Plant-Based Recipes for Health and Vibrance
Ever since I learned about the possibility of riceless risotto, it has become a staple lunch and dinner in our home. In this type of dish, rice gets replaced with rice-sized ‘grains’ made up of a chopped vegetable. I’ve made it my mission to try making ‘rice’ of all kinds of veggies, and so far I’ve really enjoyed riceless risotto made with broccoli stems, cauliflower and rutabaga.
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Ciao from Italy! By the time this post goes up, I will be in the mountains of Abruzzo, having already walked down the streets of Rimini and Venice for the first time in my life. I will already have tasted many fresh and amazing dishes, crossing them off my long list of things to try, one by one. As open as I am to all kinds of food while traveling, I always crave very simple fare when I come back home – vegetables and greens, very much like this salad from Gena’s Hamshaw new cookbook Choosing Raw.
I love Gena’s style, represented so well on her site – easy and informative, full of nutrition advice, but always taking flavor into consideration. I gladly accepted Gena’s offer to send me a copy of her cookbook and already made the Avocado Black Bean Breakfast Scramble, Fig Bars, and this Sweet Potato and Kale Salad – all to delicious results.
Gena’s plant-based recipes, not all of them raw, are fuss-free, and offer options that will satisfy both a rookie and a seasoned cook. What sets the book apart are the many educated answers to your questions about nutrition, veganism and raw food. Being a certified nutritionist herself, Gena provides helpful meal plans for beginners, with higher protein and raw meal options.
This salad is great for fall, with sweet potato as the featured guest. It is simple in preparation and very nourishing – well done Gena!
Sweet Potato and Kale Salad
for the dressing
1 cup cashews – soaked for about 4 hours
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
for the salad
2 sweet potatos – peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and pepper
1 bunch kale – cut into bite-size pieces
1 red bell pepper – sliced
1/3 cup slivered almonds
to make the dressing
Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
to make the salad
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Toss sweet potatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until soft. Cool for 15 minutes.
2. Massage 1/2 dressing into the kale in a large mixing bowl, until the kale softens. Add in the pepper slices, potatoes and the rest of the dressing. Mix to combine.
3. Serve right away with some slivered almonds sprinkled on top.
Note: Gena uses all of the dressing for this salad, but I used less, as I like my salads dressed lightly. I saved the rest of the dressing for another salad.
– “What can be better than the best potato chips?” you ask.
– “Golubka’s kale chips!” I answer
These are healthier than their baked cousins, as all the vitamins and enzymes remain intact and nourish your body.
When the chips are dehydrating, the combination of sesame tahini, lemon, herbs, and spices fills the house with an intoxicating aroma that leaves the neighbors wondering of what is cooking. They come out unbelievably crunchy and overall so addictive that it is nearly impossible to keep yourself from reaching for more. I got this recipe in a forum and, as usual, modified it a bit.
I like to start with two different kinds of kale to add a variety of colour. Here, I used green and red kale (although it’s purple, it always is). Wash, tear or cut into medium sized pieces.
For the dressing, I make my own raw sesame tahini (recipe will follow), but you can find it in health food stores.
For 2 bunches of kale:
3/4 cup raw sesame tahini
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup (or more if needed) water
1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup nama shoyu or bragg
2 scallions
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lemon
add some sea salt if you wish
Blend all the ingredients to make a smooth dressing.
Mix the dressing into the kale, making sure that all the leaves are covered thoroughly.
Spread the dressed pieces onto Teflex dehydrator sheets. Make sure not to crowd the kale, to avoid the sticking together of the chips. Dehydrate at 110F for six hours or until completely dry and crispy. Flip occasionally.
Keep refrigerated in airtight glass containers.
Post by: A