Scrambled Eggs over Spinach, RAW

Scrambled Eggs

1/2 cup of almonds, soaked

1/2 cup walnuts, soaked

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup cilantro

1 cup tomato, diced

1/4 cup onions, diced

3 large handfuls of spinach

avocado mayonnaise

1. Process all ingredients up to cilantro.

2. Fold in 1/2 cup diced tomato and all onions.

3. Place spinach in a pan and top with egg mixture.

4. Garnish with remaining tomatoes and avocado mayo.

This truly looks and tastes like scrambled eggs. A healthier alternative to the real thing and so much more fun to make and to eat.

Banana Carob-Chip Ice Cream, RAW

Banana Carob Chip Ice Cream

1 large frozen banana

2 TBSP carob chips (or chocolate chips)

2 TBSP soaked almonds

dash of cinnamon

cashew frosting (1/4 cup cashew nuts blended with 1 TBSP agave)

1. Freeze banana in a freezer overnight.

2. Process carob chips, almonds and cinnamon till finely grated.

3. Add banana to processor and blend for about 20 seconds- just long enough to blend.

4. Garnish with the carob chips and serve immediately!

This is a fantastic alternative to traditional ice cream and it tastes better then the real thing. Great for a hot summer day!

Native Foods, Palm Desert, California

Native Foods is one of my favorite places to eat. This place serves 100% vegan foods, with some raw options as well. The aspect I find most endearing about this restaurant is that Tayna, the owner, is also the chef and on most days one can see her walking around the restaurant serving food and interacting with her customers. I love the Greek gyro bowl, the nachos, and the raw kale salad. The desserts are to die for, so be sure to save room if you stop in for a snack. Native Foods has various locations throughout the Southern California region.

Native Foods Link

Strawberry Mousse Pie, Raw

Strawberry Pie, Raw

1 cup almonds

1/4 cup agave

1 basket of organic strawberries

1/2 cup cashews

3-4 dates

1. Process almonds and agave. Push into a crust into a small flat dish.

2. Puree all strawberries except for two, set aside.

3. Process cashews and blend with dates and strawberries. Pour over crust.

4. Top with 2 freshly diced strawberries.

5. Refrigerate to set about 2 hours.

Summertime in Lund, Sweden

Nikos and I spent a few days in Lund this past week. The weather was warm and the breeze light and crisp. This city is like heaven on earth when the weather is right!! Everything was green and the streets were so clean we could have licked them with our bare tongues, trust me, I have been tempted:)

We spent most of our time wandering around the city and cooking in Magnus's apartment. Nikos made cinnamon buns from scratch and we definitely ate our share of berries.

Thank you for a lovely visit Magnus!!

Raw Tuna Lettuce Cups, Vegan

These actually taste like real tuna salad- but offer a much higher vibration for your body and soul. I adapted this recipe from the new cookbook called "Rapid Raw." Thank you Mark!!

Raw Tuna Lettuce Cups

2 cups of almonds, soaked and blanched

3 stalks of celery, finely diced

1/2 onion, diced

juice of one lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBSP dulse or kelp powder

handful of parsley, chopped

one red cabbage

1. Add all ingredients to a processor and grind till fine.

2. Place a spoonful of tuna salad in cabbage leaf and eat like a wrap.

I served this dish with avocado mayo and red bell pepper hummus.

Avocado Mayo, raw and delicious!

This sauce is great with eggs, salads, breads, anything really. The dates bring sweetness to the avocado that is hard to not fall in love with. This is a new favorite!

Avocado Mayo

1/2 cup pinenuts

1 avocado

juice of one lemon

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

4 dates

2 garlic cloves

1. Process all ingredients till creamy and refrigerate till cool.

Thanks again to Mark! I adapted this recipe from something similar he listed in his new cookbook- Rapid Raw.

My favorite BITES in Greece

My top three favorite BITES in Greece:

1. Jimmy and the Fish- Nikos and I fell in love here :) Our favorite thing on the menu is the rocket salad- a green salad with a brown creamy mushroom sauce. YUMMMY!

2. Darema- A bakery that is famous for making the best cinnamon twist cookies. The main ingredients are grape "pulp" and olive oil- there is no butter or sugar in these goodies.

3. Grilled octopus- anywhere, anytime.... This is my favorite meal of all time and a favorite dish to eat when I am in Greece.

I must say that my very, very, very, favorite aspect of Greece is my boyfriend, Nikos. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I honor him thoroughly. I am truly lucky because his family is just as beautiful as he is and they have made me feel like Greece is my home too :)

The Body Deli, Palm Desert

There is a new skincare line in Palm Desert that is to die for! It is called the Body Deli and is located on highway 111 right next to Harvest Health Foods.

Upon entering the store you get a sense that you are in the right place. Grass adorns the shelves which are filled with green and white labeled products, very classy, fresh, and inviting. This place actually looks like a deli!!

The staff members are knowledgeable about the product line and eager to offer samples of any of the products. There is also alkaline water free for the taking.

The designer of the product line, David, is absolutely lovely and very passionate about the store's new offerings- be sure to say hello if you are able to stop in.

The fun thing about these goodies are that they are made with raw, organic fruits and vegetables and contain vitamins and minerals that soak directly into your skin. After using these products, conventional products, that contain SLES, SLS, paraben and chemicals just seem extra dirty to me. I am definitely committed to sticking with the organic stuff.

I love the coconut lotion and the blueberry fusion cleanser (great for hyper-pigmentation).

The Body Deli Link

15 important foods to buy organic, and others you can skip

Buying all organic foods can be expensive and, let's face it, some of us just cannot afford to buy everything organic. Just remember that buying organic always benefits the environment and our children as it prevents soil erosion, protects small farm workers, supports biodiversity, saves energy and protects water quality. Organic always tastes better to me also, even if the skins look a little damaged. Remember organic foods don't have the chemicals to keep them looking pretty (which makes conventional produce appear almost fake/plastic). Just keep in mind the damage these "pretty" looking products are doing to the insides of your body and to the environment. Plus if you are pregnant, your child is ingesting all these chemicals too.

There are some foods that are highly polluted with chemicals so please, please, try as much as you can to always purchase these following ingredients organic.

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Pears
4. Winter Squash
5. Green Beans
6. Grapes
7. Strawberries
8. Raspberries
9. Spinach
10. Potatoes
11. Tomatoes
12. Bell Peppers
13. Dairy Products
14. All meat
15. Eggs

I myself want to support local farms that might not be certified organic as well so in these cases I suport the farmers that carry these products numbered below. These are foods that are safer to eat non-organic.

1. Citrus fruits
2. Avocados
3. Nuts (except peanuts)
4. Onions
5. Garlic
6. Mangos
7. Figs
8. Papayas
9. Watermelon (my favorite Greek word-Karpuzi!)
10. Coconuts

Organic is always best, but try to do the best you can. Your body and the environment will thank you for it!

Buckwheat Rosemary Bread

This is a delicious alternative recipe from "traditional" bread, as it is gluten and sugar free!! I served alongside a salad, with avocado mayo and red pepper hummus. Very moist and flavorful- this is going on my top 10 list :)

Rosemary Bread

2 cup buckwheat flour

1.5 cups almond meal

2 TBSP gluten free rice flour

2 TBSP agave

1/4 cup olive oil

1 and 1/4 cup water

2 TBSP rosemary

2.5 tsp baking powder

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

1. Stir all ingredients together.

2. Grease a baking loaf pan, pour in batter and bake for 35 minutes at 350F.

Red Bell Pepper Hummus

A nice twist on traditional hummus. I served with rosemary bread and salad. Quite addicting!

Red Bell Pepper Hummus

1 cup sprouted or cooked garbanzo beans

1 small bell pepper, diced

1 TBSP tahini

1 tsp sea salt

garnish with parsley

1.Process all ingredients in a blender for about 1 minute.

2. Set in refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes to one hour, or you can serve immediately if you are short on time.

Sometimes I serve this dish with pita chips (pita bread, cut it into fours, sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt and baked at 400 for about 10-12 minutes).

Orange Berry Love-Muffins, gluten and sugar free!

Orange Berry Love-muffins

5 mini blood oranges

1/2 cup frozen berry blend

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup agave

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 TBSP soaked walnuts, crushed

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 tsp baking powder

dash of sea salt

1. Combine first two ingredients and blend with applesauce and agave.

2. Add remaining ingredients, folding in coconut and walnuts last.

3. Pour into muffin tin and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I served these with cashew cream (1/2 cup soaked cashews plus 1 TBSP agave and a dash of cinnamon, blended together and refrigerated until it becomes pasty, about an hour or so).

Harvest Health Foods & Luscious Lorraines

Harvest Health Foods is my favorite little grocery store in Palm Desert. There is a selection of holistic foods which are easily identified by "staff favorite" signs. One of the owners Laura is a walking encyclopedia and able to answer any questions one might have about health foods or vitamins.

Luscious Lorraines is one of my favorite cafes and just so happens to be located in Harvest Health Foods (and it is right next to the Body Deli-a new skincare line made from raw organic fruits and vegetables). When I am in town I love to pop in and buy a fresh organic juice made with kale, greens, celery, lemon and ginger, while I pick up my healthy groceries. There are a dozen great salad and sandwich options as well as sweet desserts. On this particular day Lorraine had baked gluten free chocolate cupcakes and boy did they look beautiful! The one aspect that I really admire about Lorraine and Laura is that they strive to use local products and are inspired to support the smaller farmers in the area.

If you are ever in the area be sure to pop in and say hello :)

Luscious Lorraines Link

Harvest Health Foods Link

Nature Cafe, Palm Springs

Nature Cafe is in the Nature Health Food store, which makes it easy to grab some lunch while you are picking up some holistic high-vibration groceries.

I don't believe that I have ever received such amazing service as I did at Nature's Health Food and Cafe in Palm Springs. The owner/manager William De La Campa, greeted us and explained the offerings of the day with such mouthwatering detail and offered us free samples of fresh squeezed pomegranate juice. The sweet young man working behind the counter was delightful as well. When I tried to leave a tip, the manager refused and told me, "we don't accept tips, please just spread the word about our love for healthy foods." Wow :)

So here I am spreading the word- this place is a must visit- even if you go just for the food. There are plenty of options for salads, wraps, hot meals, rice dishes, savory dishes, light dishes, with vegetarian, vegan and raw options. I ordered a raw wrap with avocado, veggies and hummus and paired with a freshly squeezed green machine drink. My mom ordered the eggplant sausages (vegan and gluten free) and they were to die for!! I want to thank you William for your kind service and to let you know I will be back when I am in town for the month of September!!

Meet Sparkles

This is the world's cutest dog... Little Sparkles was peeking at me from across the store and it was truly love at first sight. I think it is about time for me to find myself a little animal to love.

Simply precious!

Lemon Quinoa with Sweet Tomatoes

Lemon Quinoa with Sweet Tomatoes

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

2 TBSP olive oil

juice of one large lemon

handful fresh basil, chopped

sea salt

15 sweet baby tomatoes, halved

1. Cook quinoa with water over high heat till boiling; reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes. Add 1 TBSP of olive oil. Stir every few minutes.

2. Remove from heat add lemon juice, fresh basil and last TBSP of olive oil. Add salt to taste.

4. Cut baby tomatoes in half; serve with quinoa.

This dish was extremely tasty and also easy to make. Makes great leftovers, so double the recipe if you wish to have some for later in the week.

Peppery Eggs

Another twist on your morning scramble. The farmer's market had beautiful peppers and I could not resist buying some to nibble on.

Peppery eggs

5 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/2 onion

1/2 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, organic (local if possible)

1/2 green bell pepper, organic (local if possible)

sea salt

Serves two :)

1. Saute onion with a dash of olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

2. Blend eggs with water and pour over onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic.

3. Put eggs on serving plates, top with salt, and pair with chopped bell peppers.

Turkey lettuce Cups

Turkey lettuce Cups

1.5 lbs ground organic, free-range turkey

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 TBSP olive oil

2 large swiss chard leaves, chopped

1 large red bell pepper

cabbage or iceberg lettuce

handful of parsley

cumin, sea salt, cayenne pepper to taste

avocado cream

1. Saute onion, garlic and olive oil over medium heat for three minutes.

2. Add turkey and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add spices.

3. Turn down heat to low, add swiss chard, cook for one minute, till leaves soften.

4. Pull apart cabbage/iceberg lettuce and put on plate and fill with turkey mixture.

5. Top with red bell pepper, parsley, and avocado cream.

Coconut Cashew Quinoa

Coconut Cashew Quinoa

1 cup quinoa

1.5 cups light coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash sea salt

1/3 cup cashews

1/4 cup coconut flakes

agave/honey/stevia to sweeten

Serves 2-4, depending on hunger!

1. Cook water and coconut milk over high heat, add quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for around 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes or so.

3. Add cloves, cinnamon and sea salt.

4. Place quinoa in a bowl and top with cashews, coconut and sweetener if preferred.

A great, gluten-free Sunday morning breakfast/brunch option.

Raw Spaghetti

Raw Spaghetti

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced (I bought pre-sliced carrots)

handful of walnuts (soaked is best)

1 avocado

1 TBSP coconut oil

2 TSP basil (dried)

juice of one small lemon

salt to taste

1. Thinly slice cucumbers and carrots.

2. Blend #1 with walnuts and avocado.

3. Mix coconut oil with lemon and basil/salt and toss with #2.

I found this dish to be very interesting and refreshing. The best part is that you reap all the health benefits from the enzymes, vitamins and minerals because the food has avoided damage caused by heat (cooking).

Tomato and Egg Breakfast

I found some beautiful tomatoes at the Farmer's Market and was thrilled to eat them with eggs for breakfast. I like my tomatoes sprinkled with a dash of salt.

Tomato and Egg Breakfast

5 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/2 large onion

1/2 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

few sprigs of parsley

2 medium tomaotes

This dish serves two :)

1. Saute onion with olive oil for about 3 minutes.

2. Blend eggs with water and pour over onions and cook on medium for 3-5 minutes.

3. Pull from stove and mix in garlic.

4. Serve with fresh cut tomatoes and parsley.

In order to fully enjoy the benefits of the garlic I do not cook it and instead add it to the dish after cooking. Garlic is a great immunity booster and has powerful detox capabilities. I do the same with parsley and add this on top of the dish after cooking.

Avocado Cashew Summer Salad

Avocado Cashew Summer Salad

2 cups broccoli stalks and carrots, thinly sliced (I used trader Joe's pre-cut blend)

handful of raw cashews (soaked if you wish)

1 avocado, diced

juice of one large lemon

1 TBSP olive oil

dash sea salt and cayenne pepper

parsley for garnish

1. Lightly mix broccoli/carrots with cashews and avocado.

2. Add lemon juice and olive oil together and toss with salad.

3. Add salt, pepper or any other spices you enjoy and garnish with parsley.

This is a great salad for warm evenings. The lemon brings out the flavor of the avocado and and the cashews complement the carrot/broccoli stalks perfectly.

Green Machine Lemonade

Green Machine Lemonade

Bunch of organic kale

3 stalks of organic celery

Handful of organic parsley

one organic apple

2 whole organic lemons

thumb sized piece of raw ginger

1. Juice all the ingredients and drink immediately!

Kale and parsley are super foods and great antioxidants. Celery is great for high blood pressure, while the lemons entirely detoxify your body. The apple gives the juice a bit of sweetness, while the ginger offers a great spicy kick.

Juicing- The GINORMOUS benefits

Juicing is a regular part of my regime. Not only do I enjoy the taste of fresh pressed greens, I also feel lighter, have more energy, and feel cleansed from the inside out. The result of juicing: I restore my health, smile more, and have a special glow about me.

The benefits of juicing are:

1. Usually we throw away the peels, seeds and pits of fruits/veggies and juicing assures you will not loose any important vitamins, minerals, and heavy fiber content found in these parts of the fruit or veggie.
2. Juicing offers a condensed form of vitamins and minerals and, because it is readily available, the juice is instantly absorbed by the body.
3. You can make your own combinations and find recipes that work with your taste-buds and health needs.
4. Juicing detoxifies your body due to the antioxidants found in the fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants enable the body to eliminate fats and toxins that remain in your body from pollution and processed foods.

I use Jack Lalanne Juicer, however I have a Vitamix and a Champion Juicer on my wish list!

For more information check out this link and HAPPY JUICING!!

Blueberries and Cream Kefir

This is a favorite option for lunch and in order to ensure I obtain my probiotics, I eat organic goat milk kefir at least 3 times a week. Probiotics put the good bacterias in your body and fend off the bad bacterias that come from processed foods, as well as gluten/sugary foods, pesticides that are sprayed on non-organic produce, and any meat/eggs that contains hormones and antibiotics. The best way to keep your body free of bad bacterias is to follow a vegetarian, organic based diet and/or to eat ONLY organic meat. Also, try your best to avoid refined sugars (replace with honey and agave), opt out of gluten based foods (wheat, starchy foods) and avoid eating anything processed/packaged.

Remember if it is made from a plant it is better for you than if it was made in a plant.

Blueberries and Cream Kefir

1 cup of goat milk kefir, organic

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

3 TBSP seed mix

10 cashews, soaked

2 strawberries, diced (optional)

1. Put cashews (and strawberries) in the bottom of the bowl.

2. Add kefir and top with blueberries.

3. Garnish with seed mix.

The cashews add a creamy taste to this dish.

Curry Chickpea Burgers- gluten free

Curry Chickpea Burgers

1 can garbanzo beans, smashed

handful of parsley, chopped

3 garlic cloves

2 TSP cumin

1 TBSP curry

1/2 TSP salt

1/2 TSP pepper

1 egg, beaten

3 TBSP buckwheat flour

1 TBSP olive oil (plus oil for frying)

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 onion, carmelized (for topping)

Serve with avocado sauce

1. Combine all ingredients together and form into 6 patties.

2. Heat some olive oil on medium heat and cook patties for 3-4 minutes on each side, till brown.

3. Carmelize onions with some olive oil (add any spices you wish).

4. Top with onions and avocado sauce.

A YUMMY vegetarian alternative to traditional burgers.