August 7, 2011
Breakfast
Broccoli Leaf and Beet Juice
serves 2 ~ $1.50 per serving
12 large broccoli leaves
2 beets, with greens ($1.50)
1 cucumber ($.50)
1 apple ($.50)
juice of 1 lemon ($.50)
Broccoli leaves look absolutely succulent and I’ve always wanted to do something with them. They make a terrible salad, but are excellent for juicing.
For this liquid breakfast, juice the lemon by hand and run the rest of the ingredients through a juicer. The broccoli leaves can be kind of rough on most juicers. Another way to juice them is to chop them and then blend them in the blender with a small bit of water and then strain through a mesh strainer or nut milk bag.
calories: 163
fat: 1 gr
carbs: 38 gr
protein: 6 gr
carbs: 38 gr
protein: 6 gr
Lunch
Stuffed Tomatoes
serves 2 ~ $4.09 per serving
5 oz spinach ($1.29)
2 tablespoon olive oil ($.20)
1/2 cup cashews ($2.00)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic
8 oz mushrooms ($2.29)
1 medium onion, diced ($.20)
salt
pepper
3 lbs tomatoes ($2.00)
Susan over at Rawmazing made some awesome stuffed peppers the other day, which inspired me to make these. Mine are quite a bit different, but I’m looking forward to trying her version, as well.
Start by massaging the spinach with some olive oil. Just drizzle the olive oil over the leaves and rub and squeeze them with your (clean) hands. This will cause them to soften and wilt some.
Chop the mushrooms and dice the onion. In a small bullet type blender, puree the cashews, lemon juice, and garlic until very smooth. Stir this into the spinach. Salt and pepper to taste at this point. Then, let the spinach sit for a few minutes to continue softening.
Cut the very top off several tomatoes. Scoop out the walls and the seed chambers to make a little pocket. Spoon the spinach mixture into the pocket.
These can be eaten like this, which I think I prefer, or dehydrated for a half hour or so until warm.
calories: 383
fat: 27 gr
carbs: 28 gr
protein: 15 gr
carbs: 28 gr
protein: 15 gr
Dinner
Watermelon Mango Soup
serves 4 ~ $1.95 per serving
8 cups watermelon, chopped ($2.50)
2 mangoes, chopped ($3.00)
1 large cucumber, chopped ($.50)
1 jalapeno pepper, minced ($.10)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped ($1.00)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil ($.10)
juice of 1 lime ($.60)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
crushed pepper flakes (see below for how-to)
It’s just not summer without some kind of fruit soup, and watermelon soup is one of my favorites. I make it several time or more in a summer. I wanted to change it up just a bit but still keep the watermelon in there and this is what happened.
Chop five cups of the watermelon into small, bite sized pieces. Chop and mince the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red bell pepper, and onion and add to a large bowl.
Put the remaining three cups of watermelon in a blender with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend well for a few minutes. The oil will combined with the watermelon and make a nice, creamy base for the soup. Once blended, pour over the chopped ingredients and stir.
Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and some crushed pepper flakes (use purchased crushed red pepper flakes or see below to make your own). A small drizzle of olive oil goes well, too.
This soup can also be served in the shell of the watermelon, as shown below. Just take care when getting the flesh out. Use a spoon to scrape the inside of the shell to get most of the watermelon out .. although it doesn’t have to be perfect by any means. Cut a small flat part on the bottom so it will stand up right, and wrap with a dish towel at the base if you need more stability.
calories: 357
fat: 11 gr
carbs: 68 gr
protein: 5 gr
Crushed Pepper Flakes
It’s simple to make crushed pepper flakes of your own like I’ve done here with some extra Jalapenos from the garden.
Just select your favorite pepper or mix of peppers. Cut off the stem end. Dry in the dehydrator for about 24 hours. Once entirely dry and brittle, put the peppers in a bag and crush with a rolling pin or something similar. These can be used in the same way as crushed red pepper flakes, although they will look just a bit different and usually be hotter. I like using just a pinch sprinkled on … well, on just about anything.
The flakes can be stored in a bag or jar and will remain fresh for several months or more if kept cool and very dry.
Make sure to protect your hands if they’re sensitive. And never touch or rub your face or eyes after working with peppers.
Dessert
Mango Parfait
serves 2 ~ $1.60 per serving
1/2 cup cashews ($2.00)
2 tablespoons agave ($.40)
pinch salt
8 oz mango chunks ($.80)
cacao nibs
Simple, simple, simple. This comes together in about 5 minutes.
Make the cashew cream first. Put the cashews, agave, and salt in a bullet blender and puree until very smooth. Layer with the mango chunks. Top with cacao nibs, if desired.
calories: 312
fat: 14 gr
carbs: 43 gr
protein: 7 gr
carbs: 43 gr
protein: 7 gr

Total cost for the day: $9.95
total calories: 1,215
total fat: 53 gr
total carb: 177gr
total protein: 34 gr
My friend Barbara DeGrande has a website and blog called Veganacious. She has some great vegan recipes there, as well as a podcast. She interviewed me the other day for a raw & vegan podcast. You can listen at the Veganacious link below. Let me know what you think!
Ebook Giveaway
Who’s up for one last ebook giveaway? I’ll be taking my ebook down in a few weeks and moving on to something new. So, I’ll be giving a copy away this week.
To enter, just leave a comment below.
Additional entries:
- Tweet this giveaway.
- Blog this giveaway.
- Visit Veganacious and tell me something you like or find interesting there.
I would love to read your ebook! Your recipes are always so creative!
I would also love to read your e-book. Your recipes are an inspiration.
I would love your eBook! Your recipes look so interesting and easy!
I'd love to win a copy of your ebook!!
i too would love to read your ebook! you keep our family healthy, creative and raw!
It would be great to win a copy of your book! THanks!
I hope to be the winner of your ebook giveaway. PS. he mango parfait looks awesome.
Monday mornings are always fun because I get to see your menu for the week. It inspires me to use my own creativity in the kitchen. I love your beet juice recipe – Isn't it cool the way beet GREENS make RED juice? Vegetables are so smart : )
sarah
Monday is happy mail day! Always look forward to your creative and yummy recipes, usually try at least one each from each post! thanks for sharing…
ALSO – I read some of the posts at veganacious, and browsed some of the recipes. Well written, compassionate, provocative. A lot of love goes into this site.
Thanks for all the work you put into your blog! I'm sooooo having the stuffed tomatoes for lunch tomorrow! Always inspiring to be able to make healthy raw meals on a budget. I would devour your ebook if I were to win it, for sure!!!
Wonderful! Perfect!
Thanks, Lisa!
I visited the Veganacious site and although it is a beautiful site I cannot find a picture of the person anywhere….I always look for that first….not sure why…..just want to see it is a real person writing the articles and it makes it feel personable.
Would love to win a copy of you ebook:)
everything looks so tempting. your soup in the watermelon shell is stunning!!
peace & raw health,
elizabeth
If your ebook is like your posts, it's definitely a must-have!
Also, over at Veganicious, I found a recipe for vegan Worchehthcehtehrshshire sauce. I had never thought about making my own, but now I may.
So glad i found your blog, I love this site! When I'm looking for something new and fresh, I come here for inspiration. Would love a copy of your ebook.
Lots of good info at the Veganacious site. I used to love pot pies, think I'll have to figure out a raw alternative.
I would love a copy! I really enjoy reading your blog, the pictures are amazing and I have tried quite a few of the recipes with great success.
Those stuffed tomatoes look so good! Very nice. And I'm anticipating a bunch of peppers so I'm sure will make it into the dehydrator. We've done that in the past and they're amazing. They seem to be spicier than store bought.
I'd love for a chance to win your book!
Thanks for the contest and sharing all your amazing recipes! So inspiring!
trespass39@hotmail.com
I wish I had a cook that made your recipes for me!!
Beautiful and amazing, once again. Your photos area brilliant. โฅ
Hello Lisa! ๐
First of all, congratulations on your Blog: hight quality recipes, with nutritional data and budget breakdown, great photos and a truly beautiful graphic presentation – perfect!
I have a question for you, regarding the nutritional breakdown given at the end of each individual recipe: is it per serving, or for the whole recipe?
Thanks and greeting from Germany! ๐
Merci Lisa!
Your recipes and your beautiful pictures remind me that there is no excuse for not eating raw, just like nature intended ๐ Merci!
Caroline from Montrรฉal,Quรฉbec
Another beautiful menu. So artistic. I wouldn't have thought of the juice. Sounds great!
You and your wonderful blog helped me start eating raw in April of this year. I felt so overwhelmed with all the information out there…until I found you. I appreciate everything you do to keep the menus simple and affordable yet oh so delicious.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Oooh, I want a copy! Me! Me!
Would love a copy of the Ebook. Your blog is so inspiring and beautiful ๐
Veganacious looks great. Especially podcasts. I'm always looking for interesting things to listen to while I'm out walking or at the gym.
Just tweeted too ๐ I'm grnknittinggal. Ah scrolled up again. That gazpacho is torturing me, it looks so delicious.
Hi Lisa, I'd like to win your book because I want to learn how to cut down my food expenses without sacrificing taste and nutrition. Your creations look lovely as well and I'd like to know how to style my food and take fab photos of them as well. So please pick me!
Veganacious' recipe section looks interesting to me…I am trying to figure out how to raw veganize some of them…
Watermelon chips?!?!?? I'm so excited to try these! I never would have thought to make chips out of something so full of water. I have half a watermelon in my fridge right now. I'm checking this out.
Thank you, so much for sharing your raw inspiration and creativity. I'm so glad your blog was recommended to me ๐