10 healthy foods you can prepare in advance to make 5 minute meals

Somehow over the last few years my taste for food has drastically changed. I don't know how it happened, but it seemed to be a slow progression. Maybe my tastebuds matured for healthier foods? I don't know. :)

Ten years ago I used to eat mostly pasta {lots of pasta!}, Lean Cuisines, tons of bread and prepackaged snack foods, and I never ate veggies unless they were from a can. And no joke, eating a salad for dinner was actually felt like some kind of cruel punishment {I almost can't believe it now!}. It wasn't until seven years ago after working for a real restaurant that I learned more about cooking and started to fall in love with good food. I started to love real vegetables!!

Then, after doing the Original Food Diet in 2012, I'd say my love for real food grew even stronger. I branched out into all kinds of squashes, mushrooms, grains, and even tofu. And it was fun. :)

And at the very end of 2012, sometime around the week after I found I out I was pregnant with #5, my appetite changed and all I could stand was bread and processed carbs {mainly in the form of Cool Ranch Doritos}. I usually don't get too sick when I'm pregnant, mostly just nauseous, but for that pregnancy, my even my beloved salad {favorite food ever} went out the door. I didn't even want to smell a vegetable. :) My appetite gradually got better, but I couldn't eat anything like I usually did.

Thankfully, few weeks after the baby was born my regular {weird} appetite started to return {hallelujah}, and since I've been nursing, I've been trying to eat a very balanced diet with more indulgences than I would usually enjoy so that I can keep my calories higher. :) 

With my hands full these days, I have to figure out ways to make foods in big enough quantities to last at least a meal or two. :) I like lunch to be easy and fast! :) But still be good food too, you know? Most of the time I eat what I feel like I need- usually a protein and a veggie or a carb. Also, If I'm eating real food, I try not to limit my quantity of food like I would with a processed portion.
Here are ten of my favorite foods I can prepare in advance for easy, healthy lunches that work for me in this season:

1. Rice.
I love short grain brown rice, and basmati made in our rice cooker. We buy both in bulk at Sam's Club and Costco. ;) Rice goes with or in nearly everything, so I don't season it until I use it. :) Salsa is a favorite rice topper at our house. If you are only eating real foods, I think you can eat 1 cup a day and be satisfied.

2. Quinoa.
I cook this in my rice maker now, and it's so easy to make several cups and store it in the fridge. I usually add garlic salt to taste. It's also a good source of protein. I like the red version! I get a big scoop out for lunch with a veggie or a protein to go with it and I'm good. :)

3. Sweet potatoes.
I much prefer baked to microwaved when it comes to potatoes. I stick several pierced ones in the oven at 400 degrees, all wrapped in foil individually and cooked until tender {about 45 min- 1 hour} and they are amazing to eat throughout the week. They need nothing added to be fantastic. :)

4. Tuna.
I love tuna because it's full of protein, and is still so light! I like a little seasoning on plain tuna like lemon pepper or something like citrus grill seasoning. :) Just open a can when you need it for an easy portion.

5. Ground turkey.
I mentioned before I make several pounds of this at one time and use it through the week. I like to freeze the smaller portions the first day I make it so that it tastes fresh and we can add it into whatever we like. I really like the 93/7 ratio for turkey.

6. Avocado.
God's natural butter. I never thought I would love avocado, but I do. Seasoning is good, but not required. I love mixing it in plain with my grains for a filling, amazing meal. I usually buy 5 a week, and my husband and I eat them like they're dessert. :) If you keep them in the fridge, hard green ones will last all week.

7. Chicken breast.
I love precooking my chicken for meals {tutorial here}, but when I was pregnant I couldn't handle the smell or taste of reheated chicken, so I bought the store version of precooked grilled chicken breast strips. I'm finally back for it now, but I still keep the store version on hand for whenever I need it. I'm all for whatever works for you when it comes to staying on course with healthier foods! :)

8. E. Texas Caviar.
It's been a while since I made this, but it's one of my favorites to keep on hand. The main problem with it is that it never lasts long enough. ;)

9. Beans
I'd say beans are the dietary staple at our house. We don't use lots of meat {we do like sandwich meat and the ones above!}, but beans are always a easy option. Soak them in a crockpot the night before, then rinse and turn them on with lots of water in the morning and they'll taste great by dinner!! I have tried lots of seasonings but I think just plenty of salt is the best.

We also keep a few 7 lb. cans of Bush's pinto beans on hand for fast food if we're in a pinch. I can't tell you how many times those big cans saved us from eating out. :) Even though they're way more expensive canned, $3.50 for lunch is so much better than $23.50 for lunch. :) A single can of black beans makes a great meal alone, too. Like the chicken, do what works for you! Canned is okay sometimes! :)

10. Salad.
Oh, sweet salad. I love it. I usually eat cabbage mix because it's so filling and $1 lb. and it is so good. I was so thankful when I could eat acidic dressings again. I usually eat Olive Garden dressing from Sam's Club, or raspberry vinaigrette with no corn syrup on it. :) Salad is always super easy to make in a hurry, and you can prepare a big batch of it every couple of days to make it even easier.

And those are my 10 favorites at the moment. I'm over the moon that I'm getting back to my old diet! And I'm so excited about summer coming- I'm thinking of all those fresh vegetables and I can't wait to enjoy them {unlike the preggo version of me last year!}.

What are your easy, go-to healthy foods?

What's a food you like to prepare in advance for a quick meal?

quick & easy restaurant-style salsa recipe

pin it

Did I ever tell you that I LOVE homemade salsa? {if you follow along over here, then probably yes!}. I'm not a fan of the jar kind {or anything that tastes like it}, but you can send me to Chili's and I could eat theirs all day long. :)

Many years ago, my friend Smittee brought a fresh salsa to our community group that was a lot like Chili's {fresh and tangy}, and I instantly fell in love. I asked for her recipe, and then I have no idea what happened to it, or if she just told me and I remembered it. :) I looked everywhere for it to see how similar my recipe today is to it. I'm honestly quite terrible at following recipes, but I learned so much from hers! I never knew you could make salsa with canned tomatoes that would taste so good. I also learned one of my other favorite salsa secrets from it: adding a splash of vinegar to get the twang. :)

Again, I'm really bad at following recipes, so when I give you one, it's what tastes good to me. I did measure it all out, but you can tweak it to your tastes, and I'll tell you how. :D

Oh, and FYI, I live in Texas, and I LOVE salty, cilantro-y, very tangy salsa. Can't get enough of it. In fact I eat it with a fork, it's so good:

Is that weird? Or is it more weird that my 3 year-old eats it with a spoon and bowl?

I mean who eats salsa with a spoon, anyway? ;)

Here's the recipe:

ingredients:

6 cups diced tomatoes 

{this is roughly 4- 15 oz. cans- I measure out 6 cups exactly, with juice} 

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1- 2 limes {how many depends on how tangy you like it} 

1/2 onion {or more, to taste} 

1.5 tbs. garlic powder or 1-2 fresh cloves

2 tbs. sea salt {you might want to start with less if using table salt}

1 tbs. white vinegar {add more to taste for twang- I use like 1.5}

optional: dash or more of red cayenne pepper for a kick

directions:

Blend all ingredients together. Adjust to taste {drained tomatoes = thicker salsa/ more lime, vinegar = more tangy/ more cayenne = more heat}. Serve, or for better flavor, refrigerate salsa for 3-4 hours.

This is a very tweak-able recipe- so if you don't like cilantro, use less. If you hate onion, use none. :) I encourage you to play with it according to your taste! If you like your salsa to be thicker, you can drain some of your tomatoes. If you prefer more bland salsa, you can also start with the smallest amount of lime and vinegar, and increase as needed after the first blending.

Now I love cilantro. So I use 1/2 bunch:

Sometimes I feel the need for more onion than 1/2, but it really depends on how strong that particular variety/batch is. Again, to your liking. :D I used 1/2 of a red onion, but I've also used white and green ones. {can you see why I'm so bad at recipes? I'll use whatever I have around!}

I just add everything to the blender at once- I do very little chopping:

Blend or food-process all of your ingredients:

Don't be afraid if it looks pink like soup. It's just the extra air. :D

Now the important part: taste your salsa, and add more of whatever you like. If it's too tangy for you, you can take it down with a teaspoon of sugar or so.

You can serve it right away, but I have to tell you, it's soooo much better if you let it sit for a few hours in the refrigerator. The flavors blend together so nicely after it settles.

Enjoy it on everything or with nothing like we do, or you know, just eat it with chips the old-fashioned way. :D

Here it is again to pin for later:

pin it

ingredients:

6 cups diced tomatoes 

{this is roughly 4- 15 oz. cans- I measure out 6 cups exactly, with juice} 

1/2 bunch cilantro

juice of 1- 2 limes {how many depends on how tangy you like it} 

1/2 onion {or more, to taste} 

1.5 tbs. garlic powder or 1-2 fresh cloves

2 tbs. sea salt {start with less if using table salt}

1 tbs. white vinegar {add more to taste for twang}

optional: dash or more of red cayenne pepper for a kick

directions:

Blend all ingredients together. Adjust to taste {more lime, vinegar = more tangy, more cayenne = more heat}. Serve, or for better flavor, refrigerate salsa for 3-4 hours.

Let me know how you like it! :D {or if I messed up something royally! ha!}

What's your favorite way to make salsa? 

Or do you have a favorite secret ingredient? {and will you tell me? you don't have to kill me, I'll keep it quiet... ;)}

food on friday: black bean soup

We love, love, love this soup. It has rocked our original food world! :D

It's the easiest meal to make ever, it's filling, vegan and good for you!

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

 3 cans black beans or equivalent {undrained}

{if using canned Bush's beans are the best- if homemade, make sure they're somewhat pre-seasoned with salt}

{1} 7 oz. can green chiles

1-2 tsp. garlic salt  {this is to your taste- start with 1 and add more if needed}

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbs. olive oil

Here's what you do:

1. add all ingredients together and blend

option 1: you can use an immersion blender right in your pan or 

option 2: combine all ingredients in your blender or food processor and then add to saucepan

it should look about like this:

2. Heat on medium heat until warm.

{or cover and heat in the microwave if you have no time!}

The longer the simmer, the better the taste {of course} but we find that this is the perfect meal for lunch or a busy night. :D It makes 3-5 bowls, and it's so good!

You could also get creative and add other ingredients if you have the time...onions, bell peppers, sour cream etc. Make it just how you like it! :D

food on friday: social dining {a.k.a. when the diet gets left behind}

I had a friend make an interesting comment about the original food diet the other day. He said something like, "it sounds like a good thing, but the biggest thing about it is that it makes it difficult to be social."

I agreed with him.  It's not easy to eat a special diet in a group setting.

I told him that's why we decided early on, back when we decided to make the big diet change- if we were at someone else's home or party, we would eat what we were served, and if we were to go out for special occasions, we would eat and enjoy whatever food we wanted to eat. Life and people are more important than food.

Food plays a big role in social events, and it's important to us to enjoy this life and the friends we are given. :)

We are very blessed to be free of medical needs that make a special diet necessary. We choose to eat vegan foods while we are at home, and if we go out, we try to follow those rules unless it's important to the situation or to us to eat whatever we want at that time.

So I'm still doing the original food diet, for the most part. :) The other part has been lots of special celebrations! :D We've been busy celebrating life, milestones, and good things {like anniversaries!} for the last few weeks, and it's a good thing. :)

In fact, we hosted a little dinner party shower a couple of weeks ago, and I made pasta with chicken and sausage:

along with homemade marinara and sun-dried tomato basil cream sauce:

My sister-in-law made italian creme cupcakes....

and we got to visit with these lovely people who are being blessed with twin girls in the next month or two!

{and their cutie-patootie Della!}

I definitely ate more than my fair share of pasta, chicken, bread, and cupcakes. I think we both did:

And you know what? We had a wonderful time! {And I think eating vegan foods may make regular food taste even better!}

The pasta and meat were really good, and the bread, salad, and cupcakes were even better {thank you, Jolinda and Cayse!}. It was so much fun eating and enjoying time with our sweet friends!

And honestly, this is so what I wanted to do with the cupcakes too, Della:

They were YUM!

Here's to good food, good friends, and new babies!  :D 

{and going back to the ofd when the parties are over! ;)}

Q: When you're on a special diet, how do you handle social meals? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

original food menu plan #6 + goals

Last week was super busy, and this week appears to be the same! :D The boys are at praise camp all day, and I'm trying to get as much done as possible in between dropping them off and picking them up and our BODYCOMBAT launch this Wednesday. :D

I love goals and menu plans, because they make me focus my energy and help me be productive each day, but as usual, they are open goals, so if they don't get done or we eat out more than I planned, I have to be okay with that too. That's real life, sometimes, isn't it? :D

Original food menu plans for this week:

dinners:
1. polenta and black beans
2. asian veggies w/tofu and watermelon {the kids may end up with cereal for dinner on this one- we'll see!}
3. pinto beans and basmati rice w/ nutritional yeast
4. veggie chili + leftover rice
5. spaghetti squash with avocado and/or marinara
6. vegan gluten-free blueberry buckwheat pancakes {didn't get to these, so they are on the menu again!}
7. dinner out!
bonus: guilt-free chocolate chip blondies {made from chickpeas! ah! so excited! thank you for the tip Grace!}

lunches: 
salad w/ nutritional yeast and homemade dressing
leftovers
pb&js, veggie chips and carrots for the kiddos
beans + rice
fruit + nuts
lunch out
avocados + rice

breakfasts:
oatmeal w/maple syrup
frozen bananas
homemade granola cereal with almond milk

Here were my goals for last week:

do:

• sew 1 pillow for the girls {tutorial/pics coming soon!}
• paint two projects
• help paint ceiling {the hubs surprised me and painted it while I was at the gym. love. him.}
• wash the dishes each day  {did this most days, except Sunday}
• 2 loads of laundry each day {again, did this most days, except the weekend}
• teach fitness classes and take others
• work on cash budgeting system {did some paper planning, but not started yet. Must do this!}
• list two things for sale for $10 business
• make crockpot beans
• stay off the internet during the day except for designated times {the 12 hour challenge} {I did okay, but not great at this- we were gone and busy some days, and I didn't get on at all, and some days I was on more than usual. It's a weird time for us, and I'm trying to consciously shut the computer and not open it again once I'm done blogging, except for check-in times. Easier said than done, of course. :)}

learn:

• keep working on my memory verses for this month {still working on this one}
• work on new combat choreography   {still working on this, but did a few hours last week}

read:

• 3 chapters of The Ministry of Motherhood*
• aloud to the kids each weekday {officially stunk at this. Epic mommy fail, and I will try again this week}

be:

• patient: pray each morning specifically for patience to treat my family with love even when I'm frustrated {this is a tremendous help- God gives me so much grace and helps me when I ask Him. It's awesome! And I can tell the days I forget to ask Him too, it's a bigger battle for sure}

And this week's goals {if the Lord wills}:

do:

• blog
• recover office chair
• work on super-secret web/blog project coming soon :)
• store/post office errands
• 1-2 loads of laundry each weekday
• dishes each weekday
• sweep daily
• work on re-organizing office
• spray paint two more projects
• fitness classes
• wash slipcovers
• start on curtains - cutting and ironing hems
• work on cash budget system- starting this Thursday
• continue the 12 hour challenge {even if I don't achieve perfection- I figure doing something is better than nothing, right?}
• plan upcoming baby shower {um, can we say guilt-free Pinterest time? LOL!}

learn:

• finish studying BODYCOMBAT choreography for Wednesday's launch
• practice 1 Peter 1-3

read:

• 3 more chapters of The Ministry of Motherhood
• 3 chapters of 168 Hours: You Have More Time than You Think
• aloud to the kids each day

be:

• patient: this week, I want to consciously calm my voice when I feel impatient

What are you planning to do this week? :D

monday goals + original food menu plan #5

Original food menu plans for this week:
dinners:
1. taco salad: black bean, corn, and tomato salsa over mixed spring greens {we will see if the kids like this one! ;)}
2. summer fruit and veggies- squash, corn on the cob, field peas, and watermelon
3. pinto beans and basmati rice w/ nutritional yeast
4. baked potatoes and leftover beans
5. zucchini pizzas {the kids will get real pizza crust w/raw cashew butter :)}
6. vegan gluten-free blueberry buckwheat pancakes {the kids love pancakes, so I'm trying to find a very basic recipe without eggs and wheat- I'd prefer no flour of any kind though, so if you know of any, please let me know! :D}
7. dinner out!

lunches: 
salad w/ nutritional yeast and homemade dressing
leftovers
pb&js and carrots for the kiddos
beans + rice
fruit + nuts
lunch out
avocados + rice
baked potatoes

breakfasts:
oatmeal w/maple syrup
frozen banans
frozen fruit

I'm excited about this week's goals! If the Lord wills, I hope to:

the dishes are definitely on my to-do list for today! :D

do:
sew 1 pillow for the girls
paint two projects
help paint ceiling
wash the dishes each day
2 loads of laundry each day
teach fitness classes and take others
work on cash budgeting system {we are trying it again}
list two things for sale for $10 business
make crockpot beans
stay off the internet during the day except for designated times {the 12 hour challenge}

learn:
keep working on my memory verses for this month
work on new combat choreography

read:
3 chapters of The Ministry of Motherhood*
aloud to the kids each weekday

be:
patient: pray each morning specifically for patience to treat my family with love even when I'm frustrated


What are your plans this week? I'd love to hear! :D

zucchini pizzas {recipe}

What do you do when you're blessed with a bounty of veggies like this?

You make individual veggie pizzas! :D

{to get an idea of how big these are- those are full-sized tomatoes and it's a full-sized plate! Talk about some mean zucchinis! :D}

My sister-in-law gave me the idea- she said she used their {super-sized!} garden zucchinis to make pizzas, and so I thought I would try to make our pizzas dairy-free. They ended up tasting just like lasagna or manicotti, which completely thrilled me anyway. :D

Instead of using dairy cheese, I used raw cashews for my rich fat. Let me tell you, raw cashew butter is the magic wonder of the vegan's diet. Raw cashews can be used as cheese or cheesecake {which is so incredibly good too, by the way!}.

All you need is large zucchini {or small}, sliced thinly lengthwise, raw cashew butter, and your favorite marinara and toppings!

Amounts of each are up to you- I liked an equal amount of marinara and "cheese" on my pizza, and my husband and I both agreed that the thinner the slice, the better the taste. :D

ingredients:


zucchini, thinly slices 
marinara or pizza sauce {pick a good one with lots of flavor! I made mine with all those fresh tomatoes.}, 1-2 tbs. per pizza to taste
raw cashew butter {roasted doesn't taste the same}, 1-2 tbs per pizza to taste
toppings: tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, etc.
garlic salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat your cookie sheet in oil. Take your slices of zucchini, and top them with your marinara, then spread over with cashew butter. Add toppings. {Don't worry about how pretty it looks. The taste will be the same! :D} Sprinkle with garlic salt if desired.

Bake slices for 10-20 minutes, until they are tender but not browned on the edges. Serve with a fork. And be shocked at how much they taste like lasagna! ;)

How do you like to use super-sized zucchinis? :D

my top 5 favorite {real food} snacks

A little Friday confession: I am a snacker. I look forward to my snacks as much as I do meals. :D

Over here, Ange asked about my favorite real food snacks these days, so I thought I would share some of my favorites with you guys too!

Here they are in no particular order:

1. dates

Okay, so dates are the ultimate food on the original food diet. Now I admit that they look totally disgusting, but they are God's candy, I tell you. It's like eating cookie dough and a caramel bar all in one bite. They ring in at 40 calories a piece, and are almost $4 per lb. They are worthy every penny {and calorie}.

Dates also give your body pure glucose, so they are the perfect food for working out. I eat these instead of granola bars now. :D

2. frozen bananas
Frozen bananas are pure deliciousness.  If dates are God's candy, then frozen bananas are God's ice cream. Speaking of which, you must try blending them up in the food processor to make banana soft serve. They look like this when you do:

recipe and photo from choosing raw

Ahhh, heavenly. I eat at least two of these a day!

3. walnuts

pinterest source

I have a serious love for walnuts. Maybe it's something to do with their fat content, but walnuts {and other nuts} leave you feeling happy and full. Especially when you pair them with frozen bananas and dates in the food processor {think caramel nut ice cream!}. Yum.

4. pumpkin sauce

This dessert-like sauce is still one of my favorite foods! I don't even like pumpkin pie, but I love this stuff. It's best served warm, and eating it makes you feel like you just ate a luxurious dessert!

5. watermelon

pinterest source

Guilt-free food is the name of the game with watermelon. It's mostly water, and you can eat nearly as much as you want. {Just don't weigh for two days if you do! ;)}

Before we became original food/vegan, watermelon was the only food I ate on this list. So changing our diet has definitely changed the way I snack. I would normally eat granola bars before I exercised, and some sort of low-fat dairy ice cream at night, but now I've replaced them with real food energy sources, and I can't imagine going back! :D

Oh, and did you notice that four out of five of my top snacks are sweet? Oh, my, how I love sweets! :P

Do you have a sweet tooth too? Or do you prefer salty snacks?

What are your favorite healthy snacks? I'd love to hear some new ideas!

the original food diet: the details

The original food diet is a plant-based, non-processed diet that can completely change the way you feel and look. I did a 40 day trial of the original food diet where I left behind artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, meat, dairy, eggs, and flour and had life-changing results. My "trial" of eating non-processed, real food has now become the way I eat.

If you're interested in reading more about it, you can find out more information below...

about:
what is the original food diet?
the original food diet | "the rules"

the experience:
grocery shopping video | the original food diet
the original food diet day 1 recap
the original food diet | week 1
the original food diet | week 2
the original food diet | the cost of groceries
the original food diet | 5 weeks later
the original food diet: what I learned in 40 days
the final stats after 40 days
eating out... original food diet style

menu plans:
the original food diet :: menu plans
original food diet menu plan #1
original food menu plan #2 with a budget breakdown...
original food meal plan #3
original food meal plan #4

recipes:
low- calorie pumpkin sauce
raw italian casserole 
quick and easy veggie chili
east texas caviar

resources for plant-based lifestyles:
fork over knives {documentary}
the china study
the t. colin campbell foundation
feeding children a vegetarian diet by dr. sears
finding plant-based protein sources
a cure for cancer? eating a plant-based diet
the hallelujah diet: raw plant-based recipes 

original food meal plan #4 + open goals

blast from the past: my cute little Texan is almost 5 now! It's so weird not to have a baby in the house!

Does life get crazier in the summer for everyone or is it just us? We've been trying to roll with the punches around here.

My to-do list is starting to lose priority in my mind, which is a very good thing. I can so easily start serving my list/goals instead of my family- and I know it when I'm upset by the fact that I didn't get everything done {even though I did spend time with people}. That's a big red flag for me.

So last week, I left my list behind and went without it. And surprisingly, it worked out very well! My week was so much more open to do things I didn't foresee. And it was so much more mentally freeing with our crazy schedule.

Now I'm trying to find the balance of planning but loving people first. I think it has/had to do with my heart- the list wasn't evil itself. :)

It's always so hard for me to see what my heart is doing. I'd so like to think I've got it all figured out. But my God is so much kinder to me than that. He shows me my faults, ever so gently.

I am so blessed to serve a God who loves {and disciplines} me! Oh, so much grace there! :)

With the crazy schedule lately {vbs, broken arms, hosting potlucks, dates!}, we haven't been home at normal times at all, so being home again this week I'm trying to bring back a semblance of routine here at our house without being slave to it. :)

It's an open goal plan, so to speak. A plan that is hopefully bent toward loving people more than productivity. A plan that is grace-filled, instead of goal-filled. For both me and others! :D My life purpose is not about accomplishing my dreams and homemaking and life goals, it's about me loving people and loving and glorifying God. {I need that nailed to my forehead so I won't forget it in five minutes!}

So, knowing it may look totally different in reality, here is my tentative meal plan for my family for this week {see, I'm learning! haha!}:

dinner:
day 1: baked potatoes, purple-hulled peas, and steamed veggies
day 2: my friend Kelli's faux fried rice {subbing the egg for flax seed, and leaving out the fish sauce}
day 3: zucchini pasta with "alfredo" and mushrooms, and salad
day 4: oven-baked sweet potatoes, corn, and lima beans
day 5: east texas caviar on lettuce {make black beans and chickpeas in crockpot the night before}
day 6: black beans and rice {using leftover beans}
day 7: dinner out

lunches:
peanut butter, nuts, fruits and veggies
green chile soup {recipe soon! green chiles, quinoa, and red beans in nutritional yeast broth}
lentil stew
beans and rice
baked potatoes
spaghetti squash with avocado

breakfast:
oats and almond milk
fruit

snacks:
raw carrot cake {carrots, dates, walnuts}
nuts
stove-popped popcorn

grocery list {I'm going today, and we already have much of this, but I thought I would add a complete list for you guys!}
5 lbs. red potatoes
2 cauliflower heads
2-3 lbs. zucchini
3 lbs. sweet potatoes
frozen corn- large family bag
frozen purple-hulled peas- 1 bag
frozen steam veggie mix- family size bag
frozen lima beans- 1 small bag
lettuce- 1 head
3 lbs. baby carrots
spaghetti squash
mixed spring greens
avocados- 2
tomatoes {cherry}
onions- yellow and green
rice {basmati}- 3-4 lbs.
3 lbs. black beans, dried
1 can red beans
1 container mushrooms
oats- 2 containers
lentils- 1lb.
green chiles- 1 can
chick peas- dried or canned
peanut butter- natural
dates- 1 lb.
walnuts- 2 cups
cashews {2 cups}
lemons for juice
limes for juice
almond milk

pantry staples:
stevia for coffee
nutritional yeast
olive oil
flax seed {milled}- we add this to everything!
garlic
salt
What are your "tentative" plans for this week? Are you trying to leave your weekly goals "open" too? :)

raw italian casserole {recipe}

I fell in love with a raw cookbook back in May- it's called Raw Food by Erica Palmcrantz and the recipes are delicious. I can't recommend it enough!

I have yet to follow one of Erica's recipes entirely, but her amazing creations have inspired me to create a version of them for my family. {I know, I'm a recipe rebel, I can't help it!}

One her recipes is for raw lasagna, and I couldn't wait to try the concept. I've actually seen it in lots of other places too, like here and here.

I made my version into casserole with "spaghetti" noodles, nixed a handful of things and added a few to make it work for us. This recipe is simple, but fairly time intensive, so give yourself at least 30 minutes to make it.

So here's our Raw Italian Casserole:

repin on pinterest

Here's what you'll need:

3/4 bag of spinach or about 7 cups/ 3-4 big handfuls
2 tablespoons of fresh basil {sub dried if needed, but fresh tastes great! - I use the tubes of chopped fresh basil here, they taste great too!}
3 cloves garlic, peeled or dried equivalent
sea salt
1 tbs. oregano
28 oz. can pureed tomatoes, or 3 cups ripe summer tomatoes, pureed
2 medium-large zucchini
6-7 mushrooms whole or 1/2 package sliced
1 large avocado, or more if desired
a mandolin/julienne slicer, or a very sharp, thin knife

1. Combine spinach, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon water, and 2 cloves of garlic in the food processor.

It should look something like this {you can add a bit of olive oil if needed as well}:

2. Combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of oregano, 1 tablespoon of sea salt, and 1 minced clove of garlic in a bowl. Salt is to taste, of course, but I find 1-1 1/2 tbs. brings just the right amount to the dish. Some recipes also add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and bell peppers here, but I kept mine a little more simple.

And, it should look about like this:

3. Use your slicing tool of choice to turn your zucchini into faux spaghetti. :)

I like the thin spaghetti slices because they are easy to eat, and they have a very mild taste. The inspiration recipe and many others I've seen simply slice long thin strips down the zucchini like lasagna noodles.  

4. De-stem and thinly slice your mushrooms and avocado like this:

Now you're ready to assemble your casserole. I used a 9x13 dish, but you could definitely use a smaller one.

5. Spread a thin layer of marinara over the bottom, then a layer of "noodles", then thinly spread the basil on top of the noodles, and add a layer of mushrooms. Repeat with remaining ingredients. And if you have lots of one thing left, I say stack it on. Why not? :)

6. Top with avocado slices, and I sprinkled a little salt over the top of the casserole. That's personal preference though. :)

Your finished casserole should look like this:

It's hearty and ridiculously good. It's a dish I will gladly serve to my meat-eating friends. :)


Here's the recipe again:

Raw Italian Casserole

Ingredients:

marinara:

1 tbs. sea salt

1 tbs. oregano

28 oz. can pureed tomatoes, or 3 cups ripe summer tomatoes, pureed

1 cloves garlic, peeled or dried equivalent 

noodles:

2 medium-large zucchini

a mandolin/julienne slicer, or a very sharp, thin knife

pesto sauce:

3/4 bag of spinach or about 7 cups/ 3-4 big handfuls

2 tablespoons of fresh basil {sub dried equivalent if needed, but fresh tastes much better! - I use the tubes of chopped fresh basil here, they taste great too!}

2 cloves garlic, peeled or dried equivalent 

1 tsp. sea salt

the "meat":

6-7 mushrooms whole or 1/2 package, stems removed and sliced

1 large sliced avocado, or more if desired

Directions:

Combine first four ingredients in food processor and puree. 

Combine next four ingredients in a separate bowl.

Thinly slice zucchinis on a cutting board.

Slice your mushrooms and avocado.

Assemble casserole dish in order above, thinly layering marinara, noodles, pesto, and meat, minus the avocado. Top with the avocado slices, and lightly sprinkle dish with salt if desired.




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