February 27, 2011

Breakfast
Iron Rich Smoothie 
serves 1 ~ $2.20 per serving
a few handfuls spinach ($.80)
1 banana ($.30)
4 tablespoons nutiva hemp protein powder ($.60)
1 orange, peeled and sectioned ($.50)
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 cup water for blending
1 dropper stevia (optional)
I have reason to believe my iron intake may have been a bit low lately, so I’ve been having this smoothie several times a week. It’s not only full of iron, but also contains the amino acid Lysine as well as Vitamin C which helps increase iron absorption. The vitamin C comes from the orange, Lysine from the hemp protein, and both the hemp protein and spinach contain iron.
It’s super simple, just combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

calories: 335
fat: 9 gr
carbs: 49 gr
protein: 19 gr
Lunch
Beet and Carrot Salad
serves 2 ~ $2.85 per serving
2 beets, sliced ($1.20)
3 carrots, sliced ($.40)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil ($.20)
2 tablespoons lemon juice ($.40)
2 tablespoons agave ($.20)
1 clove garlic, pressed
5 ounces spinach ($2.29)
1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)
salt and pepper
I had a downright aversion to beets until I tried Jenny Cornbleet’s shaved beet salad. Now, I really like them. Not love, but like. And that’s quite a change. By the way, if you experience beeturia, don’t worry, it’s harmless … although it can indicate iron deficiency.
This salad is also really convenient. I sliced and marinated the veggies the night before and let them sit in the fridge until lunch the next day and just tossed them in with the spinach.
Slice the beets, carrots, and onions thinly into a lidded container, I use a zip lock box. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, agave, and garlic and pour over the veggies. Put the lid on and shake to distribute the dressing well. Put in the fridge for a few hours or up to two days. Toss with a generous helping of spinach, some chopped or whole walnuts, salt and pepper, and a bit of the marinade.
 
calories: 378
fat: 24 gr
carbs: 40 gr
protein: 6 gr
Dinner
Mushroom Alfredo
serves 2 ~ $2.25 per serving
8 oz mushrooms ($2.20)
1 medium onion, quartered and sliced ($.10)
1 tablespoon olive oil ($.10)
1 tablespoon agave ($.10)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ($.20)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts ($.50)
2 zucchini, sliced into noodles ($1.29)
This really satisfied a desire for something heavier and substantial.
Put the mushrooms and onions in a bowl or lidded tub. Whisk together the olive oil, agave, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Pour over the mushrooms and onions. Let sit for about an hour. Pour onto a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate for about an hour or so. It’s not intended to dry, just to intensify the flavor and color a bit.
When the mushrooms and onions are dehydrated, take half of them and put in a blender with the walnuts and about 3/4 cups water. I use a bullet type blender for this because it’s such a small amount. Puree until very smooth, which may take a few minutes.
Noodle the zucchini and top with the sauce and the mushrooms that were set aside. Salt and pepper to taste.
 
calories: 361
fat: 26 gr
carbs: 25 gr
protein: 12 gr

Dessert
Baked Apples
serves 2 ~ $2.00 per serving
4 apples ($2.00)
1/4 cup walnuts ($1.00)
1 tablespoon raisins ($.20)
4 tablespoons agave ($.20)
1 tablespoon lemon juice ($.40)
 1 tablespoon olive oil ($.10)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
This makes the whole house smell wonderful while it’s dehydrating.
Peel and slice each apple. Carve out the center of each slice, except for the slice that will be on the bottom, this will keep the filling from falling out. Stack up the slices and fill the center cavity with the chopped walnuts and raisins. Whisk together the agave, lemon juice, olive oil, and cinnamon and spoon into the center. Dehydrate for about three hours, until the apple is soften and warm.
calories: 307
fat: 14 gr
carbs: 47 gr
protein: 1 gr
  
Total cost for the day: $9.30
total calories:  1,381
total fat: 73 gr
total carb: 161 gr
total protein: 38 gr
I love gardening, and this year I’m confident we’ll grow the best garden yet. 
This year, I’ll be keeping track of all garden input … such as seeds or plants, fertilizers and amendments, time, etc. I’ll also be keeping track of how much produce we get out. I really want to know the ROI (return on investment) for our gardening efforts and compare that to the cost of store or even farm market produce.
So, in addition to the recipes, I’ll have a garden update at the end of my blog posts each week. I’ll show you what I’m doing, starting with seed starting … all the way through planting, growing, harvest, and preserving. I’ve gotten more adept at preserving for raw and high raw use, and am really excited to see what all can be done. Edible flowers are intriguing me this year, and I’m determined to have fresh tomatoes on my June birthday.
If you’d like to garden along with me, that would be great! I’d love to hear how your garden is growing!
I get my seeds and plants from several different sources, but will be partnering with a couple seed companies for some things, as well. Here are two …
Generic Seeds has seed pack starting at $1.39 and free shipping on orders over $20.
The name says it all. They have a smallish selection, but all their seeds are under a dollar, with many as low as 90 cents.
Check them out! And if you ever order, tell them you heard about them here!

12 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

    I don't know if it's considered raw but I know spirulina has a ton of iron in it. I've also found dried peaches and pumpkin seeds are a surprisingly good source.

    I'm excited to see how your garden progresses!

    Sarah

  2. shannonmarie says:

    Sounds like we could all use a little extra iron these days. That smoothie is a good idea.

    Love the beet salad. That bright hue photographs beautifully.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate it 🙂

  3. cool!
    I've never seen a baked apple quite like that!

  4. Angelique says:

    If you have room for cherimoya trees, I can mail you some seeds for free. My favorite fruit!! (or maybe a close tie with ripe mango)

  5. bitt says:

    Love the baked apple idea! So going to do that. I bet it makes the house smell wonderful too.

    Thanks for focusing on iron. I need all the tips I can get there.

    I developed an aversion to beets sadly after some beet juice gave me a bad reaction. Maybe I'm allergic.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I believe blackstrap molasses also contains iron but I don't think it is raw.

  7. HiHoRosie says:

    The baked apple looks great! It'd be a hit in our house for sure! And look forward to the garden updates. We'll be gardening again this year and are really looking forward to it.

  8. Everything looks so good, but the baked apple really caught my eye. Yum!!

    I'm excited about your gardening updates and will be looking forward to them. We're going to try our hands at a little balcony gardening here at the apartment. Should be fun. 🙂

  9. kelli says:

    i'm excited to read of your garden adventures! ohio heirloom seeds are also very inexpensive at 1.29 a pack, 1.99 flat shipping rate.

  10. Venita Hale says:

    Can I just say…I am loving the concept of this blog. (Found you through UnCooking101.com) I was just talking to a friend who is discouraged by the fact that she perceives raw to be expensive – I felt the same way when I got started. So I forwarded on the link to your blog, and I'll definitely be back. I love that it's not only showing how inexpensive raw can be, but also that it's a meal plan for days on end! LOVE IT! 🙂

  11. Anonymous says:

    MMMM….gonna try the smoothie for breakfast!!! I have all of the ingredients!!!
    Connecting with you from Raw Food Rehab!!
    I LOVE your pics!!!

  12. Terilynn says:

    Lisa,
    I'm passing on the 'Stylish Blogger Award' to you – congrats! Visit The Daily Raw Cafe to find out what to do next.