Day 3: Best. Raw. Cheese. Ever!!!!

It’s already Day 3!? Geeze this is going by fast!! Oh well, here we go! 

Breakfast:

Gasp! You skipped your morning routine!? Yes. I woke up late due to the lack of sleep I have been getting the last couple of days and well, it’s trying to gradually catch up. Pluuuus, I knew today’s smoothie was going to be just as refreshing, hydrating and detoxing so skipping my morning lemon water was okay, just this time.

As I stated, this smoothie was definitely a change up from what we have been drinking the last couple of days. No bananas, no fruit or other sweeteners, just veggies, herbs, water and lemon. It was tart, refreshing and unexpectedly tasty. I did add a small knob of banana for just a hint of sweetness since my lemon was pretty large and tart. It’s best when super cold, so throw a few ice cubes in either before or after blending to make this the perfect chilly detoxing drink for a hot summers day. Now only if it was hot outside….

  

Detox and Healing Smoothie

By Young and Raw, Day 27

• 1 rib of celery
• 1 cup of cucumber
• 1 handful of parsley
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tbsp of hemp or chia seeds
• 1 cup of coconut water or water
• ¼ frozen banana (optional)
• Ice (optional)

1. Blend, sip and go!

Lunch:

Ever since I transitioned to a raw foods diet, I have fallen in love with all things creamy, especially avocado! I know! You’re probably thinking, isn’t that a lot of fat? Well, yes, yes it is. AND did you know that one, fat, especially in women, is burned more than carbs making it an ideal source of energy;  two, that it is necessary for proper nutrient absorption; and three, it manages inflammation (just to name a few key benefits)? Fat, healthy, raw fat, is good for your body. So eat up! In moderation of course. :)

Getting back to lunch. I had been eying these drool producing raw Chipotle Cheddar and Apple Lettuce Wraps by Young and Raw for quite a while now. Every time I was set to make them I was missing at least one ingredient (sounds like the biggest story of my life doesn’t it? Maybe I can use that one day…). Well, I had had enough. I was making these babies somehow, with or without lettuce. Obviously, I didn’t have any butter lettuce, so I asked myself, "what is the next best “wrapper” when lettuce is not an option?" Ding! Nori sheets! That’s right! It was time to make Chipotle Cheddar and Apple sushi!

I opened the package of nori sheets and what do I find!? Only one nori sheet left! Now what!? Kale…I had Kale! I was not giving up! So I made these wraps two ways: as a sushi roll and as a kale wrap.

Both were insanely delish thanks to the absolute best tasting raw cheese spread I have EVER tasted. I mean it’s “lick the blade clean” good! As you can see, all you need is a thin layer to be able to taste the robust, smoky flavors of this cheese. A little bit truly goes a long way. And because it is so full of flavor, it really is all you need to make a dish, any dish taste amazing. So seriously, go and whip this creamy deliciousness up and put it on everything!! 

Chipotle Cheddar and Apple Sushi/Kale Wraps

Recipe adapted from Young and Raw

Modified to serve 1 but can easily be doubled

• ½ small apple, thinly sliced
• ¼ red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1-2 raw nori sheets and/or 2-3 large kale leaves (or you can substitute for butter, bib or romaine lettuce, collard leaves, etc)
• Alfalfa sprouts
• Mixed greens
• Chipotle Cheddar
• 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
• 2 sundried tomatoes, soaked, drained and chopped
• 1/4 tsp chipotle seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp of water 
  

1. I recommend chopping the macadamia nuts up first either by hand or in the blender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients into the blender, using only 1 Tbsp of water to start off, and continue to blend, adding water as needed, until a smooth, thick paste-like cheese is formed. You don’t want its saucy, but you do want it smooth and spreadable. Think hummus but a tad bit thicker. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble the sushi:

I’m not great at giving directions when it comes to sushi rollin’. It’s a technique that takes tons of practice to perfect. My advice? Watch this vid and get your sushi skills a rollin’!!!

Just a few notes:

1. Use the Chipotle Cheddar as you would rice in regular sushi. All you need is a thin layer from bottom to top, leaving an inch of room on the top to seal.
2. For the filling, add layers of mixed greens, apple slices, bell peppers and sprouts!

Repeat with remaining nori sheet and/or use the remaining cheddar to make kale/lettuce wraps.

To assemble the wraps: 

1. Spread a thin layer of Chipotle Cheddar onto the kale/lettuce leaf, pile high with apples, bell peppers and sprouts. Roll or fold together like a taco and nom nom away!!

I know! It’s a foodgasmic isn’t it!?

Snacks: I sipped on a warm green tea with raw honey and nommed on a banana and some raw almond butter

Dinner:

I wasn’t really hungry, but I had been dying to finally cut open my cherimoya that I had bought a couple of days ago. I figured a small piece of fruit so simple and light was all I needed.

I have been seeing and reading a lot of great things about cherimoyas. It is slowly becoming the new raw “superfruit”, being praised for its nutritional profile which includes Vitamin C, potassium and fiber. So when I saw them being sold at the global market last weekend, I immediately snatched one up and allowed it to ripen on the window seal. I knew it was ready when I could smell it's sweet aroma while cleaning dishes.

This was my first time tasting a cherimoya so I was excited to see if it really did taste like a custardy, tropical fruit blend. The texture was creamy, juicy, and just a tiny bit starchy. Very custard like indeed!  As for the flavor, the first thing I recognized was that it tasted very similar to a banana in both flavor and sweetness. It contained little to no acidity, which would have been a nice contrast to the super, almost cloying sweetness; maybe I'll squeeze some lime on it next time. Other flavors that I detected included the earthiness of coconut, apple, pineapple and maybe a hint of papaya? 

It was really tasty and fun to eat minus the super sweetness and all the seeds! I think the flesh would work perfect in a smoothie or blended to create a filling to a raw, creamy tart! Yumm! 

If you love sweet, tropical, aromatic fruits, then I highly recommend you give this one a go! Plus, who doesn’t love trying new things!?

Dessert:

A couple of days ago I came across this recipe for fudgy, nut butter containing, chocolatey cups. I was sold at “nut butter” when I saw the recipe and knew these were a must make!

The recipe was simple to rawify and easy to whip together. After 30 minutes in the fridge you end up with these creamy, nutty, oh so decadent fudge cups. As I was setting up my cups for photo perfection, I took a bite and immediately said out loud, “This is not good! I shouldn’t have made these. This is so so bad.” And I was right! These are so good they need to be sealed with a lock and key! I definitely plan  on making these again…tomorrow. :)

      Raw Nut Butter Fudge

Recipe adapted from Practical Paleo

Makes 3 delicious cups, which is seriously not enough!

• 2 Tbsp of unrefined coconut oil, melted
• 2 Tbsp of raw almond butter
• 2 Tbsp of raw cacai powder, sifted
• 1 Tbsp of raw, unpasteurized honey (or liquid sweetener of choice)
• 1/8 tsp of vanilla
• Optional Add Ins: shredded coconut, cacao nibs, goji berries

1. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until well blended
2. Add 2 Tbsp of the chocolatey sauce into three paper lined muffin tin cups or into three silicone muffin cups.
3. If using add ins, sprinkle them on top and gently stir them into the chocolate
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes until firm
5. Remove, peel and sink your teeth into each and every cup so no one else will steal them as you attempt to store them in the fridge just to eat them 5 minutes later.

The temptation to eat them ALL is so hard to overcome!! Heck, just give in and make sure to work out extra hard tomorrow :)

Evening Routine:

After missing so much rest, I downed my apple cider vinegar tea and immediately hit the sack! Rest is just as important as diet and exercise when it comes to health and maintaining a healthy weight. So get them 6-8 hours of snooze!!