January 3, 2010

Breakfast
Mango Chutney in Cucumber Cups
2 servings ~ $2.07 per serving

ingredients

1 mango ($1.69)
2 cucumbers ($1.50)
1 medium onion ($.25)
1 jalapeno ($.10)
dash red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

mint leaves for garnish, optional

2 tbsp olive oil ($.20)
2 tbsp agave ($.20)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar ($.20)

I love spicy things for breakfast, especially when it’s as cold as it has been … down to 5 degrees last night. Brr. So, with being mostly raw, I’ll take some heat wherever I can get it.

Dice the mango and onion finely. Mince the jalapeno. Combine in a bowl and add the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, olive oil, agave and vinegar. Stir.

Peel cucumbers, especially if not organic, and slice into 1 inch pieces. Use a teaspoon or melon baller to scoop out the seed cavity in the cucumber slices, leaving a cup like depression. Fill with the mango chutney and garnish with a spring of mint, if desired.

calories: 307
fat: 29 gr
carbs: 70 gr
protein: 4 gr

Lunch
Fennel Salad
2 servings ~ $2.75 per serving

1 bulb fennel ($2.69)
1/2 head romaine ($.95)
1 orange ($.50)
1 medium onion ($.25)
1/4 cup raisins ($.50)

2 tbsp olive oil ($.20)
2 tbsp agave ($.20)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar ($.10)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar ($.10)

salt & pepper to taste

I think fennel is like cilantro, you either love it or hate it. It’s also known as Anise, and tastes like licorice. I don’t like licorice. But if I did, this would be an excellent salad. The licorice lovers I taste tested this on seemed to enjoy it.

Clean away any damaged outer leaves from the fennel bulb. Cut in half and slice thinly. Chop romaine and slice onion. Peel and section orange. Place all in a bowl. Add raisins. Mix up the dressing ingredients, which are the agave, oil and vinegars. Whisk until creamy and emulsified and toss.

calories: 365
fat: 14 gr
carbs: 58 gr
protein: 6 gr

Dinner
Stuffed Mushrooms
2 servings ~ $2.27 per serving

ingredients

12 oz button mushrooms ($2.49)
2 ribs celery, minced ($.30)
1 carrot, grated ($.10)
1 medium onion, minced ($.25)
1 small zucchini, grated ($.65)

2 tbsp olive oil ($.20)
2 tbsp agave ($.20)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar ($.20)
2 cloves garlic, pressed ($.10)
1 tbsp basil ($.05)
salt & pepper

I love mushrooms and so, for me, this is just an amazing dish. Dehydrating for a bit softens and warms the mushrooms and filling nicely.

Gently clean and remove the stems from the mushrooms. Some people brush any dirt off mushrooms with a soft cloth, but I usually wash my mushrooms with water. Mince the stems and set them aside, because they’ll go into the filling.

Grate the carrot and zucchini and mince the onion and celery. Fine ingredients are easier to get in the mushroom. Mix these together with the olive oil, garlic, basil, agave, balsamic vinegar, minced mushroom stems and salt and pepper and stir well.

Use a teaspoon and fill the hollow in the underside of the mushroom. Place on teflex, plastic or parchment sheets and gently dehydrate for about 3 hours, or until warm and slightly softened.

calories: 266
fat: 14 gr
carbs: 34 gr
protein: 7 gr

Dessert
Banana Split with Chocolate Fudge
2 servings ~ $.93 per serving

ingredients

2 bananas, frozen in chunks ($.30)
2 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder ($.20)
pinch salt
water for blending

1 banana, sliced in half both ways ($.15)

fudge sauce

3 tbsp agave ($.30)
3 tbsp olive oil ($.30)
2 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder ($.20)
pinch salt

4 chopped strawberries ($.20)
2 tbsp chopped walnuts ($.20)

mint leaves for garnish

This chocolate sauce is like the really thick fudge found in jars. Very yummy with banana ice cream over sliced bananas.

Mix up the sauce first. It only takes a minute. Stir together the agave, olive oil, cocoa/cacao powder, and salt. Stir well until creamy and gooey and set aside. I suppose a bigger batch would last quite a while in the refrigerator, since there’s really nothing in it to go bad. But I can’t imagine it lasting even a day around here.

Put the frozen banana chunks in a food processor with a pinch of salt and the 3 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder (omit the cocoa and add a couple tsp of vanilla instead, if desired). Add just enough water to help process. It takes a bit of scraping down the sides, but this will churn up into smooth, creamy, soft serve ice cream.

Slice the bananas into bowls, using a half banana for each serving. Put on a few scoops of the chocolate ice cream. Top with the chocolate fudge sauce, strawberries, and walnuts.

calories: 480
fat: 26 gr
carbs: 134 gr
protein: 8 gr

total carb: 296 gr
total protein: 25 gr

I hope everyone has had an amazing start to this new year and new decade. How exciting! I’m going to try to do some Raw on $10 videos this week. I may do one or two for Bunny over at RawFu. If you haven’t been over to RawFu and tried one of Bunny’s 100 day challenges, I highly recommend it. I’ve been a member there since it began and have found tremendous support and community there. A new challenge has just started there, focusing on whole health.

Next week, I’ll have some amazing and gorgeous recipes from the even more amazing and gorgeous Kristen, from Kristen’s Raw.

See you then 🙂