The Delicious Revolution » Kids

Summer Strawberry I-Scream

Joy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:20:54 +0000

The strawberry bushes are exploding with ripe, sweet berries. Today we harvested far more than we will be able to eat before they spoil. To keep up with the supply, I used 4 cups of fresh strawberries and a batch of extra creamy almond milk to make dairy-free, vegan, raw ice cream. It was bordering on a cross between ice cream and sorbet, which was a big hit with the family. It was topped with, you guessed it, more berries!

Ingredients:
Almond Milk
1 cup almonds soaked overnight, drained & rinsed of soak water
6 cups water
6-8 dates, chopped (to insure no pits)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Strawberry I-scream
4 cups fresh picked strawberries, tops removed
1/4 to 1/3 cup raw honey, maple or agave (to taste)

Start by making a batch of almond milk. Blend soaked almonds, dates and vanilla in the Vita-Mix until smooth. Strain through a nut milk bag. Reserve nut pulp to make almond flour. Put the milk back into the Vita-Mix with half the strawberries and sweetener of your choice. Once the mixture is creamy, add the remaining strawberries and blend briefly so some small chunks of berry remain. Fill two ice cube trays with the strawberry cream and freeze. Refrigerate the remaining mixture. When the ice trays are frozen you are ready to make the ice cream. Put one tray of frozen strawberry cream in the Vita-Mix with half the refrigerated cream and blend. The ice cream will be a soft-serve texture. You can repeat to make the remaining cubes and cream into more ice cream or save that mixture for tomorrow. A half batch serves four, a full batch serves 8. Top with fresh fruit and enjoy.

Tomorrow…Raw Strawberry Jam!

More fast, easy raw food recipes are featured in the raw food detox diet, Rocking Body Raw Food. Take a tour of this weight loss detox program and you’ll see that this 14 day course is guided by your raw food video chef, Joy Houston and includes hundreds of video tutorials, menu plan, shopping lists, and recipes as well as comprehensive training videos and education on the science behind raw food nutrition. If you are ready for a weight loss detox diet that works, tastes great, and involves eating delicious foods and no starvation then this is the weight loss detox for you. What will you look like in your Rocking Body?

Sun Safe Skin

Joy — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:34:07 +0000

Two things i simply LOVE and MUST share with you today on the topic of Summer Skin Care.

First is the Environmental Working Groups new Sunscreen Buyer’s Guide.

Second is the iPhone app they offer so you can have the list with you when you shop.

Stick with the #1 and #2 choices! You won’t see these brands (YET!) carried in major drug stores, but Target has been carrying the California Baby line. You may want to place a quick on-line order to save the running around.

Whatever you have to do, get a SAFE sunscreen. You won’t see ANY of the major brand of sunscreen on this list for GOOD REASON, they generally contain LOADS of parabens, hormone disruptors and other know carcinogens! Don’t grab & go at the drug store check out!

Your skin is your LARGEST organ. Keep it safe and it will do the same for you!

Acai Berry Jam Recipe

Joy — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:57:29 +0000

My recent experiment with the Orange Cream Cacao Bark brought so much positive feedback, THANK YOU! Here is another new recipe for you that came out of my experimentation with Chia Seeds. This sweet, fruity topping is fantastic on anything from morning toast to “Raw I Scream” to “Cacao Brownies” . Top diced fruit, chopped nuts and/or granola with this jam for a Superfood breakfast.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup organic apple juice
1 cup organic blueberries
3 tablespoons acai powder
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1-3 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)

Soak chia seeds in apple juice until the juice is absorbed and the mixture becomes gelatinous. Blend blueberries in the blender until almost smooth. Add blended blueberries to the chia seed mixture along with remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine. You can enjoy this jam right away or refrigerate to use later. It will keep for a week or so

Why Eat Chia Seeds? Click HERE if you want to learn about the dietary benefits of chia seeds.

Raw I Scream

Joy — Sat, 15 May 2010 00:09:22 +0000

When it comes to a few of my favorite raw food recipes, I have a don’t ask don’t tell policy. By that I mean unless someone asks me, and by someone I don’t mean prying, finicky eaters who want to know what’s in a recipe just so they can tell you all the ingredients they hate and use each one as an excuse not to try things, I don’t talk about how things are made. For example, when I make this raw food recipe for ice cream, I serve it up without mentioning the word raw, vegan, dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten free or for God’s sake, healthy! Homemade raw ice cream is a favorite. Everyone dishes up and enjoys the goods long before I could explain all the nutritional benefits of having a cream base from young coconuts instead of cow’s milk. Here is a recipe for “Vanilla I Scream” as I call it. Mix it up with flavors as you see fit. A few of my faves are “Choc-Cow-Not I Scream”, “Chai Scream”, and “Horchata I Scream” with raw dulce de leche caramel (comment below if you want that recipe-YUM).

I Scream (raw, DAiry-Free Ice Cream)

Ingredients:
seeds from one vanilla bean
juice from one young coconut (need 1 cup)
meat from one young coconut (need at least ¾ cup)
1 cup almond milk (see video here)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
? cup chopped dates (be sure NO PITS)
¼ to ½ cup maple syrup (taste to adjust sweetness)

Put all ingredients in the Vita-Mix and blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour half the mixture into an ice cube tray, refrigerate the remaining half. Once the cubes are frozen, add then back to the unfrozen mixture in the blender. Blend to a soft-serve consistency and enjoy!

Strawberries: Worth The Wait

Joy — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:29:20 +0000

I know it’s way too early to expect delicious strawberries. When they are ripe and ready the farmer’s market will smell of these summer jewels. But I passed the strawberries at Trader Joe’s yesterday and they were a beautiful shade of red with a scent sweet enough to entice me to take a chance on a small box. . Not surprisingly, they were less than impressive. Great texture, but no delivery when it came to yummy sweet “strawberry-ness”. I got nature’s message loud and clear: “BE PATIENT. My wares are worth waiting for!” How right she is.

That said, I had a box of organic berries that I didn’t want to waste despite my impatience for ripe strawberries. So here is my fix-it recipe. I share it with you her in case any of you are lured in by bright berries with lackluster flavor.

STRAWBERRY ALMOND MILK (or MILKSHAKES)

one batch fresh almond milk (click here to see recipe w/video)
16 ounces fresh strawberries (tops removed)
1-2 teaspoons of raw honey (to taste)

Blend all ingredients in the Vita-Mix until creamy smooth. Serve over ice to enjoy as strawberry milk. Or, to make a shake, fill an ice cube tray with the strawberry milk and freeze. And frozen cubes back to the blender with the remaining strawberry milk and blend to form a shake. NOTE: you can also make strawberry ice cream by replacing the honey with 3/4 cup chopped dates. Blend well and put in an ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturers directions.

Orange Cream Cacao Bark

Joy — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:57:39 +0000

I have fallen in LUST with my new raw dessert creations. They satisfy and delight with each small, decadent serving. They are dairy free, gluten free, and have no refined sugars, flours or preservatives. Ripe, juicy, organic oranges sweeten the creamy topping while raw cacao provides a rich base. These little babies got rave reviews from my testers. Not only has everyone who tried them loved this Orange Cream Cacao Bark, but they are in total disbelief that they are a guilt-free raw dessert. I did not have the patience to wait for the soaked and dehydrated spiced pecans I was scheming when this recipe came to me. Instead, I topped the bars with additional orange zest and a very light sprinkling of organic dried coconut. Which completed the symphony of flavors amazingly well. I’d post the recipe, but this one only goes out to my subscribers!

Thanks for tuning in guys!

Want the recipe? You can join the Delicious Revolution too. Simply sign up for me free newsletter. You’ll get this recipe as well as monthly updates seasonal foods, delicious recipes, and nutritional news. It’s everything you need to EAT LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.

Raw Dessert Experiment

Joy — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:24:30 +0000

The mint almond bark I created for my raw dessert class has me brewing ideas for more of these “lighter” desserts. I say lighter because they don’t have nuts as their base, so they are less filling. I like that they pack all the flavor without sitting heavy on the tummy like a raw brownie might. So here goes my idea. Start with the same chocolate base I use for the mint almond bark. Top it with an orange cashew cream. I could go totally pro and dehydrate soaked pecans tossed in orange rind, maple and a dash of cayenne and clove. This would give the bars a very upscale feel, a light crunch and a subtle kick (or a swift kick if I really do up the cayenne). If the cream comes out as I anticipate, it would also be great to swirl with my Vanilla I Scream recipe to make 50/50 bars that would blow away any packaged popsicle. The kitchen is calling me. I’m off to experiment! Report back soon.

Organic School Lunches!

Joy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:19:03 +0000

Do you know what schools are feeding your kids?? You would be shocked to learn. My favorite 12 minute education on the topic is by Ann Cooper at the TED conference. If you want the convenience of school food with the confidence that your children are eating REAL food, contact your school principal TODAY and let them know that your kids, and the whole student body deserves fresh, local, organic foods. The difference in the student body will be worth the added expense. It is important to note that fresh food programs qualify for the same government funding that is being thrown at the companies serving your kids total crap right now! Here is an example program called FRESH FINGERS, that serves schools in Portland and the Willamette Valley.

ENCOURAGE your school to make a healthy change. The students will be much healthier, focus better, and show improved behavior once they are off the processed “food” that is being served up in cafeterias across the country. If this is still America, our nation works on supply and demand. As soon as we all stand up and demand that those who cater to our children’s mid-day and sometime morning meals serve real food, the sooner ALL caterers in this field will have to fill that demand in order to stay in business.

SHARE this with other parents and ask them to make the same requests to your neighborhood school. Together we can change. If you need more information on why it is essential to fee the developing minds and bodies of our children organic foods. Click here for a PDF from the CDC on protecting kids from pesticides.Protecting kids from pesticides. If your school does not play the game of good health for your kids, your best strategy is to pack them a healthy lunch from home. The brown bag can be full of healthy food and a big serving of LOVE from YOU! That’s the ingredient kids need most.

Raw Food: Pizza Crust

Joy — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:10:20 +0000

When you get the craving for pizza, but want to pass on the dairy & gluten, try this easy recipe for raw pizza crust. It is simple to make and satisfies that thin crust pizza desire without resorting to calling your local pizza delivery. The crust is pictured here with hummus as the sauce since we love a Mediterranean flare to our pizza. It is delicious with marinara, garlic nut cheese and fresh basil too.

Raw Pizza Crust

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
1/2 cup oat groats, soaked overnight
1 medium carrot
1 stalk celery
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons minced red onion
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
3/4 cup flax meal
1 1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup whole flax seed

Process oat groats in the food processor until nearly smooth. Add sunflower seeds and process until crumbled. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Put carrot, celery, garlic, onion, salt & pepper in the food processor and process until well minced then transfer to the mixing bowl. Stir in whole flax, and sesame seeds. Once the mixture in well combined add flax meal and water and quickly incorporate well. Make two crusts by spreading half the batter onto two dehydrator trays lined with teflex sheets. Dehydrate at 110 for 3 hours or until dry enough to flip and remove teflex. Dehydrate 4 hours more or until done to your liking. Top with toppings, warm in the dehydrator and serve.

Cacao Crispies

Joy — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:49:11 +0000

Who needs Coco Crispies when you can have these delicious Cacao Crispies made from buckwheat groats? Buckwheat lowers blood glucose and insulin responses, softening the bodies reaction to that natural sweetener maple. Read more about buckwheat’s health benefits here. You could use raw honey as the sweetener instead, but I have a one year old son that I suspected might want to try these tasty treats, so I opted for maple. Top Cacao Crispies with fresh nut milk or enjoy them as a crunchy chocolate snack.

Raw Cacao Crispies

Cacao Crispies
1 cup organic oat groats (soaked overnight, drained & rinsed)
2 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon maple, or raw honey

In a mixing bowl combine maple or honey with cacao powder. Toss freshly rinsed oat groats in the mixture. Transfer to an Excaliber dehydrator sheet with a Teflex liner. Dehydrate two hours, flip & dehydrate until crispy. Store in an airtight container. This makes a small batch which is great to test the flavor to see if you enjoy them. If they are a hit in your house, you can make much larger batches because the store well. Be sure to use a container with a strong seal to keep the air out.