Monday, December 28, 2009

Delicious Broccoli Salad

The last week has been magical and fun. Spending time with friends and family, reliving memories and seeing the girls with sparkles in their eyes.
The recipe in this post is one from Beatrice Arroe. Noah and I served this salad at our wedding, everyone loves it!
Delicious Broccoli Salad:

  • 1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized chuncks
  • 1 handful almonds
  • 1 cup scallions, or green onions
  • ¾ cup raisins, currants or olives
  • DRESSING BLEND:
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • ½ cup tahini
  • ½ cup red onion
  • 1 whole lemon, juiced
  • ½ whole jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons oil, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon corriander
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon agave, to taste
Cut and toss body ingredients into a bowl.
Blend dressing ingredients in a blender, add to body ingredients, massage together and enjoy!


Broccoli is cooling in nature, and helps reduce eye inflammation. It is slightly diuretic in action. Broccoli reduces pitta and kapha. Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C as an orange, and almost as much calcium as whole milk-and its calcium is better absorbed by our bodies. Broccoli contains selenium, is a modest source of vitamin A and alpha-tocopherol vitamin E, and has value as an antioxidant.
(The leafy greens--not the blossoms--offer the most nutrients)
Yumm.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!
Pray for snow!
xoxoxox
Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Vegetable Medley Soup

Merry Holidays!
Its the day after Christmas, my family is going skiing and I am thinking of something that will satisfy them after a day of fun in the snow! Soup! Yumm! Delicious warm soup!

This soup recipe is one I picked up from the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, Arizona! It has quickly become one of my family's favorites as well as a favorite of the Live Food class that I teach on Wednesdays! It is delicious and sooooo good for you!
Thanks Tim and Michela for all your wonderful teachings and recipes!

Vegetable Medley Soup:
  • 3-6 whole bell peppers, s-bladed
  • 1 bunch spinach, s-bladed
  • 1 bunch celery, 2mm-disk
  • 1-4 bunches cilantro , or basil s-bladed
  • 2-3 cups sundried tomatoes, soaked, s-bladed
  • 4 whole avocados, diced
  • 1 ½ cups pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds, whole
  • ½ cup cumin
  • ½ cup olive oil, or sesame oil
  • ½ cup lemon juice, or 2 Tablespoons apple vinegar
  • ¼ cup kalamata black olive brine
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon hing, or garlic
  • 1 cup miso
  • 4 cups nettle, dandelion, or rooibos tea
To make tea:
1/2 cup nettle, or dandelion or rooibos dry tea.
3 cups tea kettle water
steep for 20 minutes.

Add all ingredients to a bowl and serve. You may choose to warm on stove till soup is warm to the touch or you may use a candy thermometer and heat to 120 degrees.

Note: When I say s-bladed it means to use the "S" shaped blade in your food processor to chop ingredients. Be careful not to process to much and puree it. Just chop.

Nettles are used throughout the world to build vitality, nettles are delicious and if your in a moist area, free for the taking! But do take carefully! (Preferably with gloves) To harvest the leaf, you come at the leaf from the bottom, folding it along its central crease, yanking it gently from the mother plant, and then rolling it up so as to enclose the top of the leaf (where the stingers are most commonly found).
Nettles are persistent perennials that can grow taller than 2 meters (6 feet). Nettles grow in multiple thin stalks arising from the ground. Nettle leaves are typically collected, eaten and or dried in May and June, just before coming into flower. The stems and leaf tops of the stinging nettle plant are covered with thin, hair like protrusions. These protrusions, if touched, release a stinging fluid containing histamine and formic acid, which causes temporary burning and irritation. This injection, which is like and ant's bite, increases circulation, and provides external treatment for arthritic pain, gout, sciatica, neuralgia, hemorrhoids, and scalp and heir problems. Nettle juice can be used as a hair rinse to restore natural color. Nettle extracts are used in many shampoos.
Internally, nettles are a kidney tonic with diuretic properties that help flush the blood and cleanse blood through the kidneys. Nettles afford allergy relief, enrich the blood, and thicken the hair. Due to their iron rich content and ease of absorption, nettle juice is more effective than spinach juice in building blood. Nettle leaves are highly alkaline. They neutralize and dissolve acidic wastes in the blood. Its power to purify the blood will do wonders for chronic skin ailments. Its effective against eczema on the upper body, especially on the face and neck, and ears. This benefit is likely due to its high silicon, chlorophyll, and vitamin C content.
Nettle juice is perfect for weight reduction. Nettles are also good for hypoglycemia, as they help reduce blood sugar levels, and they also ameliorate high blood pressure. Used for anemia and excessive menstruation, nettles also build overall energy and chi. Nettles reduce pitta and kapha and can be used, in moderation by vata.
Wow!
Stinging nettles probably originated in Eurasia, although there is some evidence that they were growing in the Americas when the Europeans arrived. Some of the strongest varieties grow in the United Kingdom and Germany.
Mythologically, the Nordics associated nettles with the thunder god Thor. Nettles were perceived to protect one from lightning. The incredible strengthening properties of the nettle plant really do make one more resistant to the elements.
When nettles are eaten, the saliva neutralizes the sting, so that one cannot be stung in the mouth or throat.
Mother nature provides her unique balance by providing a remedy for the nettle sting by allowing burdock to grow in the same locales as nettles. Mashed-up burdock leaves applied to the skin relieve nettle stings. Also the juice from the stinging nettle leaves acts as an antidote to the sting as well, when applied topically.
Simply and amazing plant!

Hope you all are having a wonderful end of the year!
Lots of hugs and blessings!

Michelle

PS. The information contained in this post came from the books, Eating for Beauty, by David Wolfe, and The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, by Rebecca Wood.

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Walking Lightly Soup

It's that time of year, when I love to eat tons of soup! There is absolutely nothing like soup! By nature its eccentric, in the fact that no two are ever alike!

This is the soup I make most often out at the ranch. It is derived from the basic soup recipe in the book Sunfood Cuisine by Frederic Patenaude. I have posted the basic recipe below, so check it out; try it and create something new every time!

Walking Lightly Soup:

1 whole apple
1 whole avocado
1 bunch greens (mustard, arugula, collards, broccoli, spinach, baby lettuces, or other favorite greens)
1 bunch herbs, (basil, parsley, cilantro, or other favorite herb)
1 whole zucchini
2 tablespoons miso
dash nama shoyu
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
dash cayenne pepper
2 to 3 cups blessed water or more if needed
Place all ingredients in a blender, blend and serve!


Basic Soup Recipe:

*2 cups non-sweet fruit
Choose between cucumber, tomato, zucchini, pepper, or tomatillo. You may choose to use one or more of these.
*1 to 2 cups liquid
Use one cup first. Then if needed, add more liquid at the end. Choose between blessed water, coconut water, or vegetable juice.
*1 to 2 cups greens
Vegetables or herbs. Choose between kale, parsley, spinach, arugula (also a spice), celery, and your favorite herbs and veggies!
*1/2 to 1 whole avocado, meat of one young coconut, or 2-4 Tablespoons of tahini.
*4 Tablespoons olive oil, or other cold pressed oil like flax or hemp.
*2 Tablespoons Miso
*1/2 to 1 whole apple
*1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or 2 tablespoons nama shoyu (or Bragg's for gluten sensitive)
*1 inch ginger (optional)
*1 clove of garlic
*1 pinch cayenne pepper
Blend all ingredients. You may choose to create a chunky soup by dicing some of the vegetables, or adding some. Warm it up till it feels warm to the touch! But not over 120 degrees so that you may preserve the enzymes and keep the soup ALIVE!
Some other great additions are kelp noodles or zucchini noodles, marinated or grated vegetables, chopped avocado, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, olives, or sprouts.

Be creative, have fun and enjoy!


"Good Soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite then any other one dish."
~Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949)

Many Blessings! ~ Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Saturday, November 28, 2009

PomTini


The word pomegranate means "many-grained apple".
Eat the pomegranate, for it purges the system of hatred and envy. --Muhammad







This drink is a real crowd pleaser!



  • PomTini
  • Makes 2-3 servings
  • 1 cup fresh pomegranate , or cranberry juice, strained (fresh juice will produce a cloudier drink than bottled)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 cup dry organic white wine, or sparkling wine
  • ½ cup dry sake
  • 3 teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed is the best!

Combine ingredients and shake with ice in a martini shaker, strain and serve in martini glasses. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig (remove lower needles and skewer fruit of choice).
This recipe comes to you from Rebecca Carlson in the current issue of Purely Delicious magazine.

Pomegranates promote the production of red blood cells; expel tapeworms; strengthen the bladder (especially for the elderly) and the gums; and soothe ulcers in the mouth and throat. The peel is used as a home remedy for treating chronic dysentery. A kitchen remedy for burning eyes is to place a drop of pomegranate juice in each eye before sleeping.
Pomegranates reduce pitta and kapha.

We have so much to be thankful for!
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love you all!
Michelle
Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Pineapple Bleach

Wowza!
It's been over a month since my last post! So many things have been happening in my life. Spending time with my family and enjoying our day to day rituals.
I was also able to take a trip by myself down to the Tree of Life in Patagonia, Arizona.
What a wonderful experience!
I am still digesting everything and I am really looking forward to sharing wonderful information with you in the future!
Today, I am at home, cleaning house and taking care of loose ends. It's snowing outside, and beautiful. Between the cleaning and longing for the warm sun I must be in a tropical mood because today's post is about the wonderful pineapple! I have been meaning to make this post since June! I think that pineaple just might be my favorite fruit! I love to eat it fresh, make ice cream in my VitaMix, and dehydrate it for a scrumptious snack. The girls love dehydrated pineapple in their school lunches!


Fresh pineapples are wonderful, but what do we do with the rind?!?!?
Well, you could compost it but before you do that you could...
Make bleach, the best all natural kind!
Take pineapple rind and put it in a jar.
Fill jar with water.
Leave jar out on counter for 24 hours to ferment (don't tighten lid too tight, you don't want it to explode).
After 24 hours, use fermented pineapple juice to whiten whites or even clean your bathroom!
To whiten whites just soak in fermented pineapple water for a couple of hours and voila!

What's better than a gentle bleach that is safe for us and the environment?
After your done making your bleach, don't forget to compost!



The delicious pineapple originated in Brazil, it takes 18 months to grow, and contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein. Pineapples are a cooling food, wonderful for people with intestinal disorders, as it aids in digestion of starches and protein; as well as destroying intestinal parasites. Pineapple juice relieves chronic bronchitis and has a soothing effect on a sore throat, possibly because it contains the anti-inflammatory enzyme bromelain which literally digests foreign microbes or diseased cells in the bronchial tissues.
A person with hemophilia or those with kidney or liver disease may choose to avoid raw pineapple as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate a persons blood.

Pineapples are a symbol of hospitality and often appear in household art motifs. Have you ever noticed pineapples on brass door knockers or light fixtures?

That's all for now!
Think warm thoughts!

Love,
Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Stuffed Avocados

In the couple of weeks before the wedding, I nourished myself quite often with this quick meal, that was very satisfying.

All you have to do is, have on hand, avocados, "refried beans," cashew sour cream and salsa.
Gratifying and addicting!
Historically avocados had a long-standing stigma as a sexual stimulant, and were known by the Aztecs as "the fertility fruit". (And no, Noah and I are not planning on having any more kids as of yet, we just got married!)
Avocados are also known as palta or aguacate in Spanish, the butter pear or alligator pear, is a tree native to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Central America, it is classified in the flowering plant family along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. The name "avocado" also refers to the fruit, which is technically a very large berry! (I love berries!)
About 75% of the avocado's calories comes from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat.
Avocados also have 60% more potassium than bananas. They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K. They have the highest fiber content of any fruit. Wow!
The avocado is very popular in vegetarian cuisine, making it an excellent substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content.
Nutritious and delicious!
This is a HUGE plate! There is no way I could eat all of this it was too filling!

Kind Refried "Beans" (without the musical side effects):
1 whole dried chile (soak for 4 hours and reserve water)
12 whole sun-dried tomatoes, (soak and reserve water)
2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked and drained
1/2 jalapeno
2 whole green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped and packed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
In the bowl of the food processor fitted with the "S" blade, puree the drained seeds, tomatoes, and chipotle to a chunky "bean like" texture. (If you choose, save 1/4 cup of the sunflower seeds to mix at the end for an even chunkier texture.) Now place the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor, and continue to pulse until you reach your desired texture. It will be necessary to add a little of the reserved tomato water, and if you like it spicy use the chipotle water. Be careful not to use too much water, as you are looking for a consistency like refried beans or even ground hamburger.
Finally, taste your "beans" and adjust the flavor if necessary. When you are satisfied with the flavor, fold in the remaining sunflower seeds!
I personally omit the chili, add more chili powder and sun-dried tomatoes.
Just thinking about it makes me hungry!

Cashew Sour Cream:
1 cup cashews, (soaked a couple of hours and drained)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup water
if desired: 2 tablespoons chives
Blend cashews, lemon juice, salt, and just enough water to blend into a smooth kream.
Put sour kream in a bowl and stir in chopped chives.
Will keep in fridge for 4 days.

Use salsa recipe of your choice, have at least three avocados on hand.
Cut avocados in half, remove seed, you may choose to score the avocados for easier scooping. Then stuff with "beans", add sour kream and salsa. I also like to add cilantro. Yummm!
Enjoy!

xoxoxo
Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Friday, August 28, 2009

Rawsta (aka Raw Pasta)!

Last week at the farmers market Kate and I served Raw Pasta or Rawsta with Ramesan (non-dairy parmesan), with a side salad made with beautiful local green from Ten Lakes Farm!
We also had raw non-dairy cashew cheeze cake as well as coconut-carob haystacks, which is just a different spin on the ever-so-famous macaroons!

To make Rawsta:
Spiralize or julienne 3 or 4 medium zucchini.
If you would like you could make it the consistency of cooked pasta by adding a touch of olive oil and salt.
Marinara:
1/2 cup strawberries
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. ginger
2 Tbsp. garlic
1 tsp. jalapeno pepper
1/3 cup basil
1/3 cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup oregano, fresh chopped
1/4 cup nama shoyu
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 green olives
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup shallots
2-4 dates, soaked
Place in food processor, blend until you reach desired consistency.

Rawmesan: Nutritional yeast, ground up sunflower seeds, and herbs and salt to taste.

Enjoy this day!
Love,
Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Monday, August 17, 2009

Chocolate Macaroons

I am constantly amazed about how much people love these decadent treats! They are simply gluten free bliss!


Ingredients for Chocolate Macaroons:

3 cups dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

To make Chocolate Macaroons:

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine.
Using a small ice cream scoop, your hands, or a big tablespoon, spoon rounds of the dough onto dehydrator screens. If using your hands, it helps to refrigerate the mix a bit prior to forming the macaroons, or have a bowl of water to wet your hands so macaroon mix does not stick. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12 to 24 hours, or until crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. you may also choose to put them in the freezer for a frozen treat or simply dehydrate in oven by turning it off and on till desired consistency is reached.
*You may also substitute carob for the cocoa powder.


Benefits of Raw Cacao:
Magnesium: This is one of the most essential minerals, yet studies say that more than 80% of the United States' population is deficient in magnesium. In nature, the most concentrated source of magnesium is raw cacao! Other good sources of the mineral include certain nuts and any chlorophyll molecule. Magnesium supports the heart, increases brain power, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility, causes healthy bowl movements, and helps build string bones. As one of the body's primary alkaline minerals, magnesium assists the normal functioning of several chemical enzymatic processes -- facilitating more then three hundred different detoxification and elimination functions.
Chromium: This mineral helps balance blood sugar levels, and cacao has ten times the amount of chromium as whole wheat, a chromium-rich food, making it the highest food source of this mineral.
Antioxidant Power: Raw cacao beans are super-rich in antioxidant flavonols. They contain 10,000 mg (10 grams) of flavonol antioxidants (that's a 10% concentration level!). This makes cacao possibly the best source of antioxidants, with twenty to thirty times more than red wine or green tea.
Vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, C, and E are all present in significant quantities.
Other nutrients: Fiber, iron, niacin, phosphorus, as well as hundreds of other chemicals and phytonutrients (special plant nutrients) are found in cacao.

In pure chocolate bliss,
Michelle
xoxo

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Farmer's Market Bliss!


Kate and I participated in our very first farmer's market on Tuesday evening in Whitefish! It was amazing! Thank you to all of you who came out and supported us!
The energy was wonderful!
Kate's boyfriend, Eric helped us set up, Thanks brother! I thought I was going to have some time to sit down, and talk to people, but what really happened was that we had swarms of people around our booth, it was very exciting!

We served raw tacos. The shells were made with corn, flax, red bell pepper, herbs and spices. The insides consisted of "refried beans", fresh greens from Ten Lakes Farm, salsa verde, cashew sour cream and topped with some fresh, organic tomatoes!

Some people even just bought the "refried beans" to take home and top their own salads.

To make 2 cups of "refried beans" is easy!

Soak 8 sun dried tomatoes in 1/4 cup olive oil for 2-4 hours
2 cups sunflower seeds
1/2 jalapeno
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup packed cilantro with stems, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the "S" blade, puree the sunflower seeds, tomatoes, and garlic to a smooth pate.
Now place the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor, and continue to puree until smooth.
It may be necessary to add a little water to attain the consistency you desire, remember you are looking for a meat like or refried bean like consistency.
If you like it spicy add chipotle.
Done! It's sooo good!

Sunflower seeds are high in protein and rich in essential omega-6 fatty acid, calcium, and iron.

We also served the ever-so-famous chocolate macaroons! Delish!

Thank you again to all who supported us for the first market! Be looking for us next week where we will be serving spring rolls with dipping sauce, cheese cake, fresh salad, and maybe some soup!

Lots of love!
Michelle
xoxox