Cashew Milk

1 cup of raw Cashews 

60 oz. filtered water 

1 Vanilla bean ~ 1 tsp. extract 

1 tbs. of Raw Honey, Stevia, Dates or Lucuma Power (Optional)

Soak cashews for 6-8 hours, overnight is ideal. 

Remove nuts from bowl and place in the blender adding 60 oz. of fresh filtered water. Add extract and any sweetener of choice or you can keep it unsweetened.  Blend for about 30-60 sec. Store in a glass container for optimal freshness. 

Eating Locally @ Malibu Farm

https://www.malibu-farm.com/

Chia snack made Simple

Chia seeds have tons of nutrients which make them a great source of Energy.  Not to mention they are a Beauty Food containing ALA, Alpha Lipoic Acid often found in anti-aging products. Chia seeds are a great addition to your regime if you want a power boost without a caffeine or sugar crash. 

-1 Banana 

-1 tbs. of Chia seeds 

http://skipthepie.org/nut-and-seed-products/seeds-chia-seeds-dried/

 2 tbs. of Chia seeds are said to have more
Omega 3's than a piece of Salmon (4 oz.)
3x Antioxidant power of Blueberries.
1/3 the suggested intake of Fiber.
18% daily intake of Calcium.
30% Manganese.
10 % daily intake for Protein
Can replace an Egg: 1 tbs. of Chia + 3 tbs. of Water = 1 egg
^ Increase in Cell Function aka Anti-Aging
5x more Calcium than Milk

Read more benefits of Chia http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/03/chia-seed-benefits-_n_3379831.html

Legume my Chick-please Salad

Ode to Chickpea's, also known as Garbanzo, is one of my favorite legumes to add in with dressed, finely chopped cabbage. It has a light mediterranean feel, albeit leaves you feeling full and satiated. 

Ingredients: 

-1/2 Purple Cabbage 

-1 can Organic Eden Chickpeas 

-1/4 bunch of fresh Cilantro 

- 1 whole lemon for juice 

- Salt + Pepper to taste 

- 1 tsp Chili Powder 

-1 tomato 

- chopped jalapeño to taste 

- 3/4-1 cup cooked Quinoa 

Soup: " Beet me to it"

My heart literally skipped a Beet (insert unsolicited cheesy pun) : I'm accustomed to borscht soup (classic soup in eastern Russia and other centrally located european countries) as my grandmother so diligently served to us grand kiddo's growing up. I wanted to incorporate this beety veggie into my new soup escapade minus the cabbage. It turned out well, quite curry-esque but overall a nice warming soup during the cold (LA) weather. Currently: cozied up enjoying the curry creaminess of this soup. Give it a whirl.

Ingredients: 

3 Beets 

~ 10 colorful carrots of your picking

3 tomatoes 

1/4 cauliflower 

3 golden organic potatoes 

1 cup quinoa 

2 tbs. sea salt 

pepper

1 tbs. dill

1/2 jalapeño 

filtered water

5 tbs curry 

1 can Chickpea

Clean, chop, and prepare all veggies for submerging them into filtered water. 

I like to put in the most dense veggies first as they will take slightly longer to become cooked. Place beets, carrots, cauliflower, jalapeño, curry, tomatoes (peeled) and potatoes first. Add 5 tbs curry, 2 tbs. sea salt, 1 tbs. dill, and some fresh ground pepper. After all veggies are boiled and soft, use a beater and blend. The soup will turn into a puree consistency. Now once the soup is pureed add the can of organic chickpeas and 1 cup quinoa. Once brought to a light boil, serve while hot. Add a sprig of greens on top for garnish. 

Jouir. 

Vegetable Crudités

Yes, a crudité. You're probably thinking, "What the french is she talking about"? Francois, from plural of crudité rawness, from Latin crudités indigestion, from crud us, or pieces of raw vegetables (as celery or carrot sticks) served as an hors d'oeuvre often with a dip. 


Thanksgiving, is a time when overindulging is celebrated. It is likely, your grandmother will insist on giving you a large brown paper baggy that holds 5 lbs. of cornbread muffins to-go. I had to reject an extra pie! I know…absurd.  I am not one for excess, I prepared a dish that would hopefully be quickly eaten and not packaged as this week's "leftovers". Plus who doesn't love to pre-eat before the turkey is out of le oven? I was also humbled that Aleksandra, my sister, was to take the dessert thrown by making the Zucchini Bread recipe that I've posted previously. All in all- a big hit. 

Crudités (accoutrements) 

1 bag of endives 

1 bag of colorful organic carrots 

1/2 head of cauliflower (purple cauliflower adds great color)

1/2 head of broccoli 

1 container of cherry tomatoes 

1 bag of celery 

Note: You can always change up the ingredients, depending on what's in season. 

Thoroughly clean all veggies. Separate the head of cauliflower and broccoli into florets. Place a tael underneath the ice in a large bowl. Then place a smaller dip bowl on top, in the center, and fill it with the black olive dip or tzatziki sauce. I purchased mine from True Food Kitchen, it's incredibly light and pairs great with all the fresh veggies.  http://www.truefoodkitchen.com

The "Wild" Side | Food Styling 101

The part of creating in the kitchen that makes it so enjoyable, is not just about constructing new dishes. The process makes the dish taste good but presentation is what makes it look undeniably tempting.  

Up your presentation game with a few cues + tips and tricks

•  Composition| Balance, Movement, Pattern, Scale & Proportion. Read more: http://www.6bittersweets.com/2011/08/my-take-on-food-styling-and-photography.html

•  Styling | Similar to styling your outfit, less is more. Keep it simple and clean and your meal will always look mean. I love Artful Desperado's pictorial of Food Styling http://www.theartfuldesperado.com/food-styling-by-dietlind-wolf/

•  Props | Setting up your shots- create a little "Vignette". I chose to play with a hand-made wreath my college class-mate made me. It added that festive je ne se quais without being over the top. 

•  Camera settings | Make sure your camera is in the proper mode, no flash please.

•  Natural Lighting | Choose a spot in your home that provides the most natural light. 

•  Post processing | filter app's like After Light: "Russ" is one of my favorites. Be able to fit your entire photo using- Insta-size. 

I was craving a sea-foodie something, so I styled my salad. A Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad with layers of veggies, topped with pistachios. Wash all the greens (kale + spinach) and veggies (carrots + celery + green pepper). Using a cheese grader shred carrots + green peppers. Cut celery into 4 thin slices and finely chop. Place salmon in a separate mixing bowl. Start by adding in organic yellow mustard ( 3 tsp), Apple Cider Vinegar (3 tbs.) , 1 tbs. sesame oil (optional) and lemon juice (1 whole). Then top with salt and pepper. Place all prepared greens & veggies in a large bowl and top with salmon mixture. Bon! 

Ingredients 

1/2 bag of Kale & 1/4 bag of Baby Spinach 

4 large Celery Sticks 

5 carrots 

Trader Joe's Wild Alaskan Salmon- 1 can 

2 tbs. pistachios 

1/2 green pepper 

1 whole purple onion 

3 tbs. apple cider vinegar

3 tsp. organic yellow mustard 

1 whole lemon 

1/4 tsp ginger

Dash of himalayan pink salt + black pepper 

1 tbs. sesame oil (optional)