Mango Blackberry Guacamole

I love adding fruit to guacamole. The sweet, tart and creamy flavors all meld together and are absolutely delicious. Here the slight tartness of mangoes pair beautifully with the creamy avocados. The addition of sweet blackberries add color and visual interest while rounding out the flavors.

Ingredients:

2 avocados, slightly soft to the touch
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped and seeded
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup blackberries, chopped (substitute blueberries any other type of berries)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Halve avocados and scoop out flesh with a spoon. Mash in a bowl with a fork. Stir in onion, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add mango and blackberries and fold softly into mixture. Store in an air tight container covered with parchment paper to prevent avocados from browning.

Raw Corn and Zucchini Salad

This is a delicious way to use up your summer corn and zucchini. Plus, you don't have to do any cooking. Just chop, mix and eat. Letting it marinate for a few hours will soften the zucchini and allow the flavors to mix but it's great to eat right away too!

Ingredients:

3 ears corn, husked and cleaned or 1 bag frozen corn, thawed
2 medium zucchini, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Stand corn on a clean towel. With a sharp knife, slice downward to release kernels. The towel will catch the loose kernels. Discard cobs and place kernels in a large bowl. Add zucchini, lime juice, olive oil and parsley. Season with sea salt and pepper and mix well.

Vegetable Lasagna with Zucchini Noodles

This is perfect for a summer-time lasagna as it requires no cooking. It's also very light and gluten-free using thin slices of zucchini for the noodles. However, it still has a lasagna taste with the rich tomato sauce and creamy cheese so the kids and adults will still love it!

Ingredients:

Marinara Sauce:
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 pitted date or pinch of stevia
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Cheese:
15 oz. ricotta cheese
4 oz goat cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese plus 1/4 cup reserved for sprinkling on top
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 bunch of fresh spinach leaves

Noodles:
3 medium zucchini slices
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil


Directions:

Noodles: Slice Zucchini in long thin layers using a mandolin slicer or sharp knife. Place zucchini noodles in a bowl and drizzle in lemon juice and olive oil. Lightly toss. Let marinate while preparing marinara and cheese sauce to soften noodles .

Marinara Sauce: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside

Cheese Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, parsley, and pepper. Set aside. Clean spinach leaves and tear in pieces with hands. Set aside.

Assembly:

Divide ingredients into three layers in a glass lasagna pan: Zucchini noodles first, marinara sauce second, cheese sauce third, then sprinkle with the spinach. Do remaining 2 layers. Top with reserved 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Vegan "Turkey" Loaf with Cranberry Sauce

This mock turkey loaf is just wonderful and has all the flavors of Thanksgiving without any of the meat. It's great for a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish. Or transform it into a gluten free "stuffing" by slicing the loaf into small squares or by placing the mixture into muffin tins before dehydrating or cooking.

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
1 cup pumpkin seeds
5 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon sage
1 cup dried cranberries sweetened with juice, soaked for at least 30 minutes to soften

Directions:

Grind almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds in a food processor. Add the celery, onion and sage. Mix until a smooth dough forms. Remove mixture and place onto a dehydrator sheet or baking pan. Form into a loaf shape. Dehydrate for 8-12 hours or bake at 200 degrees for 4 hours or until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Drain cranberries saving water in a separate bowl. Place cranberries with 2 tablespoons of the reserved water in a blender, and blend until smooth. Add a little more of the reserved water if necessary. Spread cranberry sauce over the loaf.

Avocado Peach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Peaches are beautiful and ripe this time of year so I love incorporating them into salads and deserts. In this recipe, I've paired them with creamy avocados and spicy arugula making a simple well rounded salad. I used raspberry vinaigrette, but any fruity vinaigrette would work great here!

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados,
8 cups arugula or baby spinach
2 ripe peaches, pitted and diced
Juice of one lemon
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Raspberry vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Directions:

Halve and pit avocados and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Toss with arugula and peaches. Place in individual serving bowls and drizzle with dressing.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raspberries
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey or pinch stevia
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Add all ingredients, except olive oil, to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Slowly add olive oil until well combined and emulsified.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Easy yet delicious vinaigrette that great on any salad!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Pinch stevia or 1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients except olive oil in a small bowl. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Raw Mushroom Soup

I really like mushroom soup in the winter as it's so warm and hearty. However, I wanted something that would also be good during the summer months. This recipe is a completely raw version of mushroom soup so it leaves all the nutrients and enzymes intact...bonus! It's so easy, I think I'll make it during the winter months too, but warmed slightly. :)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup almond butter
10 oz cups baby bella mushrooms or other mushrooms of choice
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 teaspoons tamari, soy sauce or sea salt
1/2 cup water
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with minced mushrooms and/or chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if necessary. Pour into individual serving bowls and garnish with mushrooms or parsley. Best served at room temperature, but can be chilled as well.