Alissa and Annie - NOT Julie and Julia

[anniez]

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I have to say how very thankful I am for this thread! I found it 3 days ago and I've read (and even re-read) the entire thing!

Thank you so much Annie for doing this, and for sharing it with the community! Your reviews are awesome! And I think you're just brilliant for freezing recipes to see how the fare, and seeing how long they stay yummy in the fridge. All your details are SO helpful!!!!

I have a couple questions about the freezing! How exactly are you storing the food in the freezer? You seem experienced at this & I would love to hear the best way to keep them fresh! Even my frozen bananas turn brown after a week, so I might be doing something wrong. I would love to have just a few things already prepared & waiting in the freezer. Life with 3 kids can get hectic & I'd rather occasionally eat frozen & defrosted raw than SAD!

I had the same issues you had with the avo's and was thrilled to read that you froze them! How long did it take for one to defrost?

Thank you, Radiantly Raw, for your kind words. I'm so glad to know you are being helped.

About freezing: I have some plastic containers that I got at Costco that have air-tight lids, and I use those. Because the food is cold, I don't get too concerned about the plastic. Then I also have some pyrex glass dishes that have lids that fit very tight, and I also use those. For greens, I just put them in plastic bags. The avo I just stick in the freezer.

The avo takes a few hours - don't really know how long because I just take one out in the morning and it's ready when I am.

I find having frozen foods very convenient.

Annie

[anniez]

This is what I made for my 8 year old daughter for lunch today.
I hope this time the picture posts!

Okay...I think the file was too big...anyway, it was beautiful! And scrumptious.
I used swiss chard and spinach and added a bit o'lemon juice to the recipe. Yummers!

Lara, I, too, love Alissa's Marinated Greens! I'm using the recipe with all kinds of greens.

Annie

[anniez]

I have to make note of one of the things I most appreciate about Alissa’s book: Her recipes run the gamut! Some recipes are as easy as peeling a banana, slicing up an avocado, peeling a clove of garlic and blending it up to make a wonderful dip (Avo Banana Dip.) If you leave out the garlic, it makes a delectable pudding. The pudding is one of my continual go-to’s. Quick, easy, delicious, and oh so satisfying! Or it can be as complicated as the Lasagna, which I’m waiting to do when I have lots of time and am in the mood to putter in the kitchen. Yes, I do have days like that! I have always loved to cook, except now I love uncooking! I get enormous pleasure from chopping veggies, for example. And I have to admit that when I committed to preparing only Alissa’s recipes until I’ve fixed every one in the book, I forgot that the Holidays would fall right smack dab in the middle of my project. But, lucky for me, Alissa has all kinds of recipes – even cookies.

I was so happy to find the Christmas Cookie thread yesterday. I won’t be using any of those recipes, but I will use some of the ideas for shaping, etc. Alissa has 7 cookie recipes – that will be plenty for a good raw cookie tray for me for snacking! They all have at least a few nuts, but they are all dehydrated, which means they will keep well in the fridge, and can also be frozen! I think I will make them quite small, and also use some mini cookie cutters to make shapes. I’m sure not all of the doughs will be conducive to that, but from reading over them, it seems like some of them will. When I’m invited to Holiday Parties, I’ll just take my own plate of cookies. Who says a raw vegan diet is about deprivation? Not I!!

If you don’t have this wonderful book, I must ask – again – why not? It is just such a practical primer, and I am continually referring to it. Yesterday was my day to coddle and take care of me, after the craziness of the week. (How can you DO that, some of you are asking! Well, as I have said, I am 66 and it’s just hubby and me at home. I know where many of you are, because I was there, too, with busy children and a busy husband. But I am no longer there, and since going raw I have come to realize that it is simply OK – and even the best thing to do – to put myself first sometimes.)
Anyway, I got out Alissa’s book and re-read the 31 Frequently Asked Questions section. The very first question discusses getting enough protein and calcium. (I know this happens to all of you, as it does to me: when people hear I eat raw vegan food, their first question is, “Where do you get your protein?” Alissa’s discussion of this is wonderful. No way would I quote the entire section, for it is quite comprehensive, but I just want to quote this: “Certainly most people do not know that one teaspoon of sea kelp mixed in a glass of water gives approximately a thousand times more calcium (without animal protein) than an 8 ounce glass of milk. (And think of all the yucky things that are in milk!) Alissa spends 5 ½ pages answering this question.

I don’t mean to digress, but I know there are some of you out there who are struggling, and I just want you to know this is so much more than a “raw recipe” book. OK – down from the soapbox!

Well, really, what’s not to like about apple Lemonade? It was really good, and I think I will be making this a LOT! With the lemon in it, I wonder if it would keep overnight. I’d love to double the quantity and have some for the next day, but I don’t want to jeopardize the enzymes, so I don’t know. Any ideas?

Pepper Dip – This was really good. It was kind of a muddy color, but the colored peppers redeemed it. The next time I make it I will pulse it and leave it chunkier to make a filling for greens. It would be really good in a rolled up green leaf for a sandwich.

Today:

Recipe 91 – Better Than Beef Pg 416

Have an awesome, rawsome day!

Annie

[beckx]

for those working on cream cheese recipes... the sour of a cultured food is slightly different than the sour of grapefruit. i haven't tried to make cream cheese, but when i make yogurt i've found that adding probiotic powder and letting it sit covered with a cheesecloth in a warmish place overnight/24 hours really helps get it to taste right. dairy yogurt and cream cheese are cultured foods... we can still culture raw foods. :)

[Lara]

And Easy Apple Pie! O.M.G.!
I made them both tonight for our family dinner. The curried yam bisque was heavenly. Next time I will triple the recipe, except for the amount of curry she recommends: The recipe calls for 1 tsp. which was a bit much. I'd recommend 1/2 tsp. and then to taste from there. Also, tho' the recipe does not call for salt, I added a bit to my bowl, individually and so did my daughter and husband to taste. It brought out the rich creamy flavors. I will make this again. 1 yam fed our family tonite for the soup! If you have a vitamix, it's great because it makes the soup slightly warm...mmmm, warm curry soup on a cold fall night! Nothing's better.
And the easy apple pie was yummy. I wasn't excited about the crust though. But nuts and seeds are hard on me, soaked or not. So I'm going to just make the filling next time and eat it alone. We're calling it "Apple pie Smash". Our whole family loved tonite's creations. Also, when I get a dehydrator, I'll try putting the "smash" into it for a little while and warm it up a bit. By then, I'll know how to make raw vanilla ice cream and will put a big dollop on top!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am thankful yet again to Alissa for her recipes. They are making this dramatic change in my eating and in my life much much easier and smoother.

[anniez]

for those working on cream cheese recipes... the sour of a cultured food is slightly different than the sour of grapefruit. i haven't tried to make cream cheese, but when i make yogurt i've found that adding probiotic powder and letting it sit covered with a cheesecloth in a warmish place overnight/24 hours really helps get it to taste right. dairy yogurt and cream cheese are cultured foods... we can still culture raw foods. :)

Thanks for making this point! I hadn't really thought about it. I will try adding some probiotic and then letting it sit longer.

Annie

[anniez]

I am thankful yet again to Alissa for her recipes. They are making this dramatic change in my eating and in my life much much easier and smoother.

And I, too, am thankful! And thanks for all the other notes you added. I want to try the Apple Pie soon.

Annie

[anniez]

Well, yesterday just got out of hand and by the time I got ready to make Better Than Beef I didn’t want to drag out the juicer to get some carrot pulp, so Better Than Beef will be for today.

Yesterday I did:

Recipe 92 – Zippy Tomato Soup

It was really good (I cut back a little on the onion) and really quick. I didn’t have any fresh basil, so I used dried. I know fresh would be better, and I usually have it on hand, because I love it, but yesterday I was out. I don’t know if this will keep or not since I ate all of it!

Hope I can control today better……we’ll see.

Annie

[Lara]

makes a fine dressing for a salad.
Here's what I did today:
for lunch, I wanted a salad. (I've been doing the Smoozie Weekend with Revvell and friends...check out that thread).
-romaine
-cucumbers chopped up small
- 1 avocado roughly chopped into the salad and smooshed around a bit
- 1 heaping Tbsp of the zucchini hummus (which is runnier than other hummus')
I made a humungous salad- used about 2.5 heads of romaine.
Then I tossed it all together, added some freshly squeezed lemon and salt, and voila! YUMMMMMMMM!
As I was munchin' away, happy as can be, my amazing 8 year old daughter came up and asked for a bite... and before I knew it, was asking for more and more. Finally I got up and prepared her her own HUGE bowl of the same creation. She ate it all up, humming and saying "yum" between bites.
It was fun!
Tonite- it's another green smoozie for me for dinner.

[ReneeH]

Hey Annie!!!

Here's my photo of Alissa's Zippy Tomato Soup!!!



I've actually never made Alissa's Better than Beef!!! It's one of the Recipes I really wanted to do, so I'll make that this week and post a photo for you!

You're doing GREAT!!!! :)

((((HUGS))))
Nee'

[lovenlife]

I know what you mean about the pictures, and I am sorry. Frankly, I just don't want to take the time to figure all of it out. There's just too much else I want to be doing each day. Learning the picture thing isn't even on my radar.

I'm really sorry! That's why I'm trying to be so descriptive.

Annie

thats ok. It is just so easy to do! Dont be sorry

[ReneeH]

Thanks so much for the help Renee. Is it as good as it looks?

You're SO Welcome!!!

ABSOLUTELY!!!! Are you KIDDING ME!!!! It taste's JUST like the SAD version!!! Mine was FABULOUS!!!! I still have some in my freezer...you're making me wanna get it out and enjoy another piece!!!

Good to have you back!

Thanks! So good to be BACK!!!!!!! Thanks for holding down the Fort!!! :)

[anniez]

As I was munchin' away, happy as can be, my amazing 8 year old daughter came up and asked for a bite... and before I knew it, was asking for more and more. Finally I got up and prepared her her own HUGE bowl of the same creation. She ate it all up, humming and saying "yum" between bites.
It was fun!

Good for you! I love hearing about people getting their kids going. When they get really tasty food eating this way, I truly think they'll lose interest in SAD. Raw just has such great flavors.

Thanks for the idea about the hummus. I'm gonna try that!

Annie

[anniez]

Hey Annie!!!

Here's my photo of Alissa's Zippy Tomato Soup!!!


I've actually never made Alissa's Better than Beef!!! It's one of the Recipes I really wanted to do, so I'll make that this week and post a photo for you!

You're doing GREAT!!!! :)

((((HUGS))))
Nee'

Nee, big THANKS!

You're the best!

Annie

[anniez]

Day 40
While I love Holidays, I always like to get back in the routine. I’m a little slow this morning getting back into the routine, but it’ll happen today! (I hope!) For our family it was a great weekend. We have so much for which to be thankful and it was fun having the whole family together! I hope you all had as much fun as we did!

Better Than Beef – WOW! I really like this. All of the spices give it a really outstanding flavor. I’m not sure why it’s called this, but it’s good. It’s a very appetizing orange color. Next time I will pulse the onion in the processor with the sun-dried tomatoes, because for me the onion needs to be very fine to eat it raw. It does tone down in the time you let the mixture sit. I am going to freeze whatever is left after today and see how it freezes.

For today:

Recipe 93 Banana Ice Cream P 516 I finally got a blank screen for my juicer, so I figured as long as I have it sitting on the counter, I’ll give this a try. It’s only bananas, so I’m sure I’ll like it, but, since I eat bananas in my green smoothies, I’m not sure this is something I’ll want to fiddle with. But, we’ll see! I think I’ll make some strawberry sauce to eat on top of it. Sounds yummy!

Recipe 94 Pesto Pasta Pg 417

Gotta run. This house could use some of my attention today!

Make it a good one……..

Annie