Black Quinoa Salad by HLife Photography
Our HFood for April is quinoa, but at HLife headquarters, this wonderfood is a culinary staple. If you haven’t read this weeks HFood yet, the answer is yes, quinoa does come in black (and also in red), and that’s what we’ll be using in this week’s HKitchen recipe, along with other tints and hues in the form of bright veggies. My mother always said (and still says, even though we’ve heard it a million times) “Colors! For optimal nutrition your dish must be very colorful!” And we still say: “Thank you mommy!” (hug/kiss). The colorful idea is right – what this translates to in the world of food science is that the meal is filled with loads of antioxidants, which are the guys that give the vegetables their pigmentation. Antioxidants prevent free radicals from causing cellular damage and numerous illnesses like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and many other ailments associated with aging. Antioxidants keep us young, strengthen our immune system, maximize our brain power, and rejuvenate our hearts (and studies have shown that they may even reverse the aging process itself). The key to great health is to maintain the right balance of antioxidants and free radicals. We do this through our food choices, and the only place to get these amazing antioxidants is: The Vegetable Kingdom (of course).
Now, WHO WANTS THIS REJUVENATING SALAD? Read More…
Faux Tuna Salad Tartine By HLife Photography
Everything in the Universe is recycled and transformed, nothing is ever destroyed – not even food. I received many emails last week regarding the Silvie’s Sea Veggie Cakes recipe. Everyone loved them so much, but many readers said although the recipe looked amazing, they weren’t able to make it because they didn’t have a dehydrator. In the spirit of Earth month, we shall recycle and transform that recipe for all those who don’t have a dehydrator, don’t want to dehydrate any foods or simply want to enjoy a tasty/hearty sandwich with a nutritional twist. Let’s get creative! Read More…
Sea Veggie Cakes by HLife Photography
When we are truly conscious and awake, compassion and humanity play a huge role in how we conduct our lives. The cruelty of how crabs and lobsters are killed is unbearable and inhumane to me. Our taste buds should not be a reason for compromising our natural state of being, which is to be humane.
We (HLife team) are regulars at RFD (Real Food Daily), an organic vegan restaurant in West Hollywood. In a recent lunch, we sampled their new appetizer, which is not on the menu yet, a wonderful vegan version of crab cakes! It tasted so good that we decided to come up with a nutrient-dense, raw-vegan version of it. I literally channeled the recipe through my mind as soon as I went into the kitchen with the idea to make something. My husband kept asking me, “so, you’ve never made one? So you don’t know the ingredients? And you know for sure it’s going to taste good in the first try?” My answers were “no, no” and “YES”. I just knew that all I had to do was tap into the collective unconscious on this one. We have to remember that inside of us are all the answers to all the questions we have. And being in touch with this truth as well as having the clarity to recognize it is what raw foods help me do – clear my channels, elevate my electrical frequency – to be able to easily and constantly be connected to the being that animates this body and is tapped at all times into the source of life. What a wonderful thing to have your food do for you. Without further ado, the delish, nutrish, cruelty-free and RAW: Silvie’s Sea Veggie Cakes. Read More…
Kelp Noodles with Tahini Alfredo by HLife Photography
I know what you must be thinking: “Kelp what?” You heard me, sea algae and raw noodles got married! I got curious about kelp noodles very quickly one day lunching at my favorite eatery, LifeFood Organics, in Hollywood. They make a delicious kelp noodle pesto, among many other nutritious and delicious meals. I wanted to experiment with kelp noodles because my family and I are big pasta (whole grain, gluten-free pasta, that is) and sauces type of people, but since I mostly prefer eating raw (80% on a raw plant-based diet), I thought it would be another great way to enjoy my raw sauces that called for noodle-pairing and not have to use the cooked quinoa pasta. It’s also a great way to switch it up from veggie noodles. This is a quick, once-in-a-while dish you can prepare on a busy and hot day ’cause its so refreshing – and the heat is coming! Read More…
The Real Meal Salad By HLife Photography
When a salad is 80% of your meal – a portion from which we are expected to get loads of vitamins, minerals, complex carbs, phytonutrients, a variety of amino acids and good fats – a few leaves with two wheels of veggies on top just won’t cut it. My expectations are higher, and I aim to succeed in nourishing my body with the proper nutrients in order to maintain my optimal physical health. One of my pet peeves is what I call “petty” salads. This is the salad that is mostly made up of some leaves (for fluff), a couple of tomato wheels (if we are lucky to get more than one), a cucumber slice and one thin ring of onion chopped in half, or maybe a couple of carrot shavings. Not only is this a weak attempt at a salad, it is unfortunately a sad reality that most of us get served when out to dinner at a restaurant (or let’s be honest, at many persons’ dining tables). That needs to change. Although my salads are always nutrient dense, in this hearty, real meal salad, I decided to focus on antioxidant count, protein density and iron absorption in particular. Let’s do this. Read More…
Quinoa Shitake Sushi by HLife Photography
I love sushi, but as a vegan and holistic health consultant, it’s very important for me to eat clean/fresh/whole organic produce, a balanced meal, and no added sugar. With all of these requirements, my choices out there are slim. There are not many restaurant options to accommodate vegan raw sushi that tastes great, offers a balanced roll with a good source of protein, complex carbs, good fats – and ORGANIC ingredients. I can think of three places in Los Angeles (1 raw, two vegan), but all three have only one or two choices, and protein density is questionable. It’s not like we can say “hey guys, let’s go out for some great organic-vegan sushi!” Remember: We always want to eat a balanced meal, so we can create cellular energy and not have cravings or sleepy-times in the middle of the day. Read More…
Vegan Chocolate Pudding by Jesse Wight
Chocolate and cacao are usually associated with love. This choco-love pudding is perfect not just for a V-day celebration, but for celebrating LOVE every day! I’m not so much into sweets, but every once in a while I enjoy a good, not-too-sweet, vegan/non-refined sugar and always-smooth texture cacao anything. Read More…
Quinoa Vegetable Soup by Jesse Wight
I think we can finally say winter is officially here, at least in Los Angeles. It’s been so cold – and wet, which makes it even more cold – that a warm, mineral and fiber-dense veggie soup is in order. Not only that, but it has come to my attention that not many people know how to make an amazing veggie soup without sauteing and using stock, which to me sounds so bonkers. I grew up sipping on soups even in the summer. You heard it, the summer. If anyone goes to my grandma’s house for a meal, I can guarantee that there will be some sort of soup before the entree, in the menu for the evening and sometimes even for lunch. My mom became such a pro at soups, not only because they mentally transported her back to her moms’ house in Peru and made her feel warm and cozy inside, but also ’cause veggie soups are rich in minerals and fiber and are easily digestible, and she used them as part of detoxes and as a healing food if anyone got sick. So, as my best friend, spiritual guide, and progenitor, she passed on the soup-making knowledge – and guess what? IT’S THE EASIEST EVER!!!!!! Read More…
Happy and healthy holidays to all. This week, we are sharing a dish we make for every holiday meal: our vegan version of a Russian Salad. From the amazing color that makes you feel alive, to the delicious flavor that keeps unfolding through your taste buds, this is “a salad to love.”
Now, because it contains potato, it’s not the kind of salad you have every day, or as the main side in a meal. There should always be a raw dark green leaf-based salad on the table as the protagonist of your meal, and the Russian Salad can be the best friend, supporting role of the culinary event. This is probably as simple-carb crazy as our family gets on holiday meals: 1 1/2 red potato, between 5 people… AWESOME! This means no one will have lowered his or her immune system by eating this food. AND WE LOVE THAT. Let’s get to this tasty explosion-in-your-mouth kind of a dish. Did I mention it’s super easy to prepare? Read More…
Of all the beans, garbanzo is my husband’s favorite. In fact, we are having it for dinner tonight. We always serve it with brown rice and a huge multicolored veggie-and-dark-leaf raw salad. I grew up eating a variety of beans and whether we had them at my grandma’s or my house, they were always (and still are) incredibly tasty. The odd thing is that, I’ve noticed very few people (especially restaurants) know how to make beans, particularly garbanzo beans. When I’m out, I always have to ask if the beans are made with lard, if they are vegetarian (many are cooked with bacon) or even cooked in oil, which is not necessary at all. Sadly, if they are vegetarian, they usually have no flavor. What is wrong with this scenario? Beans are super simple to make, a good source of complete protein when you pair them up with brown rice, and, most of all, they are soooo delicious! Let’s show them restaurants how it’s done. Read More…
