Yield – 2 lbs

• 1 1/4 tsp                         sesame oil
• 1/4 cup + 1/2 tsp         olive oil
• 1 tblsp + 1/2 tsp           curry powder
• 1 1/4 lb                           seitan – cut into 1/4 pieces
• 1 7/8 oz                          cashew nuts – roasted
• 1/4 cup                           raisins
• 1/4 cup                           dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp           veganaise
• 2 1/2 oz                          lemon juice
• 1 1/4 oz                          maple syrup
• 1/3 tsp                           salt
• 1/2 lb                            celery

Heat sesame and olive oils in a large sauce pan until hot.

Add curry powder and seitan, and heat for 1 minute while stirring.

Let cool and then mix with other ingredients.

Starting with the basics: whole grains

By Kirsten Lovan

The basics are the place to start when trying to incorporate whole foods into the diet.  Heidi Swanson has a beautiful cookbook, packed with useful information about whole foods, titled Super Natural Cooking. You may also want to check out her website.

I have found that an easy way to incorporate whole grains into my diet is by using them as a main course.  Combining whole grains with other nuts and seeds or legumes makes a complete protein, thus cutting down on the amount of meat we consume.  Whole grains are a powerhouse of health promoting nutrients. They are high in protein, phyto-nutrients, vitamins and healthy fats.  Quinoa, wheat berries, millet, and barley are some of our family’s favorites.  Whole grains are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased in the bulk bins, which means you can buy as much or as little as you need.  At home we store our grains in mason jars in the refrigerator to ensure that the oils don’t become rancid.

We also are beginning the practice of soaking and fermenting our grains before we cook and consume them, making them easier to digest.  I will talk more about this process in detail in an upcoming post.

A recipe that we use at home is one that can be made as a side dish to a meal and then what is left over can be saved and eaten hot or cold the following day.

Wheat Berry Salad

With citrus, almonds, feta and spinach

2 cups soft wheat berries, rinsed

6 cups water

2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt,

plus more as needed

Combine wheat berries, water and 2 teaspoons salt in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until plump and chewy, about an hour or so.  Drain and season to taste with more salt.

Citrus Dressing:

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tablespoon of finely chopped shallot

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

fine-grain sea salt and black pepper to taste

Combine orange zest and juice, lemon juice and shallot.  Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3 generous handfuls of fresh spinach

1 cup of sliced almonds

(The original recipe calls for toasted pine nuts, but to save time and money sliced almonds are a yummy alternative)

½ cup of crumbled feta cheese

Toss the hot wheat berries with the spinach, almonds and dressing, the top with feta.

This recipe serves 4-6 people.

(recipe copied from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson)

Brownie and Cookie Trays are available for your holiday weekend. Order Today!

Call 910-799-2667 or order in person.

Brownie Bar Tray – $8 dozen, 2 dozen minimum order

Pick up to 3 varieties:

+Classic Brownie

+Peanut Butter Chip

+Red Velvet

+Vegan Walnut

+Fig Bar

+Vegan & GF Fruit and Nut Bar

+Vegan & GF Wonder Bar

Cookie Tray – $5 dozen, 2 dozen minimum, $2 extra for thumbprints

Pick up to 3 varieties:

+Chocolate Chip

+Sugar

+Snicker doodle

+Ginger

+Wedding

+Vegan Oatmeal Raisin

+Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

+Vegan Oatmeal Raspberry Ginger

+Vegan Hemp Nut Sandies

+Thumbprints

1 1/4 lb           asparagus – 2″ pieces, blanched
1 1/4 lb           artichoke hearts (1 can)
2/3 cup           red onion thin sliced
1 tbsp + 1 tsp safflower oil
1 tbsp + 1 tsp lemon oil
1 tbsp             olive oil
1 tbsp             red wine
2 tsp               dried tarragon
2 tsp               dijon mustard
3/4 tsp            salt
3/4 tsp            black pepper

Combine asparagus, artichoke hearts, and red onion in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix all of the oils, red wine, tarragon, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over the veggies, toss together and serve.

Raw Food Made Easy; For One or Two People
By Jennifer Cornbleet

Jennifer Cornbleet is a nationally recognized raw food chef and instructor, and is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. She is the owner of Learn Raw Food and she lectures and conducts classes in the Chicago area as well as nationally.

Raw Food Made Easy is full of delicious recipes and great color pictures that are sure to whet your appetite. It is divided into sections including sandwiches, desserts, and side dishes. A useful glossary at the back of the book helps the reader to understand the products Cornbleet uses. She also gives a list of resources for those who would like more information about the raw food way of life.

Cornbleet acknowledges that being on an all raw foods program may not be for everyone, but some raw food in your diet is certainly both healthful and desirable. Each chapter of the book gives suggestions if you want to add hot food. There are some advance preparations, such as soaking almonds, or making nut milks, but you could save time by purchasing some of these items already prepared at Tidal Creek.

Why eat more raw food? Cornbleet answers: simplicity. You spend less time in the kitchen when you prepare raw food. Raw food is the ultimate fast food. If you want to maintain your health and weight, then greens, vegetables and fruits are the way to go. They also slow the aging process and increases energy.

The staples Cornbleet uses are dried fruits, frozen fruits, dried herbs and spices, sweeteners and seasonings, and oils and vinegars. It is amazing what these items can do in the raw food lifestyle and quickly, too. If you want to use dried fruits, she suggests soaking them first. Raisins, apricots, figs, cranberries, etc. should be soaked from 10 to 30 minutes when you want to blend them into nut or seed milks, puddings, etc. Sun-dried tomatoes should always be soaked 30 minutes.

Raw Food Made Easy recommends some specific pieces of kitchen equipment that are helpful with preparing raw foods. Cornbleet suggests having available a blender for making smoothies and soups, a food processor with an S blade, and perhaps a “fine” shredding disk for doing finer work, a juicer, and a coffee grinder for grinding seeds.

There are many tasty and easy recipes in this book plus full color pictures to entice you. I have chosen some that are simple and quick. Cornbleet does give variations of each recipe so you can make them according to your preference.

Berry Smoothie

Yield 1 1/2 cups, 1 serving

• ¼ cup water
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries

This can be for breakfast or for any time when you need a pick up. Place all ingredients in a blender and process on medium speed until smooth. Serve immediately. Variations: Replace the berries with 1 cup chopped ripe mango or replace the water with ¼ cup plain or vanilla yogurt.

Zucchini Hummus

Yields 1 cup, 2 servings

• 1 zucchini, peeled and chopped (about 1 ½ c)
• 2 T raw tahini
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• ½ t crushed garlic (1 clove)
• ¼ t ground cumin
• ¼ t paprika
• ¼ t salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Zucchini Hummus will keep for five days in the refrigerator.

er and the spinach, carrot, and optional mushroom slices in a small sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of water with the miso in a small mixing bowl. Whisk with a fork until blended. Add to the water and vegetables and stir until well combined. Serve immediately, garnished with the green onion and toasted sesame oil, if desired.

Chocolate Mousse

(No one will know that avocado replaces butter, cream, and eggs in this silky mousse)

Yield 1 cup, 2 servings

• ¼ c pitted dates, soaked
• ¼ c maple syrup or agave nectar
• ½ t vanilla extract (optional)
• ¾ c mashed avocados (1 ½ avocados)
• ¼ c plus 2 t unsweetened cocoa or carob power
• ¼ c water

Place the dates, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a food processor with the S blade and process until smooth. Add the avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the water and process briefly. Chocolate Mousse will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Yummy!

Raw Food Made Easy, as well as the ingredients for these recipes can be found at Tidal Creek.

I’m sure that you have heard the saying, you are what you eat, and it’s true. That being said, you want to eat foods that give you energy and life. So why not go straight to the source? Seeds contain everything a plant needs in order to live and grow, so, it stands to reason that they can do the same for us. Sprouting seeds can release the life source that a seed contains and helps to generate healthy cells in the body when eaten.

Sprouting is much easier than one may think. You can sprout seeds, grains, or legumes (peas, beans, and lentils) with a little time and very basic equipment. Most people use jars and cheesecloth. The process takes a number of days (depending on what you are sprouting) and involves soaking the seeds, draining, then rinsing and draining in a low lit area until sprouting occurs. You can also use bags. Sprouting bags can make things even easier since you simply soak and hang the bag. Either method works great so it just comes down to personal preference; you may have a green thumb and enjoy having your kitchen and pantry stocked with sprouting jars, or you may just like to have a bag of your favorite sprouts hanging around.

Sprouts are a great addition to your diet and we like to offer what resources we can to get you started including seeds, jars, bags, and growth charts.

Happy Sprouting!