February 13, 2011

10 stawberries

2 tablespoon agave

pinch salt

2 avocados

1 small onion

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 

“Love is the only gold.” 

~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson 

There is no nutritional information or prices today. Who wants to think about money and calories on Valentine’s Day?

This goes together really fast, so make the strawberry sauce first and set aside. In a bullet type blender, puree four strawberries and the agave until very smooth.

Use a large spoon and scoop out the insides of the avocado. Place cut side down and slice thinly. Arrange on plate. Thinly slice the remaining strawberries and place on top of the avocado. Sprinkle on a bit of minced onion as well.

Spoon on some strawberry sauce and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

2 beets

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon agave

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup water, for blending (add more if needed)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic

Slice the beets very thinly. They can used as is, or stacked a few at a time and cut into heart shapes with kitchen scissors. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and agave, until emulsified. Add the beets and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate for a few hours or even overnight in the fridge.

When the beets are softened and ready to use. blend the remaining ingredients in a bullet type blender for several minutes until creamy.

To assemble, lay one slice of beet down and place about a teaspoon of the cashew cream in the center. Top with another slice of beet and lightly press. 

Finally, add a small drizzle of olive oil (optional).

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, sliced

1 carrot, grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon agave

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 red bell peppers

2 cups cooked wild rice (or 1 cup cauliflower “rice”)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon agave

pinch cayenne

“Who, being loved, is poor?” 

~ Oscar Wilde

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and agave. Add the mushrooms, onion, and carrot and toss to coat. Spread out on a lined dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees for about two hours, or until softened and a bit darker in color.

 Mix the dehydrated mushroom mix with cooked wild rice or raw cauliflower rice. (Make cauliflower rice by processing cauliflower in a food processor fitted with an “S” blade … process until the cauliflower is chopped into tiny, rice sized pieces.) Then, add the olive oil, agave, and a pinch of cayenne, and stir to combine. 

Cut the tops off the bell peppers, and clean out the inside. Spoon in the rice and mushroom mix. Serve as is, or dehydrate further until the pepper softens. This can be done in an oven set on low with the door left ajar.