'Spread' the Health

Wanted to share some of my favorite healthy recipes for spreads...these are great to serve your family, your guests, bring to a picnic, a party, and to eat with vegetables, crackers, chips or to spread on a sandwich or wrap with chopped salad.

The tastiest and healthiest chips, in my opinion, are Pita Chips - the ones you make at home...no salt is added, and they are a better value - a bag of pita is significantly less expensive than a bag of chips, plus no extra additives - just rip 'em apart, heat 'em up on a flat pan, and serve warm...

My favorite veggies to dip are baby carrots, celery stalks, red peppers, sweet pea pods, cucumber sticks, and the firm inner leaves of a Romaine lettuce.

* You will need a food processor with an 'S' knife for these recipes...hope you enjoy and create your own!

Hummus

One can chick peas - rinsed very well (or dried beans soaked overnight and cooked)

4-5 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed paste)

Juice from 1 & 1/2 lemon

Dash of pepper (optional sea salt if you like)

Dash of paprika

A few dashes of cumin

2 garlic cloves minced or a few dashes of garlic powder

Small handful of parsley

* Optional - when serving, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top with toasted pine nuts

In a Food Processor or Blender mix all ingredients and add water, little by little, until the consistency is smooth, rich and thick. Process or blend for at least few minutes.

Black Bean Hummus
Same as humus, just add cooked or canned black beans to recipe.
Lentil Hummus
Same as humus, just add cooked or canned lentils to recipe.
Cauliflower Spread
1 whole cauliflower chopped into florets - lightly steamed
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 TB mayonnaise (preferably the healthy 'veganaise' or homemade kind)
1 tsp agave or honey

Optional herbs - Dash of sea salt, dill, basil, oregano, black pepper
Put all ingredients in food processor and 'pulse' a few times until consistency is just right for you. Serve immediately or refrigerate, stays for at least 2-3 days.
Vegetarian 'Liver' Pate 1 can of sweet peas (or dried peas soaked overnight and cooked)
1 onion - fried, or a few dashes of onion powder
1 healthy handful of walnuts
Dash of black pepper
1 clove garlic minced  or a few dashes of garlic powder
Dash of sea salt (optional)

Mix all ingredients in food processor until it turns to pate and serve immediately or refrigerate, stays for at least 2-3 days.
Black Olive Spread
1 can of pitted black olives
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 handful of fresh spinach leaves
A few parsley leaves
sun-dried tomatoes soaked (optional)

Mix all ingredients in food processor until it turns to pate and serve immediately or refrigerate, stays for at least 2-3 days. Delicious on everything!

Salsa

Can of Tomato Paste (no salt added)
A few fresh tomatoes
1/2 green pepper
1 red pepper
1/2 cucumber
A few sprigs of fresh parsley (or dash of dried powder)
A few sprigs of fresh basil (or dash of dried powder)
A few sprigs of fresh oregano (or dash of dried powder)
Dash of black pepper
1 tsp Agave or honey
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion (or dash of dried powder)
Optional cayenne pepper

Mix in food processor with some water. Serve immediately or refrigerate, stays for 2-3 days.
Perfect with pita or corn chips - preferably unsalted, with humus and guacamole nearby.
Vegetarian Tuna Spread 4 stalks of celery 1 can of chick peas
1 TB mayonnaise (preferably the healthy or homemade kind)

Added options: garlic, paprika, dill, seaweed flavor, lemon juice, onions, olives, pickles...

Using the knife in your food processor, chop 4 stalks of celery to very small pieces, a few seconds of 'pulsing' is all it takes. Take celery out and put into a bowl, chop or 'pulse' the whole can of chick peas for a few seconds only so as not to make it too 'mushy', the pieces should be chunky. Add to the celery and mix with mayo...close your eyes and taste - should remind you very much of the taste of tuna fish.
Bon Appetit!

Delicious Veggie Pasta!

Close your eyes and picture a mountain of angel hair pasta, tossed with your favorite tomato sauce, pesto sauce, or peanut sauce, piled high on your dinner plate...but instead of white or whole wheat pasta it's raw zucchini pasta!

All you need to make this amazing and delicious treat is about 5 minutes, and a kitchen gadget called the Saladacco Spiralizer. It's very affordable (less than $20), and the best price I found was through Amazon . Do your homework though and shop around online to see if you can do better. It's worth every penny, and you and your kids, friends, and family members will have so much fun creating and eating these beautiful dishes.

Here are a few other spaghetti 'flavors' to try along with zucchini:

carrot, cucumber, squash, radish and beets!

Toss in your favorite sauce, and you have a delicious, satisfying, healthy low-calorie and 'guilt free' meal!

I have seen recipes with other firm vegetables like sweet potatoes, onions, daikons, jicama, parsnip and winter squash, though I haven't tried them out as of yet.

Food texture plays an important part in creating our comfort foods, and the Saladacco Spiralizer brings new texture variations to experiment on vegetables that would traditionally be eaten cooked. It's a great way to eat a wider variety of raw foods which are packed full of vitamins and nutrients.

It also has a function that creates an endless ribbon of connected thin slices to make decorative flowers and borders. Your creativity can make your food as eye-appealing as it is appetizing. Hope you try it soon.

Wishing You Excellent Health!

Why was this Seder different from all other Seders?

Because for the first time the food we ate at this year's Seder was all raw and live, which means no heating, no cooking, no microwaving, no baking...all fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices, oils, blended and food processed delights, using recipes we learned online, from books, trial and error and a mixture of all three...

This year we felt like doing something new and different, and so we created a fabulous menu which showcased a variety of flavors while recreating some of the traditional tastes of Passover like gefilte fish, chopped liver, tzimmes, and macaroons...(recipes below)

We even made our own grape juice by juicing 8 lbs. of grapes in the juicer...absolutely divine!










The Matza we ate was from Israel...some day I'd like to make my own "Living Foods Matza" with a Dehydrator...

This year we used extra-large thick green leaves from trees in our backyard as place mats, and under the seder plate, plus we picked flowers from the garden for decoration. The best part, however, is that everyone in the family helped to create this year's seder, and it was great fun, no stress, and really joyful...

A little history...my husband and I have been raising our family as vegetarians, more like vegans, eating no flesh food and very little to no dairy and eggs...fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and legumes have been the main source of our diet, which has included steaming vegetables, making stir-fry, baking our own bread, cooking pasta, couscous, quinoa, rice & lentils...now, after about 20 years of eating this way, it seems like a natural progression to become closer to a 'raw foodist' or 'live foodist' lifestyle, since we know how much better it is for our health and body maintenance, and also our energy and spirit.

The benefits of going raw/vegan are boundless. Raw foods are easy to digest, and they provide the maximum amount of energy with minimal bodily effort. Try eating a raw food diet for one day, one week, then one month, and see if you can tell the difference!

So...here is the menu we put together for this occasion. Hope you have time to try a few of the recipes during this holiday, or perhaps some time when you feel to...in any case hope you enjoy!

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
Yields 5 servings
1 bunch celery, chopped
4 C water
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C lemon juice
1 avocado
1 tomato
1 Tbs honey
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy.


SALADS

Israeli Salad
Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers chopped very small.

Sweet & Crunchy Green Salad
Shredded Romaine Lettuce, Chopped Spinach, Shredded Carrots, Raisins, Chopped Macadamia Nuts.

DRESSINGS

Sweet Mustard - Yields 3/4 cup

1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 C apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tsp agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 Tsp sea salt (optional)
1/2 Tsp crushed garlic (1/2 clove)
Dash black pepper

Place all ingredients in blender until smooth & creamy. Will keep for up to one week.

Ranch - Yields 1 Cup - so rich and creamy you won't believe it's dairy free!

1 C soaked cashews
3/4 C water 2
Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tsp onion powder
1/4 Tsp sea salt (optional)
1 Tbs fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 Tbs minced fresh dill weed, or 1 teaspoon dried

Place all ingredients in blender until smooth & creamy. Will keep for up to 5 days.

Creamy Cucumber - Yields 1 Cup - So creamy you'll never guess it's low fat!

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/4 Tsp sea salt (optional)
1/4 Tsp crushed garlic (1/2 clove)
Dash cayenne (optional)
1 1/2 Tsp minced red or yellow onion
1 Tbs minced fresh dill weed, or 1 teaspoon dried

Place all ingredients in blender until smooth creamy. Will keep for up to 3 days.



MOCK "GEFILTE FISH"

Yields 6 Patties

½ C cashews, soaked overnight ½
C almonds, soaked overnight
½ C pine nuts, soaked overnight
½ C green onion, finely minced
½ C parsley or fresh dill
¼ C lemon juice (more or less)
1 clove or more of fresh garlic
1 Tbs sea kelp granules (this gives the "fishy" and salty flavor)

Run the soaked cashews, almonds, and pine nuts in a food processor. Add the lemon juice, a small amount of water, the minced onions, parsley, and other seasonings. Form into balls or patties, and let stand to flavor the paté. Serve on a bed of spinach or lettuce with a small amount of freshly grated horseradish on the side.

MOCK "CHOPPED LIVER"

Yields 6 servings

1 C lentils or peas soaked, and/or sprouted
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
¾ to 1 C walnuts
1 Tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kelp powder or granules to taste
A pinch of cayenne pepper

Optional: minced celery, red bell pepper, grated carrots, or other chopped vegetables. Process all ingredients in a food processor. Will keep for 3 days.

LIVING FOOD TZIMMES

Yields 8 servings

1 large sweet potato
1 small white potato
½ lb. carrots
1 small sweet apple (Fuji, red delicious)
½ pound mixture of soaked pitted prunes and raisins
(soak these overnight in freshly squeezed orange juice, not water)
1/3 C freshly squeezed orange juice
Optional: 5 or more chopped pitted dates
1 ½ Tsp ground cinnamon, or to taste
½ Tsp ground ginger, or to taste

Finely grate the sweet potatoes, white potato, carrots, in a food processor. Mix the vegetables, and set aside. Peel, core and chop the apple, dates, prunes, raisins, with the orange juice in a blender until it is a consistency of thick sauce. Add cinnamon and ginger to the sauce. Combine the sauce to the grated vegetables as needed. This recipe should be sweet. Because of the heaviness of this dish, serve it with something light.


ZUCCHINI PASTA

Yields 6 servings

Peel 2 big zucchinis and create "natural pasta" in a spiral slicer.




MARINARA SAUCE

Yields 3 cups, 6 servings

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 C sun-dried tomatoes, soaked or oil packed
1 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
6 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs minced fresh basil, or 3 Tsp dried
3 Tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 Tsp crushed garlic (3 cloves)
A pinch of sea salt (optional)
Dash of black pepper (optional)
Dash Cayenne

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Will keep for 3 days. This is a staple and favorite of our family!


NOT-MEAT BALLS

Yields 10 small 'not-meat' balls

2 C raw walnuts
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tsp extra-vergin olive oil
2 Tsp tamari
1/2 Tsp garlic powder
Dash sea salt (optional)
2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
2 Tbs minced onion

Place all ingredients in food processor and process into a paste. Stop occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Make little balls and store on flat plate or in tupperware and serve on top of zucchini pasta with marinara sauce.

MACAROONS

Yields 15 cookies

2 C shredded coconut
1/2 C ground almonds
4 pitted dates chopped very small
4 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1/4 C raw carob powder (optional)

Mix ground almonds and dates with mashed bananas and make into little balls. Roll the balls in shredded coconut, then in carob powder. Freeze, and when ready to eat make sure to thaw for approx. 10-15 minutes before serving. These are amazingly delicious and nutritious.

BANANA PUDDING

Tastes like the old fashioned kind of pudding
Yields 4 servings

1/2 cup Vanilla Creme Sauce (see below)
3 bananas
1/4 cup Crumble Topping (see below)

Place the Vanilla Creme Sauce and half of the banana in a blender and process until smooth. Top with Crumble Topping.

VANILLA CREAM SAUCE

Yields 1 cup

1 C soaked raw cashews
1/4 plus 2 Tbs water
2 Tbs pure maple syrup or agave nectar
1 Tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and process on high speed until smooth. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Vanilla Cream will keep for 5 days. This tastes delicious on everything!

CRUMBLE TOPPING

Yields 2 cups This topping tastes like it was freshly baked! Use it on Pudding, Mousse and Icecream.

2 C raw walnuts, unsoaked
1/2 C unsweetened shredded dried coconut
1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 Tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 Tsp salt (optional)
1/2 cup raisins, unsoaked
4 pitted dates, unsoaked
1/4 cup agave nectar

Place the walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until coarsely ground. Add the raisins and dates and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and begins to stick together. Don't over process. Stores for one month in refrigerator or three months in freezer.

Bon Appetit!