Refreshing sweet & savory pear salad

Fresh Pear Salad

Cute Cuddling pears

This is hardly a recipe it's so easy, but that's the beauty of it. It makes for a refreshing side, breakfast or light lunch.

The flavor of the Neufchatel cheese perfectly compliments the sweet ripe pears...and who doesn't love pecans?

Serve this for breakfast, serve this to company, everyone will love it!



FRESH PEAR SALAD Recipe;

Peel, halve and core ripe juicy pears (1/2 to 1 pear per person)

Soften Neufchatel cheese and thin with a little apple or pineapple juice (do not make it runny).

Mix well with a hand mixer.

Frost the pear halves with the soft cheese mixture.

Set pear halves onto a romaine leaf

Garnish generously with finely chopped pecans.

Serve.


Enjoy!

Leila

A delicious Raw Sunflower Seed Hummus recipe - And a recipe for Red Bell Paprika

Mom's Sunny Hummus

This is a delicious raw-food recipe my mother created when she was doing exclusively a raw food diet for 2 years. She used to teach living raw food cooking classes and this is one of the recipes she would share.

The complexity of flavors here is delightful. The ingredient list is a bit long, but just get everything out beforehand, then putting it together will be a snap. It's worth it.

This recipe is so tasty, healthy, and decadent, I hope you try it!



SUNNY HUMMUS Recipe:

Prepare the soaked sunflower seeds:

1 c. hulled raw sunflower seeds
1 big pinch ascorbic acid powder (Vitamin C)

Rinse then soak the sunflower seeds in a jar of water with the pinch of ascorbic acid powder added.
Let soak 8 to 10 hours.
Drain and put in a high-powered (VitaMix) blender container.

ADD:

1/3 c. high quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 c. raw tahini (sesame seed paste)
3/4 to 1 c. (4 to 5 ounces) cubed raw yellow-skinned summer squash
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. cumin powder
2 t. onion powder
2 t. Nama Shoyu (raw soysauce)
2 t. Star brand yeast flakes (nutritional yeast)
1 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
rounded 1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. Red Bell Paprika (see recipe below) or sweet paprika
1/4 t. ascorbic acid powder
3 to 4 pitted Kalamata olives
1 Pinch tumeric powder (for color)
1/2 to 1 t. toasted sesame seed oil, optional
3/4 to 1 c. water, as needed

Puree together adding water as needed to just freely vortex in a VitaMix blender (a vortex while blending makes a creamier hummus). Puree until smooth and a little warm.

ADD:

1/16 t. finely ground psyllium husk powder (to stabilize the hummus).

Chill the hummus to thicken.


To Serve:

Spread the hummus 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick on a serving dish.
Sprinkle heavily with Red Bell Paprika or sweet paprika.
Pour over top GOLDEN OIL (recipe on this blog), or garlic-chile infused olive oil or UDO'S Oil,
This raw food is excellent slightly fermented (let it sit out on your counter a few hours).
Serve with vegies to dip.




RED BELL PAPRIKA Recipe:

This has a sweeter flavor than regular paprika.

Dehydrate organic red bell peppers that have been diced, in a food dehydrator.
Grind the dried peppers
Mix the ground red bell peppers at a 50/50 ratio with Hungarian paprika.
Store air-tight and use as you would paprika.



Enjoy,

Leila

Delicious Additive-Free Poultry Seasoning

Perfect Poultry Seasoning Spice Blend (Salt-Free)


I like making my own spice blends, I have control of everything they contain, they are fresher and I can customize them to my family's tastes. I like a sage-y poultry seasoning, with out too much thyme to overpower the blend.

I like to add this seasoning to my homemade creamy chicken noodle soup recipe, as well as other poultry dishes, like fried chicken, turkey stuffing, gravies... It it also nice as a poultry rub with added sea salt.


Poultry Seasoning Blend Recipe:

6 T. rubbed sage leaf
2 T. rosemary, crushed
2 T. marjoram
2 T. oregano
2 T. ginger powder
2 T. thyme
1 T. coriander seed, ground

Method:

Mix spices together and package as-is, OR Grind together in a spice mill if you prefer it ground.


Enjoy,

Leila

Protein and Calcium Enriched Brown Rice Milk - YUMMY

Protein-Enriched Brown Rice Milk

Dairy-Free, Reduced Carb, Sugar-Free

Protein and Calcium Enriched

I wanted to create a rice milk that not only tasted great and was easy to make but had more protein and calcium than other rice milks. I also have a major complaint with commercial rice milk - The high carb count from the white rice, and if it's sweetened, the sugar content. I also don't like the price charged for a product that is mostly water.

So I decided to make my own version with the added benefits of more protein, calcium and magnesium, more nutrients from using brown rice instead of white, and sweetened with sugar-free natural sweeteners. This is what I came up with...

Rice milk is an option for those who are going dairy-free, and are allergic to nut milks. You could use a vegan protein powder instead of egg white protein powder BUT they are gritty and have off-flavors. Just warning you...

Typical rice milk is also much higher in carbs than coconut or almond milk. My version is much better, but it is not carb-free. If you are wanting to slim down, I personally would recommend unsweetened coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk (I have a sugar-free almond milk recipe on this blog that is very good and low-carb).



BROWN RICE MILK Recipe:

Yield: 1/2 gallon

To Cook the Rice:

1 c. long grain brown rice
3 c. purified water

Cook until rice is very soft, so that when you taste it, it will mush and not have a grainy feel in your mouth. (Or use leftover cooked rice from your rice cooker, as long as it is SOFT. If it's been salted and has coconut oil added, that's o.k.)

To Make the Rice Milk:

2 c. (10-ounces) hot rice
4 c. hot water

Blend in a blender 2 or more minutes. the mixture will be a little thick but smooth.

Add:

4 c. cold purified water
1/4 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1 t. real vanilla extract
2 T. xylitol
20 drops stevia glycerite (NOW brand, or home made - recipe on this blog)
2 T. Cal/Mag powder (a calcium/magnesium powder, sold at health food stores)
4 T. egg white protein powder

Add everything to the blender, except the egg white pro, and blend together well. Add the egg white pro last or it will make the milk quite foamy.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Shake well
before use.


Options: 

You can add a couple drops of natural maple flavoring, coconut flavoring, or rum flavoring.

Try adding 1 t. cinnamon powder, to the rice when cooking it.

For chocolate rice milk add 3 T. chocolate syrup.

You can make a coconut fortified rice milk by adding coconut milk to the warm pureed hot rice/hot water mixture in the blender.

You may strain the rice milk through a fine-mesh cloth bag, if you really feel it is necessary (I don't).



Variations:

For a sweeter, thicker rice milk:

Decrease the cold water to 1 1/2 c.
Increase the xylitol to a total of 2 T. + 2 t.
Increase the stevia glycerite to a total of 24 drops


For a more neutral tasting rice milk:

Decrease the xylitol to only 2 t.


To make into a pudding;

Puree 1 c. hot water with 1 c. hot cooked rice. Add xylitol and stevia glycerite to taste, plus vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg...



Enjoy experimenting with this recipe,

Leila

Homemade Zesty Lemon Dill Seasoning Blend (Salt-Free)

Lemon Dill Seasoning (Salt-Free)

I created this salt-free seasoning blend to duplicate a blend sold in stores. It is much less expensive to make your own spice blends, plus, there are no added fillers, starches, or mystery ingredients, and you can customize them to your taste preference.

The lemon essential oil adds a definite brightness to this seasoning. This is a great basic to have in your spice cupboard. My family uses this seasoning on tuna and other fish. You can sprinkle this on salads, mix into sandwich spreads, dips, sprinkle over eggs, etc...


LEMON DILL SEASONING Recipe:

Yield: about 2 ounces

3 T. onion powder
1 T. granulated garlic
2 T. dill weed
2 t. dried lemon peel (or orange peel, 2nd choice)
2 t. dill seeds
1 t. Chile, dried and ground (or dried jalapeno)
20 drops organic lemon essential oil


Method:

Place the citrus peel in a 2-ounce glass spice jar. Drip lemon essential oil over citrus peel and let it be absorbed for a few minutes, with the lid secured.

Add the rest of the ingredients and shake together well (or blend in a bowl and pour back into the spice jar).

Store sealed in a cool, dark place.


Enjoy,

Leila

Chipotle Con Crema - Slather some on you Mexican food!

Chipotle Con Crema


I tasted a variation of this at our local farmer's market. It was so good that I had to go home and recreate it. And that is exactly what I did. It dresses up foods nicely, especially Mexican foods.


CHIPTLE CON CREMA Recipe:

1 large sweet onion, sliced into rings and then halved
1/4 c. real organic butter
1 c. sour cream
1/8 t. chipotle powder or chipotle peppers (more if you want hotter)
2 t. organic chicken base or bouillon
1/2 t. smoked paprika
onion salt, to taste, optional


Method:

Saute the onions in the butter until translucent and slightly caramelized.
Add chicken base and maybe a touch of water if needed to dissolve it. Heat until dissolved.
Stir in chipotle and smoked paprika. Take off heat and let cool to just warm.
Add sour cream after it has cooled down, and mix in well. Add a touch of onion salt, to taste.
Use immediately or chill. Store in the refrigerator.


Use:

Use as a topping or filling for various Mexican foods. We love it with burritos, inside chicken enchiladas, on tostadas, tamales, soups, taco salads... It is very versatile and makes almost any Mexican dish memorable. It is also good in wraps and sandwiches.

To use once it is chilled: Scoop out 8 ounces and put in loosely covered container. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and serve.


Enjoy,

Leila

Dilly Rice Salad - A very fast and flavorful dish (Gluten-Free)

Dilly Rice Salad or Side

Loaded with flavor, this is a great basic recipe that you will come back to again and again. It is quick to put together and it lasts several days in the refrigerator, saving you a lot of time in food prep. I like making a batch for quick meals throughout the week. It makes a nice lunch, great for taking to work or on picnics, and of course as a side for dinner. It makes a nice meal
served with a rotisserie chicken from Costco, and some fresh sweet melon and berries.


DILLY RICE Recipe

8 c. cooked brown rice
2 handfuls fresh dill weed, minced, to taste
2 T. fresh lemon juice, to taste
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
4 small scallions, minced (or 2 large)
1 to 2 garlic cloves, pressed, to taste (my mom prefers 3 to 4 cloves)
1 bunch parsley, minced (or spinach)
1/3 to 1/2 cup high quality olive oil or GREEN OIL (recipe on this blog)
onion salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
BioSalt, to taste (recipe on this blog)
sliced olives, optional
Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle over top, optional
Dried dill weed, optional


Method:

In a large bowl, toss everything together well, seasoning to taste.
Chill. This is even better the next day. Taste again for seasonings before serving.