Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Raw Kale Salad- Whole Foods Market Style


For quite awhile I was buying Whole Foods raw kale salad every day for lunch. I finally got smart and figured out how to make it at home. It's super easy and superfood good for you.

Kale is rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention tons of fiber. The "Icing on the Kale" are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits. I wonder if you could live on it alone? lol


Kale is also abundant in sulforaphane. Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This helps clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation. Relay for Life or Relay for Kale? I would rather eat than run, how about you?

As usual, I am doing this recipe off the cuff. I have made it about 30 times so I think I will be pretty darn close. Here it goes...

Whole Foods Raw Kale Salad Redo

For Salad:
1 bunch of organic kale
1 cup of toasted almond slivers
1 cup of dehydrated cranberries ( I have use dehydrated cherries in a pinch)
1 cup dehydrated apple slices cut into small pieces
olive oil

For Dressing:
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
pinch of salt

In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, honey, lemon juice, salt and balasmic vinegar. While whisking, slowly add in a constant drizzle the oil to create an emulsion. Set aside.

Derib kale, chop into small pieces and put in a large bowl. Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil on chopped kale, throw in a few pinches of sea salt and massage oil into greens for 2-3 minutes. This will help soften the kale. Next throw in the almonds, cranberries and apples. Toss greens to combine ingredients, add dressing and toss again. Make sure not to overdo the dressing . It should be lightly dressed, not swimming in it.

Sometimes I throw it on top of my regular salad and add Sass Brand "Sesame Garlic" dressing on top.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Vegan's Hundred To Try List

The Vegan's Hundred



Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or social networking site profile, including these instructions.

2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.

3) Cross out or italicize any items that you would never consider eating.

4) Optional extra: Post a comment on this post linking to your results.



I hope you will join this vegan foodie tasting adventure.



The HHL Vegan Hundred:

1. Molasses

2. Cactus/Nopales

3. Scrambled Tofu

4. Grilled Portobella Caps

5. Fresh Ground Horseradish

6. Sweet Potato Biscuits

7. Arepa

8. Vegan Cole Slaw

9. Ginger Carrot Soup

10. Fiddlehead Ferns

11. Roasted Elephant Garlic

12. Umeboshi

13. Almond Butter Toast

14. Aloe Vera

15. H and H Bagel NYC

16. Slow Roasted Butternut Squash

17. White truffle

18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes


19. Freshly ground wasabi

20. Coconut Milk Ice Cream

21. Heirloom tomatoes

22. Orchard-fresh pressed apple cider

23. Organic California Mango (in season Sept-Oct only)

24. Quinoa

25. Papaya Smoothie

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet (habanero) pepper (just a bite!...hot!

27. Goji Berry
28. Fennel

29. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie

30. Radishes and Vegan Buttery Spread

31. Starfruit

32. Oven fresh Sourdough bread

33. Sangria made with premium fruit and juices


34. Sauerkraut


35. Acai Smoothie

36. Blue Foot Mushrooms

37. Vegan Cupcake
38. Sweet Potatoes and Tempeh combo

39. Falafel

40. Spelt Crust Pizza

41. Salt and Pepper Oyster Mushrooms

42. Jicama Slaw

43. Pumpkin Edamame Ginger Dumplings

44. Hemp Milk

45. Rose Champagne

46. Fuyu

47. Raw Avocado-Coconut Soup

48. Tofu Pesto Sandwich

49. Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne fresh-pressed juice...with Extra Ginger

50. Grilled Seitan

51. Prickly pear

52. Almond Milk

53. Concord Grapes off the vine

54. Ramps

55. Coconut Water fresh from a young coconut

56. Organic Arugula

57. Vidalia Onion

58. Sampler of organic produce from Diamond Organics

59. Honeycrisp Apple

60. Poi

61. Vegan Campfire-toasted Smores

62. Grape seed Oil

63. Farm fresh-picked Peach


64. Pita bread with freshly-made hummus

65. Chestnut Snack Packs

66. Fresh Guava

67. Mint Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

68. Raw Mallomar
69. Fried plantains

70. Mache

71. Golden Beets

72. Barrel-Fresh Pickles

73. Liquid Smoke

74. Meyer Lemon

75. Veggie Paella

76. Vegan Lasagna (raw optional)

77. Kombucha

78. Soy Milk

79. Lapsang souchong

80. Lychee Bellini

81. Tempeh Bacon

82. Sprouted Grain Bread

83. Tempeh

84. Vanilla Bean

85. Watercress

86. Carrot you pulled out of the ground yourself

87. Vegan In-Season Fruit Pie

88. Flowers

89. Corn Chowder

90. High Quality Vegan Raw Chocolate

91. Yellow fuzz-free Kiwi

92. White Flesh Grapefruit

93. Harissa

94. Coconut Oil

95. Jackfruit

96. Homemade Risotto

97. Spirulina

98. Seedless 'Pixie' Tangerine

99. Gourmet Sorbet, not store bought

100. Fresh Plucked English Peas

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing Recipe

I have three favorite salad dressings.
The 3rd place ribbon goes to Sass Dressing - Sesame Garlic, My second place winner is Oka's - Miso Dressing...
"AND the winner of tonight's ultimate salad dressing pageant IIIIIIIISSSS..."
"Makoto- Ginger Dressing!!!"
The crowd goes wild...
"And now we will crown our winner."
♫ Here she is Ms. Salad Dressing ♫
(I need help)

After much research, I found a few good ginger dressing recipes. I combined a few recipes with additions of this and subtractions of that and came up with a DAMN good dressing. I swear it is as good as the bottled stuff. I am thinking about picking up a bottle and doing a comparison.
"So without further ado...Your 2011 Ms. Salad Dressing..."

"Isn't she beautiful, Bob?"


Ms. Salad Dressing 2011
1/2 Cup of sliced fresh peeled ginger
1 Cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/2 Cup of diced onions
1/2 Cup water
3/4 Cup of vegetable oil
4 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon course salt
2 Tablespoon of sugar
4 Tablespoons of soy sauce

Combine in a blender or food processor and process until fairly smooth...
Store in fridge for one week. Share with friends.

"Ah-sooo good grasshoppa"