V-8 "Juice"

2 large tomatoes
1 bunch of celery hearts
1 small bunch of cilantro or spinach or both
1 lime
1/2 jalapeno

Put celery through juicer.  Then add wadded up bunch of greens and put tomatoes on top before tamping down to blade.  Secret to juicing greens is to make sure there is something that provides a lot of juice, like a tomato, on top.  Mash that into blade that way and you will get more from the greens.  Then juice the jalapeno and squeeze the lime in.  Can juice the whole lime if you like rather than squeeze it in.  Very tasty!  

Raw Beet Salad - 2 Ways

1/2 large beet, left to sit on counter until slightly soft, use potato peeler to slice
1-2 limes, squeezed over to soften beet slices
large handful cilantro, just leaves and no stems

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Salad 1 - with overt fat

Add to beets with lime juice and cilantro:
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, hand minced (I like minced flavor better than from garlic press)
 jalapeno (optional), few small slices cut into small bits

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Salad 2 - no overt fat

Add to beets with lime juice and cilantro:

horseradish, 1/4-1/2 inch grated (let sit on beets for 5 mins. or so)
1/2 cucumber, cubed
 (I tried red pepper in this one...didn't like.  I tried sweet onion...didn't like.)
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The secret to raw beet salad - especially without fat or salt - is to let the unpeeled beet soften (and sweeten) on the counter for a few days.  And then to slice it very thin.  A potato peeler works great and do does a mandoline.  Also to put some acid over the beet slices and let that marinate and soften the beets a bit.  I thought it was colorful and delicious and would be nice as a cold side dish/salad to a potluck.

Sprouted Quinoa Salad (and how to sprout it)

 big handful spinach, chopped
2 lime, squeezed for juice
1/4 cup sprouted quinoa - link to left about how to sprout
1/4 cup mango
1 endive head, sliced
1/2 jalapeno, cut into bits
1/2 a pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 red pepper, cut into bits
1 Persian cuke (cut into quarters)
1/8 tsp. dried oregano, ground up in palm of hand
microgreens to decorate top of salad

Put lime juice over spinach and let soak while add rest of ingredients.  Mix and eat!

Potassium Powerhouse Smoothie

3 bananas**, ripe but not overripe
10 deglet noor dates (smaller than Medjool)
1 cup of beet greens*, small part of stems are fine

Put bananas in first into high speed blender then dates and then greens.  Blend on high until smooth.  Fine to have some chunks of dates.  I prefer actually. 

*Top 5 list of potassium rich foods are tomatoes, o.j., beet greens, beans and dates - in that order. 

** Keeping sweet fruit away from acid fruit like tomatoes and oranges.  Seems that sub-acid (like blueberries and mango) goes with all.  Melons should be on their own.

Spicy Parsnip Rice

This is from Chef Sabali's recipe with a few changes.

• 4 - 6 fresh parsnips
• 1/2 lime
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp of chopped mixed peppers
(jalapeno and sweet peppers)
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/8 of a sweet onion (minced or cubed)
• endive leaves, to place rice into (optional)

Thoroughly clean parsnips and remove all skin. Using a food processor, mince down parsnips by pulsing  down until small pieces, that should resemble something like rice. Remove and place parsnip rice into a bowl.  Add lime.  Add all the remaining vegetables and mix well.  Fold over a few times to ensure the lime juice has coated the vegetables.  Place in endive leaves for delish appetizer or use as cold side dish.  Serve immediately. However, will refrigerate well for 2 days. Best at room temperature. 

Tomatillo Dressing

3 medium tomatillos
1/4th of small sweet onion
1 inch of bottom of jalapeno
1 lime
1 garlic clove
big handful of cilantro, some stems are fine

Put in high speed blender.  Blend until completely liquid. Put over spinach and add cut grape tomatoes on top. 

Banana Smoothie

2 ripe bananas
5 deglet noor dates (smaller than medjool)
1 apple, juiced (or whole)

Put in high speed blender.  Very tasty and thick.  If want thinner, add more apple juice.   I have also done whole apple and it is equally as tasty but doesn't thin it out.