW type hunger!

I looked across the street and saw a Starbucks (they are on every corner now!), entered and hoped for the best.

What I found was nirvana! Starbucks now carries Raw granola bars by Two Moms, dried fruit leathers, pureed fruit snacks by Peter Rabbit (perfect for little ones), bags of organic dried fruit, and even gluten-free, nut-free cookies by Lucy’s.

I got Oliver the bag of cookies and an Izzy sparkling fruit and water drink (and myself an iced green tea). And, as Oliver devoured his snack , we happily headed home. Crisis diverted!

On top of all of that, I was able to feel that I just had not stuffed him with a sugar-laden, processed snack because I was in a pinch!

Win-win!

Raw Macadamian Nut "Sour Cream" Anyone?

Today I have been on a cooking frenzy and made my delicious raw macadamian nut “sour cream.” This dish is SO easy to make and is delicious on top of salads, as a “sour cream or mayonaise” for sandwiches or on sprouted bread, bagels or manna bread.

I am going to put this on top of my salad today and then serve it to the kids with a side of chips this afternoon for a snack (my new favorite are the Split Pea Nut-free, gluten-free ones by Gourmet Solutions). You can also use this as a dip at a cocktail party and I promise your friends will devour it!

1- 1 1/2 cups raw macadamian nuts (soaked for 4-6 hours, drained and rinsed)

1/4 cup oil (I like to use hemp oil or olive oil)

/4-1/2 cup water (add slowly to get to your desired consistency)

Juice from one lemon

Hefty dash of sea salt1/4 chopped onion (to add later)

Mix all of the above ingredients except the onions into a food processor and run until smooth. Add the onions at the very end for garnish and gently mix in.