Christmas Tree with Roselles and Nasturtium Flowers

Treat your guests and yourself with a special treat for the holidays and boost your immunity with a shot of natural vitamin C from these jewels of nature.

This dish is made in less than two minutes and is sure to impress everyone with a surprise combination of juicy sweet and sour orange, crunchy tart Roselle and a touch of pepper-like Nasturtium flower.

Roselle (Florida Cranberries, Jamaican Sorrel, Red Sorrel, Java Jute) is a species of hibiscus that grows in tropical climates that is both a treat for the eyes and your taste buds. The bright red cup-like structure contains the plant's seeds and is called a calyx. Calyces are edible and you can peel them easily when ripe to enjoy the crisp, tart and tangy taste. They add a nice tart crunch to this dish.

The delicate Nasturtium Flowers are colorful, edible, butterfly-like blossoms that have delighted gardeners and cooks alike for centuries. They are an absolute delight with their subtle pepper like taste and add more vitamin C to this unique bouquet of aromas.

2 organic oranges sliced round
a few organic, fresh Roselles
a handful of organic wheat grass
a couple of organic, fresh Nasturtuim flowers

Arrange everything as shown in the picture and enjoy fresh at room temperature. Enjoy, be in the moment and appreciate every blessing in your life. Merry Christmas!

Two Minute Homemade Hemp Milk

Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free

This is a very quick and easy non-dairy milk alternative made with hemp hearts. Hemp is a protein power super star, having one of the most complete protein profiles in the plant food kingdom. Hemp has an earthy-nutty flavor, so if you prefer, you can add any of the options bellow. There is no need to strain this milk if you use hemp seed hearts. You might get a little bit of sediment settling to the bottom after a little while, but that is all part of the fun and goodness.

1/2 cup organic raw hemp hearts
2 cups spring or filtered water
1 inch organic vanilla bean

options: stevia, organic cinnamon, organic orange zest, organic cacao powder, organic cardamom powder

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender (like Vitamix) until the hemp hearts are completely broken down (about 2 minutes).

Store the rest of the milk in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Beef Carpaccio with Crispy Capers and Cilantro

Try this carpaccio recipe that is sure to impress everyone. Always use a trustworthy source for food, especially raw meats.

1 pound fresh organic grass-fed beef tenderloin from your local farm
1 organic lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons organic extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
organic baby arugula leaves
1/4 cup organic capers
celtic sea salt to taste
organic fresh cracked pepper
Parmesano Reggiano, thin shaved slices*
2 tablespoons organic fresh cilantro leaves, small chopped
handfull organic fresh chives, small chopped

Cover the tenderloin tightly and freeze until well chilled, about 30 minutes. 

Using a very sharp knife, slice the tenderloin crosswise as thin as possible. Place a slice of beef between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly until very thin. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and invert the carpaccio onto a plate or platter. Repeat with the remaining tenderloin slices.

Drizzle the carpaccio with olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Top with the baby arugula and capers, garnish with chives and shaved (thinly sliced) Parmesan and serve immediately.

* a vegetable peeler works great for shaving the cheese into paper thin slices

Carrot and Radish Slaw with Mint-Beet Leaves Pesto

Try this fast recipe for a delicious slaw with a different spin on homemade pesto. Everything is made in a food processor, saving time for cleaning and preparation also.

6 medium organic carrots
1-2 organic Daikon radishes
1-inch piece peeled organic ginger
1 half ripe organic avocado
⅔ cup tightly packed organic mint leaves
⅓ cup tightly packed organic beet leaves
1 large organic garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon organic lemon juice
1 teaspoon organic ground turmeric
½ teaspoon celtic salt
3 tablespoons organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon filtered or spring water or more if needed

Using the S-blade of your food processor, shred the carrots, radishes and ginger and then transfer to a serving bowl.

Clean out the food processor before adding the avocado, herbs, garlic, lemon, turmeric and salt. Process until the herbs are finely chopped. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and water to emulsify the pesto.

Toss the pesto with the shredded vegetables in the serving bowl and enjoy fresh.

Royal Salad

Upgrade your salad by adding caviar and get a terrific nutritional boost that takes just a few additional seconds to prepare. Caviar is a delicacy with health benefits.

Look for a good quality caviar that is not too salty, the kind that you find in the refrigerator section at health stores. If you are new to caviar, start with wild white fish caviar since it is milder than most others. Try and experiment with different types of caviar -- caviar are absolutely amazing for your health! 

organic red romaine lettuce
organic green butter lettuce
organic broccoli sprouts
wild white fish caviar
1 organic scallion
1 organic garlic mashed
1 teaspoon organic horseradish, grated
1/2 teaspoon organic basil
1/2 organic oregano
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Celtic salt to taste

Wash, dry and chop all salad ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients except the caviar and gently toss. Finally, add the caviar in the middle and enjoy fresh *

* this salad doesn’t need any oil since the Caviar is a good replacement and complement to the vegetables.

Vegan Creamy Broccoli Casserole

The flavors of thyme and nutmeg are a perfect marriage made in heaven. Try this Casserole for the holidays. 

1 large head organic fresh broccoli, chopped small
1 cup organic pecans soaked and dehydrated
1 handful of organic chopped scallions
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground organic nutmeg*
1/4 teaspoon organic thyme
1/2-3/4 cup coconut milk (or more if needed)
1/2 teaspoon organic lemon zest
1 organic garlic clove

Place the chopped broccoli in a casserole pan. Blend in a high speed blender (like Vitamix) all of the other ingredients until a nice and creamy sauce is formed. The consistency should resemble that of sour cream so add more milk if too thick. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and serve fresh.

* to get better flavor than obtainable from store bought nutmeg powder, use a fresh whole nutmeg and grind it yourself with a grater

Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

One should include fermented vegetables in your daily diet. This easy recipe is very versatile. Top one half of an avocado with it, add it to a salad, eat it with lunch and dinner, use it as an appetizer or a side dish.  Just a single tablespoon is packed with many probiotics, vitamins and minerals.

1 organic red cabbage
1 organic carrot
1 small organic onion
1 teaspoon organic thyme
1 teaspoon organic dill
1 teaspoon organic coriander seeds
1/2 teaspooon organic fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon organic mustard seeds
Celtic sea salt to taste

optional: a small branch of cherrywood, grapevine or raspberry

Use a food processor to shred the cabbage, carrot and onion. Add sea salt and massage the vegetables for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary - it should be a bit on the salty side, but not too salty. Soon you should see some liquid coming out of the vegetables.

Stuff a very clean glass jar tight with the vegetables, pushing most of the air out as you fill the jar. Leave 2 inches of free space at the top of the jar for fermentation. Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the vegetables and make sure everything is completely submerged in the liquid. Optionally, add a tiny branch of wood.

Cover lightly and leave at room temperature for 5-7 days. Ferment to taste and when complete put the jar in the refrigerator to stop further fermentation.

Sunshine Juice

Start your day with this fantastic energizing juice that is bursting with many vitamins, live enzymes and minerals. Detox and nourish your body at the same time.

1/4 cup fresh organic cranberries
1 cup organic cauliflower
1 organic carrot
handfull of organic cilantro leaves
handfull of organic parsley leaves
2 cups organic spinach
1 inch organic fresh ginger root
1 inch fresh turmeric root
1 fresh organic lemon
1 tablespoon fresh organic sage leaves

Wash and juice everything. Enjoy it right away.

Tip: drink this green juice right away because when you add lemon to the juice, the lemon speeds the oxidation process.

Vegan Mint-Chip Ice Cream

Try this creamy, velvety and minty ice cream that contains no eggs, nuts or dairies. It’s a perfect treat for you and your family because it includes a variety of healthy fats.  The beautiful green color comes from the Hawaiian Spirulina powder. Impress your guests for holidays with this healthy and delicious dessert!

3 cups organic unsweetened coconut milk (see our easy recipe)
1/2 cup fresh organic mint leaves
1-2 drops organic peppermint essential oil for internal use
1/2 organic avocado
2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 teaspoon organic raw Hawaiian Spirulina powder
organic stevia to taste
1/2 cup unsweetened organic dark chocolate chips

Blend all the ingredients but the chocolate chips in a high speed blender (like Vitamix). Blend until smooth and adjust for sweetness with stevia. Place in an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer‘s instructions.* 

Stir in the chocolate chips by hand and spoon the ice cream into an airtight container and cover to prevent freezer burn. Place in the freezer until firm and enjoy. 

* if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can place in freezer and mix by hand every 25 minutes until firm

Green Juice Pulp Crackers

What do you do with the pulp from your green vegetable juice? Especially, if you juice daily, you can accumulate a lot of green juice pulp. Don‘t throw that pulp away and make the most out of your money by trying this easy recipe.

1 cup of organic green juice pulp*
1 ripe organic ripe banana, mashed well
1 teaspoon raw organic Hawaiian spirulina

Mix well all of the ingredients.  Spread the batter out on a dehydrator tray using a spatula or your clean hands to flatten it out as much as possible. Then use a knife to score the batter into cracker size squares. Dehydrate on low and be patient because it may take up to 12 hours to obtain crispy crackers. They are delicious on their own or to dip into your favorite sauce.

* use your favorite green juice recipe for the best tasting crackers

Coconut Vegan Mayonnaise

This is a light, gorgeous and a perfect creamy mayonnaise that is dairy free, gluten free, egg free and nut free. It’s very fast and simple to make as it has only 5 ingredients and needs just a mason jar and an immersion blender.

1/2 cup cold unsweetened organic coconut cream - the top from homemade coconut milk is best or use a BPA free canned organic coconut cream
1 teaspoon fresh organic lemon juice
1 organic garlic clove, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup cold pressed organic sunflower oil (Flora is a good brand)
Celtic sea salt to taste

Combine the coconut cream, lemon juice and garlic in a mason jar. Blend on high for 30 seconds with an immersion blender. Add 1/4 cup of sunflower oil and blend one more minute until the ingredients have emulsified (the oil is incorporated with the other ingredients). Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sunflower oil and blend until the mixture reaches the consistency that you prefer. Add sea salt to taste. Refrigeration will allow the mayonnaise to set up a bit.

illustration of use of an immersion blender

Reset Herbal Tea Infusion

Tea has a way of keeping you in the moment.  It encourages the partaker to sit down and rest a moment. It is sort of a reset button for the weary. 

Reset your state of mind and body with this blend of soothing botanicals that are nourishing, hydrating and loaded with vitamins and minerals.*

Rose hip is high in vitamin C and has a wonderful sweet and sour taste.

Nettle is high in minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium and packed with lots of vitamins.

2 tablespoons organic rose hips
2 tablespoons organic nettles
1 tablespoon organic cinnamon chips
4 cups filtered water

Combine all dried herbs. Boil water in glass medium-size saucepan or in a steeping teapot. Remove from heat once boiling and then add the herb mixture to hot water.

Cover to ensure that you receive all of the nutritional benefits from the herbs. Steep 30 minutes to 4 hours for maximum benefits. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor will be. Strain the tea and take your time to enjoy it.

* as with any herb, be careful when mixing with other supplements or herbs

Easy Old World Traditional Pickles

The gut houses a significant amount of the immune system, so it’s important to keep the gut healthy. One way to do this is by eating foods that contain probiotics - friendly bacteria that help keep your digestive system healthy by controlling growth of harmful bacteria. To help maintain healthy levels of probiotics, feed them with foods rich in prebiotics - indigestable carbohydrates that are food for probiotics.  No foods naturally contain both probiotics and prebiotics so it is a good idea to consume both types of foods in most every meal.

Since fermentation produces probiotics, these fermented (pickled) vegetables are an excellent source of probiotics. Here is an easy recipe for pickled vegetables, used for hundreds of years in Europe;

organic fresh vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, cucumbers, onions, garlic, cabbage, radishes, celeriac and green tomatoes
1 tablespoon organic mustard seed
1 tablespoon organic black peppercorns
a handful of fresh organic thyme and dill
filtered water and Celtic sea salt

optional: a tiny branch of cherry wood or grapevine*

Use a clean glass jar and stuff it tight with the washed vegetables and the other ingredients except water and salt. In a separate glass bowl, make enough pickling solution to fill the vegetable jar within 2 inches of the top by dissolving the salt into the water at a ratio of 1 liter water to 1 tablespoon salt.  Pour the salt water over the vegetables making sure to completely submerge all vegetables while leaving 2 inches of free space in the jar for fermentation.   

Cover lightly and leave at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, depending on the warmth of the room - fermentation proceeds faster at warmer temperatures. Ferment to taste and when complete put the jar in the refrigerator to prevent any further fermentation.

Enjoy knowing that probiotics from these vegetables are boosting your immune system and helping maintain a healthy gut flora.

* branch of cherry wood or grapevine helps the vegetables to stay crisp for longer

Healthy Frosting and Raw Donuts

Try this frosting that tastes like cream cheese but has no dairy, nuts or sugar and is gluten free. Use as you would a regular frosting or just drizzle on a fresh fruit.

1 cup organic hannah white sweet potatoes, peeled, lightly steamed for 2 minutes and mashed
1/2 cup organic cold pressed coconut oil
1 teaspoon organic raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon organic lemon juice, fresh squeezed
organic Kal stevia to taste

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender (like Vitamix) until creamy.  Refegerate for 1 hour to solidify.

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Make raw donuts by slicing a fresh organic, crisp apple and decorate with this healthy frosting.

Birthday Cake

Special events and holidays are the hardest when you are at the beginning of a healthy diet. Temptations with processed foods and sugar are everywhere. Here is a delicious and easy raw cake that is dairy free, nut free, gluten free, sugar free and will not compromise your diet. "Au contraire" - it is very nourishing with healthy fats. Your body will be just as happy as you are enjoying your special day.

1 organic ripe avocado
2 organic ripe bananas
1 organic lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons organic cold pressed coconut oil
1 teaspooon organic vanilla powder
1/2 cup raw organic carob powder
organic Kal stevia to taste*


Blend everything together in a high speed blender (like Vitamix) to a silky, velvety cream consistency. Add stevia, tasting and adjusting as you go. 

Place everything into a small silicon cake form and freeze for 12 hours. Remove from the silicon form and decorate with fruit - the picture uses organic cranberries. 

Serve frozen as ice cream or let thaw for 20 minutes at room temperature and serve at a perfect, silky chocolate pudding consistency.

* the beauty of raw desserts is that you can always taste at each step and there are no bad surprises at the end

Nature's Buried Treasure Salad

Hearty and nourishing, roots and tubers have been important foods for thousands of years. Roots and tubers are known as nature's buried treasures because they are plants with their edible parts beneath the soil.

Try this raw, tasty salad as a side dish, appetizer or as a snack.  It's a winner for sure! The apple and the lemon juice brings a spectacular combination to the vegetables.

1/2 cup jicama, peeled and cut in cubes
2 organic carrots
1/2 cup organic celery root, peeled and cut in cubes*
1 inch organic horseradish root, peeled*
2 inches organic burdock root, peeled*
1 organic apple of your choice, peeled and cut in cubes*
1/4 cup organic beet root, peeled and cut in cubes
1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced
1 organic lemon, juiced
sea salt to taste

optional: organic broccoli sprouts to decorate

Use a food processor to shred the apple and all the vegetables but the beet and leek. Add the leek, lemon juice and salt to the shredded vegetables and toss well.

Shred the beet and keep separate from the rest. Set the salad in a bowl and top with the beet and a few broccoli sprouts.

* sprinkle with some lemon juice to avoid oxidation

Daikon Radish Noodles

Do you love noodles and want a healthy alternative?  These raw daikon radish noodles are the answer! Daikon radishes are among the most nutritionally loaded yet low-calorie vegetables you can enjoy. This fantastic vegetable improves digestion and contains high amounts of potassium, vitamin C and phosphorus. It's so simple to make, you just need a spiralizer and 2 minutes of your time.

Spiralize an organic raw daikon radish (if you have kids, then let them do it since this is always fun for them and they will love to eat what they help make). If some noodles are too long then use scissors to cut them to size.  

Serve with your favorite noodle sauce.

Creamy Cauliflower Hummus

A healthy twist on the traditional Mediterranean dip that is raw and tastes fantastic.

4 cups organic fresh cauliflower
2 tablespoons organic raw tahini
1/4 cup organic extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
1 organic lemon, juiced (save the zest for garnish)
1/4 teaspoon organic ground cumin
1 organic garlic clove
Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

optional: organic paprika and lemon zest to garnish

Combine all the ingredients in the high speed blender (like Vitamix). Blend until smooth. Add one more minute of blending and add more tahini or olive oil if necessary to obtain a very creamy and smooth dip.

Scoop the hummus from the blender and optionally garnish with lemon zest and paprika. Serve with your favorite fresh vegetables.

Butternut Sage Fall Soup

This soup is so rich and creamy and packed with minerals and vitamins including a high dose of vitamin A and lots of live enzymes because it's mostly raw. The taste is amazing and it's done in just 2 minutes!

4 cups organic beef bone marrow broth (see our recipe)
1 cup fresh organic butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh organic celery root, peeled and chopped
1/3 organic red onion, peeled and chopped
1 organic garlic clove
2 tablespoons organic kelp granules with cayenne (Maine Coast is a good brand)
1 tablespoon whole organic black peppercorns
a few fresh organic sage leaves, small chopped
a few fresh organic mint leaves, small chopped
sea salt to taste

Heat the beef bone marrow broth until gets close to boiling point. Put broth in a high speed blender (like Vitamix) together with the rest of the ingredients except the fresh herbs (sage and mint) and blend well until smooth. Be careful because the steam will expand the liquid so start slow and gradually increase speed. 

Garnish each bowl with the fresh sage and mint leaves and enjoy!

Saffron Coconut Milk Tea

This tea is inspired by an Indian healing beverage. It is wonderful to drink before bed to help with insomnia. It also helps you relax and helps reduce anxiety. Take time to express gratitude for all the good things in your life when you drink this nourishing tea.

1 cup filtered water
1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut milk (homemade is best)
2 green organic cardamom pods slightly crashed
1 teaspoon organic hibiscus petals for tea
1/2 teaspoon organic cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon organic turmeric
8-12 organic or wild saffron threads

Boil the water with cardamom pods for 5 minutes. Add the hibiscus tea and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain the tea and add the rest of the ingredients except coconut milk. Let rest for another 15 minutes before straining again and lastly add the coconut milk.

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Can you guess what this exotic golden spice is?

This is one of the most valuable and expensive spices in the world. Due to its color, flavor and medicinal properties, it's been used across cultures for over 3000 years. It is saffron - royalty in the world of spices.