Best Friends are hard to find

My best friend was visiting for two weeks and she just returned home today. We had an amazing time together in Mykonos, Delos, and Athens. Good friends are hard to find and I am really grateful for such a wonderful and insightful visit :) I love you Izze, always and forever!!

Hummus with Pita

Hummus with Pita

2 cups dry chick peas

water for boiling

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 2-3 lemons

salt/pepper

garlic (optional)

pita bread

green salad

1 TBSP pine nuts (topping)

dash cayenne (topping)

drizzle of olive oil (topping)

1. Soak dry chickpeas overnight

2. Boil chickpeas on medium for about 1 hour

3. Drain water and blend with olive oil, lemons, sat/pepper and garlic

4. Place greens on a plate, top with hummus, pine nuts, cayenne and olive oil

5 Serve with fresh or baked pita bread

Thank you for making this yummy lunch Nikos!

Quinoa Flax Corn Bread- gluten, dairy and sugar free

Quinoa Flax Corn Bread

1 1/4 cup organic corn flour

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

4 TBSP ground flaxseed

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBSP baking powder

1 egg

1/2 cup organic corn, fresh or frozen

1 cup unsweetened organic soymilk

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 tsp stevia

olive oil, optional

avocado, optional

goat cheese, optional

1. Combine all ingredients, first wet ingredients and then fold in dry ingredients

2. Process thirty seconds and pour into a greased baking pan

3. Bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes

4. Top with olive oil and sea salt and pair with fresh avocado or goat cheese

This bread was really delicious, especially drizzled with cold-pressed olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Fresh avocado pairs perfectly with this afternoon snack.

Raw Avocado Soup

This is a quick cool meal and a nice spin on gazpacho soup. I topped with fresh basil almond cheese but sprouts make a perfect addition and add a big dose of enzymes to your meal.

Raw Avocado Soup

1 avocado

one large tomato or red bell pepper, organic

1 garlic clove

juice of two lemons, organic

1.5 cups of fresh spinach or greens, organic

1/2 cup warm water

any spices you prefer (cayenne, corriander and cumin are my favorites)

salt and pepper

raw almond cheese or sprouts (as a garnish)

1. Throw all the ingredients in a blender and then serve immediately.

This recipe is inspired from Flora of www.mediterraneangoesraw.com - Thank you Flora!

Raw Coconut Chocolate

This is the most amazing recipe for raw chocolate and it only has 5 ingredients. Trust me, this recipe is a keeper!

5 TBSP coconut oil, raw

4 TBSP agave

3 TBSP hazelnuts, chopped

2 TBSP raw cocoa powder

1 TSP vanilla

dash salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a processor and blend lightly.

2. Fold in hazelnuts.

3. Put in mold or pour onto a piece of parchment paper.

4. Put in freezer to set.

When ready to eat, take out of freezer and allow to thaw about 15 minutes. This recipe is adapted from "Mediterranean in the Raw." Thank you Flora!!

Stengarden, Copenhagen

This is a cute little organic food store right outside of Copenhagen that sells an assortment of ecologically safe products. The store began by selling eggs, dairy, cheese, fruits and vegetables that were grown right on the land but over time, as demand increased, the store began importing products from other areas. The products were quite costly, but I must add that the feeling of biting into a fresh red pepper that was grown on the gorgeous Danish land made my purchase worth every krown (Danish currency).

My favorite part about the store was the fresh honey that greeted us on a table right inside the front door. My favorite purchase- fresh goat yogurt, creamy and delicious :)

Be sure to support your local laiki or farmer's market. It is one of the best gifts you can give your community!

Fruit- Nature's Candy

The best treat I can give to my body is fresh fruit. In the summer I love to eat strawberries with fresh almond cream blended together in a creamy smoothie. Fruit is high in vitamins and minerals and boosts your immunity. Also, if you are low on iron make sure to pair any iron-rich food with citrus fruits, which increases the body's rate of iron absorption. My favorite aspect about fruit is that every season new products are ready to be harvested which means new recipes are carried out in my kitchen. I am looking forward to my favorite autumn fruits, such as blueberries, raspberries, grapes, figs, pears, plums, and apples. I will be sure to continuously update our blog with new yummy recipes!!

Happy Birthday Nikos :)

Nikos celebrated his birthday here this month in Mykonos. The family got together for a yummy dinner (salmon burgers, lime corn cakes with avocado salsa, salad, seafood spaghetti) and then had three cakes for dessert. I made two raw cakes- coconut tahini strawberry and a cherry cheesecake.

Happy Birthday Nikos- this is your year to shine!!

I love you with my whole heart :)

Easy Summer Snack

Let's face it, it is summer and we want to look good, feel sexy and enjoy fresh, cool foods. It is hot here in Mykonos and this snack was a great treat after a day on the beach. You can top with any veggies/fruits or even nuts that you prefer. I have the biggest crush on red bell peppers so you will see them everywhere I can squeeze them in.

Easy Summer Snack

gluten free crackers (buckwheat, corn or rice)

soft goat cheese

olive oil, cold pressed

oregano

red bell peppers

1. Spread goat cheese on crackers and top with remaining ingredients to your preference.

I would suggest to use goat cheese over cow cheese as the digestive enzymes in goat cheese closely resemble that of human milk and therefore goat cheese is much easier for your body to digest. Goat cheese also contains tryptophan, one of the 10 essential amino acids the body uses to synthesize the protein it needs.

Avocado Surprise

Avocado Surprise

1 avocado

2 spoonfuls of fresh goat cheese (or dairy free alternative)

handful of cherries/berries

1 tsp agave

1. Process the cherries and agave, only for a few seconds. You want to keep large cherry pieces in the mixture.

2. Cut avocado in half and fill each half with one spoonful of goat cheese.

3. Top with cherry mixture.

Nikos has this for his birthday breakfast. He loved the combination, specifically the cherries and goat cheese. You can try with different fruits to find a taste that suits you! Also, if you are raw or vegan just omit the goat cheese and fill the avocado with the fruit mixture. Makes a great dessert too. This recipe is inspired by my raw teacher Flora- Thank you Sweet Flora :)

Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

smoked salmon

handful of fresh dill, diced

fresh diced lemon

pumpernickel bread

plain organic greek yogurt

This is an easy and tasty lunch option. In this photo I used organic greek goat yogurt as a spread. Another option for a spread is organic goat cheese or creme cheese. (I tend to avoid dairy and instead I mainly use goat milk products as goat milk is closer to human milk and easier to digest.) I placed the lemon on the bread until the sandwich was ready to be eaten, which kept the taste fresh and crisp. Delicious brain-food!!

Raw Spaghetti- Too good to be true!

You can use pine nuts, brazil nuts or cashews for this dish. When I am out of a fatty nut I use almonds which tastes great as well. Trust me, you have to give this a try!

Raw Spaghetti

1 zucchini, thinly grated

2 TBSP cashews, processed fine

1 large tomato or red bell pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP lemon

2 tsp basil

2 TBSP cashews/brazil nuts

oregano

sea salt/cayenne pepper

I am not kidding-this recipe really tastes like the real thing but it is 100% raw. I made it for Nikos on his birthday as he LOVES spaghetti (quite a stretch from bolognese- but he really liked it!!)

1. Grate zucchini and place on a plate (I used a grater that looks like a pencil sharpener and makes noodles out of vegetables.)

2. Rub 2 TBSP grated cashews into zucchini.

3. In a processer blend tomato/pepper, lemon, olive oil and basil in a blender. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

4. Process cashews, oregano and salt/pepper to make parmesan cheese and top on pasta.

5. Pour sauce on pasta and top with cheese.

I paired this dish with raw garlic spread (garlic, walnuts, olive oil, sea salt) on gluten free crackers. Made a perfect combination. This is such an amazing dish. I want to have it everyday for lunch, seriously, it is that good...

Farm fresh eggs with fresh almond cheese

Farm Fresh Breakfast

4 eggs

3 TBSP water

olive oil

salt/pepper

fresh almond cheese

yellow/green bell peppers, freshly diced

1. Mix eggs and water together and cook with olive oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes. Add some salt and pepper if you wish.

2. Place eggs on serving tray and top with fresh almond cheese and freshly diced peppers.

These flavors go great together. Our almond cheese was made with basil and coriander and it tastes just like feta. I always have nut cheese, or nut spread/pate on hand for snacks or additions to meals. This is just one example of another fun way for you to add more raw foods to your diet. Remember that raw foods have DNA and enzymes that our bodies REQUIRE to stay youthful and healthy, so any chance you have to eat raw, TAKE IT!

Almond Cheese, raw and delicious

Almond Cheese

1 cup pulp from almond milk (sans skins and drained of moisture)

1 tsp salt

1.5 TBSP olive oil, cold-pressed

basil/oregano/coriander (to taste)

squeeze of lemon (optional)

1. Blend the following ingredients together

2. Put in a cloth/sieve and pull tight- making sure all pulp is tightly held together

3. Hang for 8 hours at room temperature

This cheese was fantastic and full of flavor. We used it on a raw salad with seeds and avocado as well as on fresh farm eggs we had for breakfast.

Refreshing Summer Crackers

I made these summer crackers for Nikos and I after we had a long day on the beach. The guacamole was made the previous day and was cold from sitting in the fridge, which made this snack very refreshing.

Full of flavor and very pretty to serve to guests!!

Summer Crackers

gluten free crackers

almonds, diced finely

basil leaves, fresh

guacamole (avocado, olive oil, lemon, sea salt)

Millet with fresh vegetables- gluten free!!

Millet with Fresh Veggies

1 cup millet

2.5 cups water

1 tomato, diced

1 pepper, diced

handful of carrots, diced

3 TBSP olive oil

sea salt

basil

parsley

1. Boil millet with water about 3 minutes, set to low to simmer about 10 minutes.

2. Cut up fresh veggies, toss in olive oil and spices/salt.

3. Toss together

This is really delicious cold and great for a warm summer day :) Millet is a great alternative to rice and gluten free. This dish is great for those that have trouble with starchy grains and want to eat lighter.

Happy Sunday- A nice smile for you :)

Sending you a funny photo today in the hopes that it makes you smile :) Life passes so fast and I hope you fully relish in the day! XOXO

Raw Almond Milk- Make your own!

Make you own Almond Milk- it is easy and full of more enzymes that your body will thank you for.

Directions:

1. Soak 2 cups almonds for 24 hours. Change the water at least twice throughout the day.

2. Pop off the skins. If the almonds are new they should come off a bit easier. You might need to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes- NOT HOT water. (You can skip this step if you plan to use the milk within 24 hours.)

3. Put almonds and 4 cups filtered water in a blender and blend for about 1 minute. You can add a dash of honey or agave if you wish to sweeten it. I like to add nutmeg and cinnamon.

4. Strain into a bottle with a strainer and funnel. (If you have a dehydrator you can bake the almonds and make granola, to use with your milk! I will post a cheese recipe you can use with the remaining almond meal.)

5. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days if you use almonds without the skins and one day if you use almonds with the skins on.

I use one part raw almonds to two parts water, however you can use one part almond to one part water if you want a stronger milk, or if you want a more diluted milk you can use one part almonds to three or four parts water. Also, adding additional agave or honey can make a delicious sweet milk that you can drink as dessert.

Raw Avocado Sprout Sandwich

I certified as a raw chef last week with Flora Papadopoulou (through Alissa Cohen) and learned how to make everything under the sun in the raw foods category. I made this sandwich for Nikos to take to work with him. If you don't have a dehydrator you can buy raw crackers at the store, or you can simply use cabbage/iceberg lettuce and wrap as a cup. Much less expensive than purchasing raw crackers.

Raw Avocado Sprout Sandwich

2 raw crackers/raw bread slices (onion flavor works perfect)

1/2 avocado

1/2 small tomato

handful of sprouts

garlic cashew spread (1/2 small clove garlic, 1/4 cup cashews and 1-2 tsp olive oil, 1-2 tsp water, dash of sea salt, dash of cayenne pepper, blended together)

1. Assemble on lettuce or crackers and enjoy!

The important thing to remember is that when you go out of your way to consume a raw meal you are giving your body the gift of 100% living foods. This means you receive all the digestive enzymes and DNA that live in the foods you are eating. When we cook food- we "kill" it and our body recognized these foods as toxins and sends a message to the body that an invasion is occurring. The body responds by sending mucus to protect the body which stays in our body, mainly in our intestines as plaque, leading to various diseases- physical, spiritual and mental.

The best gift you can give your body is to incorporate more raw foods into your diet :)

Lovely Mykonos & A Detox

We are on holiday in Mykonos and are having a relaxing break from the hustle of Athens. We took an evening walk last night and the sky looked unreal. Almost as though it had been painted. The view of our house is breathtaking and the atmosphere very quiet and calming. For the first time in weeks I can really exhale.

This month we are detoxing- juicing, fasting and clearing our bodies of excess toxins. Mykonos is the perfect location for a detox- as it transforms a fast into a spiritual experience. Detoxes are extremely important for optimum health. Our intestines need a break and a good cleanse form all the junk-food we eat and toxins our environment carries (especially in the cities). A great cleanse to follow is a one week cleanse, the first three days you eat only fruits and vegetables as well as nuts and seeds, the next three days you drink only fruit and vegetable juices, and the last day you eat vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds again, to break your fast. Drinking plenty of water helps your body to flush any unwanted toxins. I drink psyllium husk throughout my cleanse which acts like a brush in the intestines and is able to push any plaque out of the body. I promise you will feel and look better after the cleanse!!

I must state that I am not a doctor! This is my opinion based on what I have read, witnessed by others, and experienced myself. A great link with detox information is Blessed Herbs below.

Blessed Herbs Link

Our veggies are blooming!

We are delighted to see that our vegetables are growing and we were able to eat off our own plants this week. Our tomatoes are juicy and sweet and our peppers full of flavor. We also have delicious baby carrots that we have picked, however we are waiting for them to grow a little bit bigger. The only problem we had was with our dill- after it rained the herb quickly died. We were not able to taste any and are determined to try again. Our parsley and spinach was fantastic- very green and healthy. We hope that one day soon we can take our balcony garden to a spacious country farm- there we will have a lot of land to cultivate.

The Spot, Hermosa Beach, California

The Spot is one of my favorite vegetarian restaurants due to ONE major reason- SAVORY SAUCE!! I order the exact same thing every time I visit this eatery- the Spot Chef salad, tossed with soy cheese and savory sauce. The tofu is baked in a sweet honey sauce and is so delicious. I am not kidding this is really one of the best dishes I have ever had and every time I visit Southern California I have to stop by and feed my soul. The savory garden burrito takes a close second. Do yourself a favor and drop by if you are in the area. You will not be disappointed :)

The Spot Link

Raspberry Pecan Pie, RAW

Raspberry Pecan Pie
1/2 cup of pecans

1/2 cup dates

1/2 tsp of nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

macadamia frosting

(1/4 cup macadamia nuts and 1 tsp agave)

carob chips, finely chopped

handful of raspberries

1. Process first four ingredients and form in a pan as a crust.

2. Mix macadamia frosting by processing nuts and agave together till blended; set aside.

3. Process carob chips; set aside.

4. Layer pie, starting with macadamia frosting, then carob chips and then with fresh raspberries.

Salmon Nori Rolls, RAW

Raw Salmon Nori Rolls

1 cup of butternut squash, ripe

1/2 cup soaked walnuts

small handful of fresh dill, minced

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp dulse flakes

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

4 Nori sheets

1. Process all the ingredients except avocado and cucumber.

2. Roll mixture with piece of avocado and cucumber into a nori sheet.

3. Repeat with three more sheets.

4. Cut into bite sized rolls.

We added a spritz of Bragg's liquid amino acid. It is unbelievable how much these taste like salmon sushi rolls. A fun recipe for a Friday evening event. This recipe is modified from the Rapid Raw cookbook :)

Strawberry Macadamia Cream of Buckwheat, gluten and sugar free

Strawberry Macadamia Cream of Buckwheat

2 cups water

1/2 cup ground buckwheat

dash of sea salt

1 cup of fresh strawberries

handful of raw macadamia nuts

agave or raw honey, to taste

dash of cinnamon

1. Heat water, salt, and buckwheat till boiling. Reduce to low heat and simmer about 10 minutes.

2. Top with fresh strawberries, macadamia nuts, agave/honey and cinnamon.

Swedish Yumminess

Here were some of our Swedish treats:

RisiFrutti (not actually Swedish, but I first tried it in Sweden)-Rice pudding with berry jam

Smoked Salmon with diced tomato and avocado

Bitter Lettuce and Spinach salad with olive oil, lemon, garlic and topped with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, diced avocado and sea salt.

Freshly baked kanelbullar (cinnamon buns)

Fresh stove cooked coffee

There is much I am not including as this list could go on and on and on...