Good Greens Salad

By Shawnarae Falconburg

Yield: 1-2 servings

-large bowl of your favorite greens (spinach, collards, spring mix, etc.)
-1-2 tablespoons flax seed oil or olive oil
-1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
-juice of ½ lemon or the whole thing
-1-2 handfuls of heirloom baby tomatoes
-a sprinkle of sunflower seeds
-salt, pepper or spice to taste

Get the biggest bowl you can find and fill it until almost overflowing with whatever greens float your boat. I used spinach, romaine/red leaf and collards.

Then put the flax oil (or oil of your choice), lemon and vinegar. Massage greens until they are reduced to about half original volume.

Add heirloom baby tomatoes and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. Add salt, pepper or spice to taste. Toss and enjoy!

Fresh Cranberry Chia Pudding

by Kristen’s Raw

Serves: 4

7 to 8 soft medjool dates, pitted and soaked in 1/2 cup water (reserve soak water)*
1/3 cup chia seeds
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup non-dairy milk (raw or not, s’up to you!)
splash almond extract

Soak the dates for up to a half hour to soften and make blending easier.

Place the chia seeds in a medium bowl and set aside.

Blend the cranberries, milk, dates (with soak water), and almond extract in a blender. Pour the blended mixture into the bowl of chia seeds and stir. Wait a few minutes and stir again. Wait another few minutes, stir again. While waiting between stirs, take time to give thanks for all that you have in your life.

Place in the refrigerator for up to a half hour to gel (if you can wait that long!).

Spicy Asian Noodle Soup

by Cook Me Healthy

Serves: 4

-1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
-1 ½ teaspoon olive oil
-1 ½ inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-½ cup minced lemon grass or lemon balm- see below (if you don’t have these, the zest of 1 lemon should work)
-1 teaspoon sriracha (more or less to taste. I actually used 2 tsp)
-½ pound cauliflower, chopped
-¼ pound string beans
-½ pound mushrooms, sliced
-¼ pound kale, chopped
-1 quart vegetable stock (or chicken stock, homemade preferable)
-4 ounces broad rice noodles
-Soy sauce to taste

*The vegetables in this can be any that you like or whatever is in season.

Heat the oils in a medium pot. When hot, add the ginger and garlic, and sauté until aromatic, about 1 min.

Add the lemon grass/lemon balm and sauté another minute. Add the sriracha and sauté for 2 min until all the spices are coated with the sriracha. Add the cauliflower and string beans and sauté for 3-4 min, making sure to coat the veggies with the spices.

Add the veggie stock and bring to a rolling boil to allow all the spices to infuse. Add the noodles and continue to boil until noodles are cooked through.

Stir in the mushrooms and kale, and cook for about 5 more minutes. Add soy sauce to taste, cook another minute. Serve hot and enjoy the sinus-clearing power!

Crazy Sexy Seaweed

Here in the U.S., seaweed suffers from a longstanding, totally undeserved reputation as a slimy, slithery character. But adding seaweed to your culinary repertoire is not only sexy, it’s smart. Besides being alkalizing, seaweed is high in antioxidants, B vitamins, vitamin K, iodide, iron, and calcium. All this, plus it has anti-viral, cholesterol-lowering and potential estrogen-reducing and anti-cancer properties.

Think you’re a seaweed virgin? Hate to break it to you, but you’ve probably already eaten – and enjoyed – more seaweed than you realize. Like sushi? Then you like nori, the dark, slightly nutty sea veggie that encases your maki. Ever drink soy milk? Snarfed down some ice cream? Then you are familiar with the wondrous thickening properties of carragenaan and agar (not often used in home cooking, but the food industry uses these seaweeds widely as coagulates).

Popular throughout coastal Asian countries, seaweed comes in an astonishing variety of flavors and textures, some taste stronger than others. This seaweed cheat sheet will help newbies navigate the sea vegetable waters:

Arame – Mild, neutral to slightly sweet, light texture. Add to salads and soups; use as flavoring. To prepare: Soak in enough water to cover until soft; drain.

Dulse – Chewy, mild; gets spicier when cooked. Add to soups, salads, vegetables; use as a condiment. To prepare: Sprinkle as is, or rehydrate and drain to tease out the chewy texture.

Hijiki – Mild, but stronger thanarame; “sea” flavor, slightly coarse. Use when “veganizing” traditionally seafood- or fish-based dishes or in place of anchovies; add to salads and soups. To prepare: Soak in enough water to cover until soft; drain.

Kombu – Strong, distinctive salty flavor thanks to its natural MSG (Yes, you read right). A little goes a long way. Add to cooking water when cooking beans to decrease cooking times and improve digestibility; adds flavor and minerals to soups and stocks. To prepare: Most commonly comes in sheets. Wipe sheets with water before using.

Nori – Light, slightly nutty. Use for sushi, rolls (maki); add shreds to soups. To prepare: Comes in sheets, which are usually pre-toasted.

Wakame – Strong “sea” flavor; tougher texture. Add to soups, stews and bean dishes. To prepare: Soak in enough water to cover until soft; cut away any tough ribs (just as you would do when cooking kale or collards). If using in soups or hot dishes, add at very end. Should not cook for too long

To get started on your amazing seaweed adventure, try my easy, raw arame salad. Arame, the mildest of the seaweeds, provides a gentle, slightly sweet flavor base for the sweet onion and spicy ginger. The contrast of the delicate black strands against the red tomatoes and translucent white onions is a feast for the eyes, as well as the palette.

Easy, Raw Arame Salad

Serves 4

-2 cups arame
-2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
-1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced
-1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
-2 tablespoon cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
-1 small Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced very thinly
-1 large tomato, chopped
-½ red pepper, chopped
-sea salt and pepper, to taste

Soak arame in water until soft (about 3 hours, depending on the texture). Drain.

Make dressing: In a small bowl, stir together garlic, ginger, oil and vinegar.

Toss everything together in a large bowl. Adjust seasonings. Tastes best if you let it sit overnight.

Dynise Balcavage is author of “The Urban Vegan” and “Celebrate Vegan.” She has published recipes in Vegetarian Times, VegNews and the Philadelphia Daily News, and she has been interviewed in The New York Times and International Herald Tribune.

Photo credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

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Save 20% on Luxury Natural Skincare OSEA & Support Farm Sanctuary with Your Purchase

 
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Now through October 15, you can save 20% off all OSEA products – cleansers, serums, masks, moisturizers, body scrubs and more! In addition, 20% of your purchase before shipping will be donated to Farm Sanctuary. Take advantage of this Crazy Sexy offer by visiting oseamalibu.com and entering the CODE: OSEA20/20 at checkout.

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Candle 79 Frozen Delights

While most New Yorkers digest the summer heat at farmers markets, BBQs and beaches, Bart and I have been busy introducing a new, ice-cold addition to our Candle family of plant-based foods. After 25 years in the making, we finally did it! We took the Candle chefs’ palates and vegan wisdom and developed a line of delicious frozen entrées which are available at Whole Foods Markets nationwide. This is a summer full of dreams come true for us. We have furthered the reach of our mission (and our foods) in support of those who share our commitment to the health of people, animals and the planet. We are equally thrilled that our packaging will help promote awareness of our partners at Farm Sanctuary and The Humane Society of the United States – two incredibly compassionate organizations. Although eating Food Fresh From Farm to Table is our trademark, we are proud that fans of our restaurants can now get delicious, vegan comfort food at any Whole Foods Market across the country.

I loved frozen dinners when I was growing up. It was a Friday night treat, and many cherished memories were created when my family gathered together for dinner. I am hoping our food helps to create the same type of joyful atmosphere that I had in my youth. Bart and I have been rekindling that tradition as we sit down to watch a Mets game while sharing a frozen Miso-Ginger Stir Fry and Seitan Piccata. These vegan meals are delighting food enthusiasts who thought they couldn’t enjoy plant-based cuisine or a satisfying lifestyle. These are exciting times for Bart and me as well as the rest of the Candle family.

Food is a form of comfort for many. To be able to buy food you trust (always dairy-free and vegan) brings eating to a whole other level of comfort. It is the way we eat and the intention we put into our food that nourishes and heals us. I’d love to share a recipe that’ll help relieve you from the summer heat while cultivating your health and wellness. We developed this smoothie recipe in partnership with the Killian Mansfield Foundation’s Aromatherapy Initiative, a project to empower children with cancer to feel better through self care such as acupressure, diet choices and reflexology that are integrated with their medical treatments. Our Super Food Superhero Smoothie below can be found in the first phase of Grumpy Fish booklets given free to more than 1,200 children with cancer in three different states. If you have leftovers, pour them into a popsicle mold, and enjoy on a hot day!

Super Food Superhero Smoothie
from Candle Café in New York, N.Y.

Chia seeds are a super food, loaded with omega 3 and protein, fiber, and antioxidants for cellular health!

½ cups coconut water
¼ cup blueberries
¼ cup strawberries
½ banana
1 tsp dry chia seeds

Blend coconut water and fruit until well mixed. Then add the chia seeds, and blend on low for 30 seconds. Let the smoothie sit for about 5 minutes.

For more delicious vegan eats, visit Candle79.com and Candlecafe.com.