Summer peach and kale salad

Have you noticed how unbelievably delicious peaches are right now? I cannot get enough of them! In my breakfast smoothies, as a snack on the go, or sliced with mango and berries for a healthy dessert...I seriously have been eating peaches multiple times a day for the past few weeks.  Today was no different.  For lunch I whipped up my own version of this salad from Rawmazing.  The ingredients are simple and fresh and perfect for a light summer day.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-Kale, washed & torn into bite sized pieces

-Sweet onion, sliced thin

-Fresh peaches, cubed

-Raw almonds, roughly chopped

-Unsweetened shredded coconut

Dressing:

-2 T unrefined coconut oil

-1.5 T balsamic vinegar

-1 T maple syrup

-Dash of salt and pepper 

(I doubled this amount and it made enough for 3 large salads).

Shake the dressing ingredients together in a sealed container.

Massage a Tbsp or two of dressing into the kale leaves to soften them up. You won't need much-the coconut oil will go a long way once it warms up from the touch of your hands.

Toss with the peaches, onion, and almonds.  Sprinkle the unsweetened shredded coconut on top.

Dig in.

Note: This recipe is not E2-friendly due to the added coconut oil.  I really think it adds a ton of flavor, but if you wanted to omit it and use extra shredded coconut, you could!  You might just need to add something in place of the oil to cut the straight vinegar flavor.  Tahini, ground chickpeas and water, avocado...oh the possibilities!

Raw Fruit Pie

I really should call this my Raw Fruit Pie.v2, or Pie 2.0, because you may remember my first raw fruit pie post from way back when I first started this blog.  Well, my friend, Stacey, and I had a hankering for it again this weekend.  However, I decided to re-vamp it using a whole different mix of fresh fruit, just to see how it would turn out.

Holy. Moly. YUM.  This one blows the other one away by, like, a million.

Never have I had such a deliciously fresh dessert that is 100% plant-strong (and ssshhh....it is healthy for you!).  Hands down, this dessert takes the cake, er, pie, when it comes to yumminess.  Look at this ingredient list and tell me how you can possibly go wrong?  That's right, you can't.

Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi and mango.  Rinse and slice 'em.

Dried, pitted dates, walnuts, cashews, and almonds.  Splash of pure vanilla extract.  Throw 'em in a food processor.

Pulse until you get a grainy consistency.

Press the mixture into a pie pan.  It will be sticky and fun, so just go with it.

Layer the mango first, then the kiwi (this is me just halfway through the kiwi, so go ahead and do a full layer across).

Puree the raspberries (fresh or frozen work just fine since you're pureeing them.  All other fruits must be fresh, though.).  Pour on top of the fruit layers.

Spread evenly with a spatula.

Top with a pretty design of more fresh sliced mango, kiwi, blackberries, and blueberries.

Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.  (I waited overnight, which was tough!) Slice into pie slices and dig in!

I shared this pie with some friends for lunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. They were absolutely in love with it!  Now I may be called upon to make this regularly for our dinners and get-togethers, for which I will happily oblige (selfishly so I can eat it more often!).  This crowd-pleaser is a keeper!

P.S.  For 8 servings, the nutritional info is as follows (according to MyFitnessPal):

Calories: 220
Carbs: 32g
Sugar: 22g
Fat: 9g (Saturated fat: 1g)
Protein: 5g
Fiber: 5g

Update on Fundraising for LLS

Wow!!  I cannot thank everyone enough for your support so far!  I have already raised over $1,500 to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I am so excited to run the Nike Women's half marathon to support such a great cause.  I will be proud to run in honor of the several victims and survivors who have touched my friends' lives, and to promote the cause to bring much needed funds for research and treatment to fight (and win!) against blood cancers here in Louisiana.

Thanks for your support so far!  Here's to the next $1,500...I'm already well on my way towards my goal.  Tell your friends and family, too!  Help get me to $3,600 by August 5th!

Click here to donate!  Or check out the widget on the top right corner of the blog.

Much love.

Spring Rolls from "My Beef With Meat"

When I saw this recipe in my inbox from Rip Esselstyn at Engine 2, I knew immediately that I had to try them.  I called a friend to come over and we made a night of it.  I just love the freshness of spring rolls.  The crunch of the bean sprouts, the crispness of the lettuce and carrots, the clean sensation of fresh basil, cilantro and mint....you really just can't get any better than that. Add a side of homemade almond butter dipping sauce, and you're in for a satisfying meal!  Yes, this recipe makes enough for multiple meals.  Spring rolls--they aren't just for appetizers anymore!

Thai Spring Rolls from Rip Esselstyn's "My Beef With Meat" (image copied from email):

The only alterations we made were to omit the cucumbers (only because I did not have any--I have a few babies on my vines in my garden for next time, though!), and we sauteed the bok choy with a little garlic and Bragg's Liquid Aminos.

Then we laid out our assembly line and commenced with the assembling.  The first one my friend made was a behemoth....literally it was like two spring rolls in one!  We laughed, then decided to make them smaller from there on out :).  Below you will see the rice paper, rice noodles, bean sprouts, Thai mint (all from our awesome Asian market, Hong Kong Market), and romaine lettuce, carrots, and cilantro.

The process was super easy! Look.

Step one: soak the rice paper until it is pliable, then lay it out on a flat surface.

Step two: layer some noodles and veggies in a line down the center of the paper, leaving space at either end.

Keep layering until all fresh veggies are in there.  I like to have the greens on the top and bottom (the parts that touch the wrapper) in order to keep it smooth and prevent the sprouts or a carrot from piercing the paper when you roll it.

Step three:  fold in the outer sides (sorry for the blurry photo...just consider this an action shot).

Step four: once the sides are folded in, pull one remaining side all the way over, then start to roll up, keeping it pretty tight.

The rice paper will stick to itself once rolled up, and you'll have a finished spring roll looking as lovely as any you will find in a restaurant.  Well, almost :)

Look how many we made!  We came out with 11, but if you count the behemoth (see the one on the far right), it's really more like 12.

I ate three for two separate lunches on the go....so good!

Sadly I do not have a photo of our almond butter dipping sauce, nor can I give you exact measurements for how to make it.  My friend made it ahead of time and just used her creativity to make it up as she went.  That is often how the best foods are made!  I, at least, can share the ingredients with you and you can play around with it:

-fresh ground smooth almond butter

-balsamic vinegar

-apple cider vinegar

-tamari

-black pepper

This sauce was better than the peanut sauce that usually accompanies spring rolls, and that is saying something.  Thai peanut sauce is one of my most favorite things....second only to this almond sauce, now!  

Thanks to Rip's email for sharing this recipe from My Beef With Meat.  I can't wait to add these to my regular rotation for fresh, healthy meals on the go!

Getting back on track--you can help!

I am back on track after an indulgent 4th of July Holiday with two quick health-restoring updates for you (yes, all 3 of you).

1.  I signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program to train to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco in October!  Woohoo, I am so excited.  If you are able to donate any little bit, or know someone who will, please click on the link below (you can also click the widget on the right side of my blog).  What better way to help me get off my butt and run while supporting the fight against cancer??

Send Lisa to San Francisco and Help Save Lives!!

Check out more about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Team in Training, too (just be sure to donate through my personal link above so I'll see that you get credit towards my goal!).

And....

2.  My friends and I are doing a 3 week cleanse, based on the Clean Program.  However, we are NOT doing any of the supplements because, well, ew.  Instead, we are just using the meal plan for the Dos and Don'ts for what types of foods we can eat--but the catch is that we are doing smoothies for breakfast and dinner, with our only solid meal being for lunch.  A snack in between is okay, too.

This is generally how I eat anyway--whole, plant-based foods, with the exception of no nightshades (eggplant, tomato, etc.), no wheat products, no caffeine, and no alcohol.  In order to push myself a little bit more, I am aiming to go 85/15 raw.  The 15% will be things like legumes, flax seed, and the occasional oven baked portobello mushroom.

So here's to my first smoothie on Day 1 (Monday).  Wish me luck!

Water, unsweetened almond milk, frozen blueberries, blackberries, and peaches, half an avocado, ground flax seed, and tons of spinach and baby kale

Cheers!!

Tunica Falls, Mississippi

Hey, y'all!  So, who knew that within a 2 1/2 hour drive of the bustling city of New Orleans, you could find peaceful wilderness with creeks, rocky hills, and waterfalls???  Yeah, me either!  But it's true, folks.  This lovely place will trick you into thinking you are no longer in the South.  It is called Tunica Falls and it is not to be missed.

A view from the top

A view from below

See?  I told you.  You don't feel like you're in Mississippi!  I love it.  Can't wait to go back!  This trip was a quick one, as we had an adorable trooper of a 2 year old with us.  Next time, we plan to go camp the night before then hike the full trail the next day, which is a pretty full day's length.  

Have you found any hidden gems that are off the beaten path?  Tell us about it!