By Shannon Leone

Ok kids, today is going to be pure fun because you are going to get some AMAZING raw recipes!  I am IN LOVE with Shazzie’s new book, EVIE’S KITCHEN as you already know, and several of you have written me personally to tell me that you just HAD TO HAVE IT and are loving it too!  I tried several of her recipes and I have to say they are all FANTASTIC because they are sooo EASY-PEASY and yet delicious!  First I made JOE’S FAKE BEANS that she gave us all in her interview (see pic).  I really like it and will definitely make it again.  It took no time at all to make.  Then I made her NECTARINE PORRIDGE only I used ripe pears instead to a great result COMBINED with her SALBIOCA- I just knew my kids who don’t usually like CHIA much would go for it if I combined these two recipes together, and it worked! All I did was take about1/2 cup of CHIA seeds and blend into a fine powder, then add 2 ripe pears, and 1 cup of water with a drop of agave (you could use raisins instead) and blend until creamy then I added a couple dried apricots chopped up and some more pear slices and a handful of more chia seeds, let the whole thing set and sprinkled in some cinnamon and cardamon- YUMMY!   I also made her BUTTERNUT TORILLA out of dehydrated seasoned butternut squash- it is awesome served up with fresh guacamole or just plain avocados and tomatoes, what a wonderful tasting and healthy bread/cracker/tortilla! So clever.

As you know from the interview, Shazzie is turning 40 at the end of the month, and to celebrate, she is GIVING AWAY a TON of FREE GIFTS that YOU will love to receive!  She asked a few of her friends to help her and so we all pitched-in with gleeeeee!  Go to http://shazzie.com/40.shtml and GET YOURS NOW.

Next, I am delighted to share about a woman who is a Master Herbalist and author, Brigitte Mars.

Here is an excerpt from her book RAWSOME including some wonderful recipes (she was soooo generous!) that you will want to make tonight.  I interviewed her too and will be sharing more of her amazing insights in an upcoming post, but for now, you can check her out at brigittemars.com. What a WEALTH of experience and wisdom she embodies…Enjoy!

EATING RAW WITH FAMILY

By Brigitte Mars
You might be ready for the raw life, but perhaps not everyone in your family is. When you begin, ask your family members for—and thank them for—their support. Let them know that you are not expecting them to join you in your new diet, but you look forward to having more raw foods available at meals, so that you all can still eat together. If raw is a new thing in the household, slowly increase the amount of raw food on the table. Serve salad before anything cooked. Find out what kind of foods family members enjoy, and make raw versions of them.

Most important, let go of the need to change others. You will impress people more with your health and vitality than you ever will with preaching. Be a living example of what you represent.

Living Raw with Children

Children can enjoy a raw foods diet from the moment of birth. Breast milk is, after all, the supreme raw food. It is safe, fresh, free of contamination, and always the right temperature, and it comes in lovely containers! Breast milk is ideal for first six months to one year of age. The World Health Organization is currently encouraging women to nurse for at least two years. AND MANY MOTHERS ARE EVEN NURSING LONGER.

Diluted carrot juice can be introduced between four and six months of age. After six months, diluted non citrus fruit juices can be given on occasion. For nursing babies, limit juice intake to three to four ounces daily, so they focus on breast milk. Green vegetable drinks can be given between six to nine months of age; they can be mixed with apple or carrot and diluted 50 percent with water. Nut and seed milks can be introduced around eight months. Smoothies can be given from age nine months and up. Coconut water is excellent AFTER SIX MONTHS. Citrus fruits and juices can be given when the child is at least one year of age.

Solid foods can be started around six months, when the baby is able to hold its head up on is own or has doubled his or her birth weight. A blender or grinder can be used to mash up suitable baby fare. It is wisest to introduce only one new food a week. Try mixing a bit of the new food with a food the child is already familiar with. Bananas are an ideal first food. Other excellent raw blended baby foods include:

*Apple
*Apricot
*Avocado
*Berries
*Cherimoya
*Cherry
*Green beans
*Mango
*Melon
*Papaya
*Peaches
*Pear
*Peas
*Plum
*Sapodilla
*Sapote
*Spinach
*Sweet potatoes
*Winter squash
*Yellow squash
*Zucchini
If any of these foods need to be sweetened, mix them with soaked raisins or dates. Blend fresh young coconut meat with dates AS A DELICIOUS NOURISHING FOOD.

When the child reaches toddlerhood, he or she will appreciate solid finger food BUT MUST ALWAYS BE SUPERVISED AS BABIES CAN CHOKE EASILY. Good finger foods include:
( note: PEELING CAN HELP PREVENT CHOKING)
Peeled apple
Peeled peach
Peeled pear
Plum
Mango
Banana
Melon
Berries
Summer squash

Spirulina can be given in small amounts, about 1/4 teaspoon daily, starting around two years old.Do not give honey to babies under 2 years of age, as there is a slight danger of botulism. Children over the age of two will not be susceptible to it. Use soaked date, apricots or fig for sweetening, if needed. Better yet is to offer unsweetened foods that are naturally delicious.

At about what age can a child eat whatever an adult can? WHEN CHILDREN HAVE ADEQUATE TEETH TO CHEW AND AN INTEREST IN FOOD, THEY CAN JOIN IN WHAT THE ADULTS ARE HEALTHFULLY EATING.  One way to encourage your child to eat more vegetables is to serve them with a tasty dip for them. Tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds, is rich in protein and calcium, tastes pleasant, and makes a good vegetable dip. Ground sunflower and pumpkin seeds are rich in the mineral zinc and are excellent for kids that are slow to grow. Sea vegetables are a great source of minerals for developing bones. Use kelp or dulse in dressings and as seasonings.

If your child is a picky eater, ask him or her for suggestions. Rather than announcing that broccoli is on the dinner menu, try asking the child if he or she would rather have broccoli or zucchini, and honour his or her preference. If your child is quick to assert that they hate broccoli, remind them that they might have disliked it when they were four (for example), and now that they are six, and much bigger, they might find that they like it now. Children appreciate the opportunity to show their maturity.

Invite young ones into the kitchen to help with a meal. Even simple techniques like stirring, pouring or decorating can give a child a sense of having contributed to the family’s meal.

Humour! Delight your kids by making food in shapes such as their initials, hearts or flowers. Use raisins, nuts or sliced fruit to design a happy face or mandala on a salad, bowl of sprouted cereal, or even an open faced sprouted almond butter sandwich.

Give kids a variety of textures. Often it is the texture of a vegetable they dislike, not the vegetable flavour. Create theme meals: a jungle meal, for example, or a meal from a particular country.Almost all children like sweets and to deny them will only cause arguments. Be sure to provide homemade raw sweet treats. Make fresh frozen treats from mashed watermelon, orange juice, or apple juice. Freeze some carob almond milk for “fudgey sicles.” Use fruit and dried fruit in place of candy.

Rather than forbidding kids to eat certain foods, explain to them why these are foods your family chooses to avoid. But don’t expect your children to be totally raw their entire lives. They’ll have friends, school lunches, and restaurants to tempt them with non-raw food, and they’ll want to try it. It’s not worth a big argument if your kids decide to eat unraw; in fact, you’re likely to turn them off the raw foods diet if you are maniacal about it. Just make sure your kids have healthy, raw food available at all times, so that they have a choice. When dealing with children and nutrition, humour and sincerity are the best approach. If you lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle early, your kids will return to eating healthy foods when they are old enough to make their own decisions.

BANANA RAMA SMOOTHIE
Great for young children.

1/2 cup water
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon raw tahini

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend and enjoy.
Makes 1 serving.

WINTER WALDORF SALAD

1 apple, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, soaked overnight, then dehydrated until crunchy, about 12 hours

Toss together all ingredients and serve.
Makes 2-4 servings.

HONEY LEMON DRESSING

This is a favorite with kids.

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 teaspoon Celtic salt

Combine ingredients in a blender

CARROT GINGER SOUP
This soup is premier food and great for building lung strength.

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 tablespoon white miso
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic
2 cups water

Place 3/4 cup of the carrots in a bowl. Combine the remaining carrots and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse until they form a smooth mixture. Pour the blended ingredients over the carrots in the bowl and serve.
Makes 3 servings.

APPLESAUCE
Kids of all ages love this.

6 large apples, cored
Juice of 1 lemon
8 dates, pitted and soaked 20 minutes
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Puree all ingredients in food processor.
Makes 4 servings.

“BUTTERED NOODLES”
Simple summer squash pasta garnished with fine olive oil and spices makes a satisfying repast

4 cups zucchini “pasta” (zucchini cut into very thin strips)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
Makes 2-4 servings.

PRESTO PESTO

3 cups fresh basil leaves (washed, packed and leaves removed) (Can substitute cilantro, rosemary, oregano or stinging nettle.
5 cloves garlic
1-cup pine nuts or walnuts
3/4 cup washed chopped fresh parsley
1-cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Celtic salt

Purée everything in a blender. Can be served over spiralized zucchini or spread on flax crackers. Serves 4-6.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 17th, 2009 at 11:56 am by Lisa and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.