Raw Vegan Watermelon Cups

Here is a fabulous idea for a summer fruit salad. It is the perfect party appetizer. Yes, it has several steps and looks like a lot of work, but it really wasn't that bad. The most time consuming part was dicing the fruit for the fruit salad. If you wanted to enjoy this recipe with a little less work, you could simply rough chop all of the ingredients for the fruit salad and serve in bowls. I highly recommend making the cilantro-lime creme dressing to top your fruit salad- it is quite good!

This recipe was inspired by this post. I raw-veganized it for the version below. This recipe does not contain any dairy, eggs, gluten, grains, soy, corn, or refined sugar.

Raw Vegan Watermelon Cups

Ingredients


For the Fruit Salad: 
1 mini seedless watermelon, 3-5 lbs
2/3 cup jicama, small dice
4 ripe yellow peaches, small dice
1/3 cup sweet or red onion, finely chopped
1/2 granny smith apple, small dice
1 clove garlic, pressed
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice (depending on how tangy you want it)
1/2 fresh jalapeno, small dice (seeds and membrane removed if you don't like spicy stuff)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped plus several small whole leaves to garnish
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the Cream Sauce:
3/4 cup soaked cashews (soak raw cashews in filtered water for 4-8 hours, drain)
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1/4 cup filtered water
Pinch of himalayan salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp minced fresh jalapeno

Method

To make the watermelon cups:
Cut the ends off of the watermelon. Stand the watermelon up on one of the flat ends and cut off the sides, forming a rectangle. Discard the rind, but keep the watermelon "scraps" to add to the fruit salad.
Cut the rectangle into cubes. I pretty much just sliced mine evenly into squares- think Rubix Cube :)
Use a knife or a melon baller to hollow out the inside of each cube. I made mine square because I was in the mood to put in some extra effort, but you could just use a melon baller or spoon and make little wells in the cube. Once the cube is filled with fruit salad, you don't really see the shape of the hole anyway.
Put the watermelon cubes in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill them.

To make the fruit salad:
Finely dice the remaining watermelon, jicama, peaches, onion, green apple, and jalapeno.
Add to bowl, add lime juice and garlic.
Add chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
Refrigerate until ready to fill cups.

To make the creme sauce:
Blend cashews, lemon juice, agave, water and salt until smooth.
In a bowl, add cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and 1/2 cup of the cashew creme and stir to combine.

To assemble: 
Fill watermelon cubes with fruit salad, top with cilantro lime sauce, and enjoy!

This recipe is linked to Made-from-scratch Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesday- click on the links for more great ideas for sugar free, gluten free, allergy friendly recipes.

Help Yourself in Key West

Today's post is about an awesome vegan/raw/healthy cafe in Key West.

Ever since I saw this video from Kevin and Annmarie Gianni about the Help Yourself cafe, I've wanted to go there.

That opportunity finally arrived. Earlier this month, my good friend Rebecca and I headed to Key West for a short day trip to ring in the New Year. We were in Key West for less than 24 hours, but Help Yourself was top on the list of places to go : )

We arrived via ferry about 3pm.

Before the trip, I had called Help Yourself cafe (twice) just to make sure they would be open on New Years Eve. They were- but only until 4pm. So, we headed straight there (walking, you know, since we got there by boat), and made it just in the nick of time.

Signs with veggies and organic food make me happy :)

I love their slogan: Food As it Should Be (you know, food)

They have a large selection of hot or cold items, cooked, raw, gluten free, and/or vegan. All fresh and made to order. It was really difficult to decide which to order. Salad or smoothie? Cooked or raw?

I first decided on the raw vegan taco salad. I made a rookie mistake, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit it here. I looked at the ingredients, and I made assumptions that I shouldn't have. I know better than that. Good grief, do I know better. Of course I ordered the salad with no tomatoes, and no corn. I assumed the "brazil nut taco meat" was the same type of nut taco meat I make at home. But, as soon as I got the salad, I could tell that the taco meat was likely not something I could eat, either. My heart sank. I felt SO bad. I didn't want to bring the salad back in, because it was my mistake for not asking about every single ingredient. Like I said, I know better.

But... I couldn't take the chance. We were pretty much stuck on an island, with the whole night ahead of us, no other food choices (other than the dried fruit and rice cakes I always travel with in my bag) and I just could NOT be sick! Not only would it ruin New Years for me, but I didn't want to do that to Rebecca. So, I sheepishly went back in to the restaurant and asked about the ingredients in the salad. Sure enough, it contained sunflower and something else (I can't remember now) that I definitely could not eat. It was all natural and organic, there was nothing wrong with the ingredients, they just happened to be ingredients that I am allergic to.

I was so sad.

This is the part where I tell you how awesome this restaurant is. The owner offered to make me something else, at no charge. Really! I felt really bad about that, since it was my own mistake, and here they were cleaning up behind the counter and getting ready to leave. But she said it was no problem, and my growling stomach urged me to accept her very kind offer. So, I then ordered the "Ancient Secret" salad (and asked about ALL of the ingredients, including the dressing- which I couldn't eat, but she gave me some olive oil and vinegar on the side). The salad was fabulous: mixed greens topped with quinoa, gogi berries, almonds, chick peas, and apples. So. good.

Rebecca got the "Mighty Marinara"- which looked and smelled delicious, and she said it was yummy.

The food was great, the dining area was cheery and comfortable, the weather was perfect, and it was a beautiful start to the New Year. I am so glad we had the chance to try this great little cafe. Here are some more photos:

Extended seating area on the patio. I think this is also where they have a weekly Farmer's Market.

Fun food facts, to browse while you wait.

You can visit the Help Yourself web site here. You can also follow them on Facebook. The food is great, the atmosphere is cheery, and the staff is wonderful. Should you visit Key West, be sure to stop by and at least grab a smoothie.

More Key West photos- these guys are not at Help Yourself, but you can find fresh coconuts several places on the island:

Yes, they literally harvest the coconuts from the palm trees, and crack them open for you right there. Yum. Coconut water is extremely refreshing. Unlike coconut milk (which is actually the meat and water of the coconut combined) coconut water has no taste. It tastes like water. 

Coconut water is fat-free, cholesterol-free, full of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphate) and also contains small amounts of many essential amino acids. Think of it as Nature's Gatorade. And how much better to get it in Nature's packaging (the coconut) than after it's been processed, bottled, canned, and stored on the grocery store shelf. Right?

You can't beat the sunset at the Southernmost Point in the USA: 

So pretty:

OK, that's it for the Key West summary. I do hope you have the chance to visit. I would like to return, because we didn't get to see everything during our short visit- although it was perfect for New Year's.

Just looking at these photos brings back happy memories :)

Green Bean Cole Slaw

I found this recipe through FoodGawker. It was so pretty, I had to click on it. Go to the link below to see the original recipe/photo.

I learned a few things. First of all, a runner bean is similar to a green bean. I believe it's a British term, and from the number of recipes that suggest you "shred" runner beans, I think they must be larger than US green beans. Second... you can "shred" green beans. Who knew! This is good to know for raw green beans. They are much more tender and taste less "green" this way. Third, cole slaw has its name because veggies in the brassica family (i.e. cabbage) are known as "cole crops". Did everyone else know that but me? I never knew that.

So there you go. One minute you're on Food Gawker, looking at a pretty picture of a salad, and the next minute you're learning about British runner beans and that there is a reason behind the name "cole" slaw!

Green Bean Cole Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh green beans
• 1/2 small red cabbage
• 1/2 very large carrot, shredded
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sweet onion
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (I used this one)
• 1 Tbsp spicy mustard (I used this one)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Method

• Wash green beans. Cut off the stems on the ends. You can also cut off the other end that has a little string sticking out, but it is not necessary.
• To shred green beans, use the slicing blade in the food processor. Feed a handful of green beans at a time through the chute.
• Repeat for cabbage.
• Change to shredding blade, and shred carrot, onion and garlic.
• Toss all veggies in a large bowl.
• Mix mayonnaise and mustard in a small cup, to taste.
• Toss mayo dressing with veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I added some fresh sprouts on top. I also used a raw vegan mayonnaise so it would be a raw dish, but you could make it with any vegan mayonnaise.

The original recipe for Runner Bean Coleslaw is here

Florida End-of-Summer Farmers' Market Salad

Sprouts from yesterday's Farmer's Market:

Mmmm... pardon me while I type with my mouth full... yum... yum...

I think I will call this... the Florida End-of-Summer Farmers' Market Salad...
because this is about all you can get at the Farmers' Market in Florida right now :) I think our season is almost the opposite of many others'. Everyone else gets excited for the Farmers' Market to open in the Spring, and they enjoy fresh produce all summer long. Our produce withers away in the heat, and many of our Farmers' Markets close at the end of May and re-open in October. This may also partly be due to our seasonal population changes.

I am looking forward to Fall, when we start getting more fresh veggies at the Market. Just when markets in other areas of the country are closing up for winter, ours will finally be bursting with lots of choices!

So for now... this is what we have (and it's delicious)

Salad
One head of hydroponic butter lettuce. This lettuce was living yesterday morning! You can't say that about that plastic-wrapped head of iceberg lettuce sitting in the grocery cooler ; )
Shredded carrot
A combination of fenugreek, radish, and pea sprouts

Mustard vinaigrette 
(measures approximate) 
3 Tbsp Greek (or any kind) extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp Champagne (or any kind) vinegar
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 dates
Blend.
Makes enough dressing for 2-3 large salads. Dressing will keep for a few days in the fridge.

The fenugreek sprouts are new to me. I've read about them (see NIH, SproutPeople), but had never tried them. I am really enjoying them... they seem to have a slightly nutty flavor.

Radish sprouts taste just like radishes.

Pea sprouts (aka pea shoots) taste like very green, green peas.

I cannot even tell you how delicious this salad is! I think it must be because everything is SO fresh. There is so much flavor in these veggies!

More on the health benefits of sprouts here, here and here

Sprouted lentil and apple salad

I made this salad a few weeks ago. It was another recipe from this awesome raw food (un)cookbook:

The book has since gone back to the library, so I do not have the exact recipe to share with you. BUT- from what I remember- it was a mixture of: sprouted lentils, chopped apple, raisins, cinnamon, dash of himalayan salt (or sea salt), and agave. Just play around with those ingredients and adjust to your liking.

Here are the soaked green lentils (aka French lentils) that morning, as they are beginning to sprout:

And later that afternoon: 

And the next morning (French lentils sprout like crazy!) 

Close up: 

The salad was super-easy. Just toss all ingredients together and serve. I think it might be better with a Granny Smith apple, but I used Galas here and they were yummy.

Close up:

More info on the health benefits of: Lentils, Apples, Cinnamon, and Raisins

Learn more about sprouting lentils here: Sprout People

Raw vegan pesto "pasta" salad

This recipe is straight from the book: Raw Food: A Complete Guide for Every Meal of the Day which my neighbor Joan recently checked out from the local library and I recently checked out from Joan's living room. Heh heh.

I am SO exited about this book! Can you see all of the tabs here?

These are recipes I can eat! The blue tabs are recipes I can eat as written, the pink tabs are recipes I can eat with minor adaptations. That never happens, even with raw food cookbooks. I think I may have to buy this book!

RAW Tagliatinni with Pesto

Ingredients
1 zucchini
1 carrot
2 tablespoons pesto (see below)
5 cocktail tomatoes, halved (I omitted these)
5 kalamata olives

Pine Nut and Basil Pesto
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1 sprig of basil
2 teaspoons sea salt
Lemon juice, to taste (oops, I think I omitted this too)

Blend all pesto ingredients in a blender or mini-food processor. I used the little Oscar food prep food processor.

Spiralize carrot and zucchini (or use a vegetable peeler, or a grater with large holes). Toss pesto with veggies and serve.

This recipe was delicious, and literally took me 5 minutes, start to finish, including measuring ingredients and clean up.

It was definitely good, but next time I make this, I will add a lot more basil, and a little less olive oil.

Dining out with food allergies

Restaurants have greatly improved in knowledge and accommodation of food allergies. Many restaurants now have gluten free menus. I always find this an encouraging sign- it means they are aware of gluten sensitivities, and likely conduct staff training regarding food sensitivities. This translates to other food sensitivities as well, so even if your sensitivity is not gluten, a restaurant with a gluten-free menu will likely understand your allergy to "x" and take the same precautions. Tip: even if dining in a restaurant with a gluten-free menu, be sure to discuss your allerg(ies) with your server, or the manager. Be sure they understand your specific needs, and make sure they understand issues of cross-contamination, etc.

The best option, if you need to be away from home for any length of time, is to bring a little cooler with some allergy-safe snacks. Fresh or dried fruit, veggie sticks, nuts, granola, water, etc. Or a big green smoothie in a glass! I use a mason jar, plastic lid, and a big fat glass straw.

Other options

Asian restaurants- steamed rice & steamed veggies. Depending on your allergies, you might also be able to use soy or other sauce, but be aware that soy sauce contains wheat AND soy. Also be aware of the oils used for stir-frying veggies- it could be soy, peanut, sesame, canola oil or a blend- any of which may be a problem for you, so always ask. I play it safe and get steamed rice and steamed veggies, no sauce, no oil. Be sure they use a freshly sterilized pan to prepare your meal (good restaurants already know this, but it never hurts to ask the server).

Salad bars- In my opinion, salad bars are not a good option- there is too high of a risk for cross-contamination. Customers pick up tongs from one item and use them for another item, food falls off tongs into another bin, etc. Be careful about salad bar items that come from a jar or can: artichokes, olives, water chestnuts, even beans. You can't be sure what they were packed in. You can ask the manager to check for you- I've found they are usually very accommodating about this. Don't even think about a salad dressing- there are waaaaayyyy too many ingredients in commercial salad dressings. Use oil & vinegar if you go the salad route. Ask what kind of oil if oils are a problem for you (it's usually olive oil but you never know). Salad bars are not impossible- I often use the one at Whole Foods- but be aware of the risks, and choose wisely based on your own sensitivities.

Juice and smoothie bars- The best options for juice and smoothie bars is those that make the juices FRESH, from whole, fresh ingredients. You can often find these types of juice bars in health food stores and Whole Foods. Be careful about chain stores, such as the smoothie stores you see in shopping malls. Those ingredients are often canned or frozen, and have added ingredients for color, sweetness, etc. It is not impossible to find a viable option at one of these places, but it takes a lot of time, label reading, and communication with the staff. If that is the type of smoothie bar near you, and you want that to be an option, I would recommend speaking with the manager at a time when they are not busy. Explain your food sensitivities and ask him to check the package ingredients, to see which might be an option for you. Also, ask about every ingredient that goes into the smoothie. Commercial smoothies are not only fruit. They often also add a thickening agent, and sugar. Some have an added protein (soy, whey, egg) that might be an ingredient you are trying to avoid. Ask specifically about these items. Often it does not occur to the staff that those items could be a problem. As with other restaurants, smoothie bars should also use a freshly sterilized blender carafe to prepare your item (again, this is usually not a problem). In my experience, I've found staff totally understand using sterilized utensils, but they rarely understand hidden ingredients.

Stay tuned for future posts on this topic.