Sandwich Wraps

Veggie Wrap Sandwiches

These are easy, delicious, forgiving, crowd pleasing.

Here is one way to prepare them.    

My fillings vary, depending what is available in my refrigerator!

In order of appearance:

Spread hummus on a whole wheat wrap.

Layer with roasted bell pepper sauce.

Sprinkle on small bits -
apples, raisins,  & dried cranberries for a bit of sweet.

Cover with sprouted lentils.

Top with your favorite herbs.  Today, cilantro.

Thinly sliced carrots add crunch.

Looking delicious...

Pile on spinach or greens.

Do not be shy when adding greens, they compact when rolled.

Carefully roll your creation, beginning at the veggie loaded end.
Slice (See my post, The Best Knife!).  Serve. 

Other Filler Ideas:

Avocado, alfalfa sprouts, basil, beans, purple cabbage, garbanzo sprouts, pear, dried apricots, eggplant spread, thick salad dressings, tomatoes, celery...

Be creative! 

Apple-Pear Sauce

Apples

Did you know there are 7,500 types of apples?!

The USDA measured antioxidants in apples.  

Of the most common, crowd-pleasing apples, the winners are:  

Idared #1, Red Delicious #2, Honeycrisp #3, Granny Smith #4

Tip:  When curious about a food or health topic, go to NutritionFacts.org.  Click on the letter beginning the health topic of your interest.  I clicked on A for Apples!

Apples, oranges, grapefruits, thawed, frozen cranberries, carrots, and pecans all on a bed of spinach makes a plate pretty!  Drizzle lemon or lime juice on top!

*Snip the stem off an artificial flower.  Now poke a party pick in the flower's base, right inside the hole where the stem was.  Eating just became a bit more fun!

RAW APPLE SAUCE

This recipe takes seconds to prepare, because you do not cook it!

Raw Apple or Pear Sauce

2 apples or pears (or combination of both) chopped - keep the peels on, they are the most nutritious part  

2-3 Tablespoons of *liquid - depending on desired consistency  

1 stalk celery - chopped (less or more, depending on your preference of celery flavor) 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or to taste)

1 Tablespoon ground flax

1 Tablespoon favorite nut

Blend apple or pear. Add enough liquid to assist blending process, then blend in celery, cinnamon, and flax.  Blend to consistency of your choice!  Sprinkle extra cinnamon, flax and nuts on top!

*Because the apples will vary in sweetness based on their variety, be creative with the liquid choice.  Try water,  filtered apple juice, unsweetened cranberry juice, or my favorite, dried fruit soaking liquid:  Soak sulfite-free dried fruits, such as raisins or apricots, in enough water to cover the top of the fruits.   Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  Use the liquid as your sweetener.  Use the remaining fruits in smoothies.  The jar of dried fruit in liquid will last over a week in the refrigerator.  

Serves 2-3

Pesto Pasta (Shh!!!)

Breakfast

A friend, inspired to work on her family's nutrition, asked me, "What do your girls eat for breakfast?"  My response, "Salads, vegetables, green smoothies, soups..."

Today's breakfast menu - PESTO PASTA!

First, I have to tell you a secret!

Here goes!  The pasta is not pasta at all!  It is raw squash.  Zucchini, yellow squash, crook neck.  Any variety will do.

Meet my new kitchen toy!  The Spiral Slicer!

I am not one who appreciates excessive amounts of appliances or gadgets in my kitchen.  For me, less is more. For a birthday gift, my husband purchased the Spiral Slicer on Amazon for $16, and I am grateful!   I find shredding or grating makes raw squash too mushy, compared to this.  I use it once a week, on average.  My family enjoys it.  My children prepare the "pasta."  
Simply put, it is FUN!

You give it a spin, it gives you spirals!!!

It looks just like spaghetti, but tastes so much better!
Ask Julia!  She does not like squash.  When prepared this way she is all about seconds and thirds!

Try topping "spaghetti" squash with your favorite pasta sauce, hot or cold.   

(vegan) PESTO PASTA RECIPE:

Fresh PASTA - Select your favorite variety of squash!  Give it a spin in the Spiral Slicer (or grate your own).  Of course, keep it raw...no need to cook this pasta!   

PESTO
1/2 cup *soaked walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil - more or less depending on desired consistency 
1-2 cups basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
*Soak nuts in water for 8-10 hours.  Soaking activates enzymes in the food and makes them easier to digest.
Blend nuts in food processor or blender.  Add olive oil and pulse.  Scrape down sides.  Add basil and pulse. Season with remaining ingredients and pulse.  Keeps in refrigerator for one week.  
Top spiralized squash with pesto, halved cherry tomatoes, and extra basil.  
If you like, serve a warm tomato sauce on one half of the "pasta" and pesto on the other.  This combination is nice! 

Yep!  More of this pasta is merrier!

The Best Knife

The Best Slicing Knife.

Efficient kitchen tools are key!!!  I have a fine knife block and have experimented with many knives, but my KUHN RIKON is the knife I always reach for when slicing soft veggies like tomatoes or messy, thick sandwiches and wraps.  I have used it now for nearly a year and it is still as good as new.  It slices effortlessly.  My sister gave me two of these gems!  This knife makes me happy.  Silly, but true! 

It is too nice to keep secret!

I did some research.  $15.00 at Sur La Tab.  You also can find them on Amazon.  

Kuhn Rikon
Cutlery

INNOVATIVE SWISS DESIGNS

The quality and innovation Kuhn Rikon has provided for over 80 years have given cooks the convenience of easy-to-use products for the kitchen. Kuhn Rikon’s precision-crafted tools blend Old World craftsmanship with modern technology, yielding impressively styled, yet functional pieces.

Beauty Tip

A Lesson in Beauty

Tip:  When curious about a food or health topic, go to NutritionFacts.org.  On the left side you can click on the letter beginning the topic of your interest.  Then watch a brief video...or two!

I went to NutritionFacts.org and...

1.  First find view all topics on his site.  I clicked on K for KALE where I listened to a brief video titled Preventing Wrinkles With Diet. Needless to say, I was intrigued with the possibility of  keeping a few of my own wrinkles at bay.  
2.  Next, I watched Dr. Greger's video lesson on Beauty is More Than Skin Deep.
3.  Then, I drove to the market and bought some KALE!
4.  Finally, I gave my daughters a beauty lesson.  I taught them how to wash their beauty products, greens!  To date, this is my favorite beauty tip and trick!  I love the convenience of the prewashed bags, but this is more beautiful (see below!).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I like what I see here!

Washing

Spinning

Drying

My daughters practice this "Beauty Lesson" at least once a week!  

What a time saver for me! 

Last night my husband found a little, green crawler on his salad!  OOPS!

The New Favorite Salad

Lunch Boxes

I enjoy preparing lunches for our outings or road trips!  Though they add to the time I spend in my kitchen, I do love the final product of having created a beautiful, healthy lunch, which I know we will happily enjoy.  I remember how exiting it was to open my brown bag when I was a school girl and find a surprise treat packed in there!  My mother was the master of peeling an orange with a paring knife in one, long, continuous, spiral, snake-like peel!  It was so fun to see how long it could stretch!  These lunch boxes, I purchases through Tupperware, 12 years ago...you may find better options, but I love the compartments and size of these.  

This salad bursts with summer flavors 

and can be prepared in minutes!  

Watermelon, Berry, & Fennel Salad

Spinach - use kitchen shears to cut slightly smaller leaf sizes, which are easier to eat

Basil - use kitchen shears to cut enough strips to sprinkle on top

Fennel - sliced thinly

Watermelon - cubed

Strawberries - quartered (or any berry, blueberries look gorgeous with the watermelon!)

Limes - freshly squeezed

Sea salt & Pepper

Begin with a good sized bed of spinach.  Sprinkle on fennel, watermelon, and berries of choice.  Lastly, drizzle on lime juice.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

This salad works best when you make individual plates, rather than prepping it in a large salad bowl.  (the melon is too heavy to toss evenly with the delicate greens, though you may find it works for you).

What else is in the box?

Edamame and radish with lemon, dried apples with cinnamon, and this is what is tucked inside that sandwich:

Of course, wrapping up those boxes with a large napkin 

makes them extra cute and user friendly!

Enjoy your lunch (box)!

Enjoy your lunch!

Blueberry Orange Vegan Cake

The Plant Based Journey Continues...
Highly Recommended Site:
NutritionFacts.org - Michael Gregor, M.D. has volumes of information

Did you know that currents offer more nutrients than raisins?  

The skin is the healthiest part of a raisin, thus there is more surface area (skin per volume) on a current (made from little champagne grapes).  
Raisins can drop your bad cholesterol.

All sorts of information like this is on Dr. Greger's site!    

PLANT BASED does not have to be complicated...here is today's afternoon snack.  

Many orphans from Sophia and Bella's 12th birthday celebration
requested the recipes for the birthday cakes!

Start scrubbing the citrus...you will need 4 oranges and 1 lemon worth of zest

Ingredients...

Bella's Blueberry Orange Bundt Cake

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (thaw if frozen, drain juice)
1/3 cup silken tofu (soft or firm)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup canola oil (grape seed oil works great, too)
1 tsp. lemon extract
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
zest from 4 oranges +  1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray Bundt pan.
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and zest.  Mix and form a well in the center.
Combine in blender and blend until smooth:  tofu, water, orange juice, oil, and extract.
Pour wet mixture into well, mix until combined.  Do not over stir.  Fold in blueberries.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until tester comes out clean.  Do not over bake!  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert and cool on a wire rack or plate.

*Because the above recipe makes a modest sized cake, I doubled it and made a 

jumbo Bundt!  (I had to feed 15 hungry orphans!)  Just add a bit more baking time!

Today we packaged up some slices for teachers and friends...
string, cellophane, cute cupcake papers, gift tags and 
your presentation is delicious, as well!

A Plant Based Journey #1

THANK HEAVEN FOR FRIENDS...
I have been blessed by the influence of my friend, Tamie, who inspired me to think "PLANT BASED" (a term received more favorably than VEGAN)!  My journey to consuming only "PLANT BASED" foods began eight weeks ago!  I have been nearly a vegetarian since the age of eight, but fish and chicken crept into my diet for a while.  Those were eliminated nearly six years ago.  Eight weeks ago I gave up all dairy and eggs and have not looked back!  Why didn't I meet Tamie sooner?!  We are all in a different place on our "nutrition journey" and any little thing we do to improve our diet in the direction of becoming "PLANT BASED" is a positive change.
I will leave it to the experts to share the science behind the importance of becoming VEGAN, but I will share my journey and what influences or enlightens me and my family.  Remember, I am a novice in this department, but maybe that will give confidence that this journey is possible for anyone wanting to maintain a youthful longevity!
A quote, which comes from experts in this field, goes like this..."If everyone committed to a plant based diet, there would be an epidemic.  AN EPIDEMIC OF HEALTH!"  Wouldn't that be amazing!  My goal is to spread this "epidemic!"

Recommended Reading:
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.
Unprocessed by Chef AJ

Recommended DVDs:
I replay these often at night when the house is quiet and while I am working on projects, cleaning, or cooking.  I love rehearing them, as they are packed with information.)
Forks Over Knives - PLEASE START WITH THIS ONE...IT IS A PERFECT FIRST STEP
Forks Over Knives the Extended Interview
FoodMatters
The Beautiful Truth - about a homeschool boy's journey!
The Gerson Miracle
Vegucated - graphic for children, but truthful

Fruit can be cute!  Compliments of Vicky!

Angie requested my green smoothie recipe.  I do not measure, I throw it in!!!
My base (roughly):
1 cup kale
1/2 frozen banana (add ice, if bananas are not frozen)
1/2-1 whole (depending on variety) apple - peel left on
3 inches of cucumber - peel removed
1/2 cup water
Ice cubes
Blend!  I use a VitaMix, which pulverizes. A blender may not blend all the fibers.  Let me know!
Add or substitute:
spinach
carrots
celery
orange
mango
berries
any seasonal or frozen fruit or vegetable of choice
Non dairy milk of choice
Fresh squeezed orange juice
***Share with me your favorite concoction!

I am embarrassed to share this, as it is so simple, but MANY ORPHANS from the girls' birthday party requested it!!!   Here goes..ORPHAN MUSH!!!
Oats
Almond Milk
Agave or sweetener to taste - very little, if any
Cinnamon (or add a stick or two to your pot, then remove before serving...my girls like to lick it when done!)
Vanilla
Prepare oats as directed on package, but add roughly 3 parts almond milk to one part water for recommended liquid.  Add more if consistency is too thick.
Add spices and sweetener of choice while cooking.
In individual bowls I topped sliced bananas and berries with this warm MUSH!
Slivered almonds and extra almond milk were served on the side for those desiring!! (Flax and extra cinnamon on top in nice)
So simple...

Orphan Mush