Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits (Vegan)

I had an odd craving for my childhood love of Hardee’s cinnamon raisin biscuits- you know, those awful greasy gluten, dairy and sugar filled hunks of death (= a child’s delight)? Well, I was inspired at 5:30 am this morning (hence the “sunrise”) to make them this time around myself as gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and no sugar added/ low glycemic. They were delicious and virtually impossible to stop eating!

Sunrise Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

2/3 c. organic almond milk/buttermilk
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. organic smart balance vegan margerine, melted
1/2 t sea salt
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 c. flour consisting of:
- 1/2 c. buckwheat flour
- 1 c. brown rice flour
- 1/2 c. garbanzo flour
1/2 c. raisins
3 T cinnamon

Optional: coconut, brown sugar (did not use brown sugar here; I did use coconut in about half of the recipe for variety)

Mix dry ingredients together. Melt smart balance margarine in microwave and let cool; add almond milk, vinegar, and margarine to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add raisins and cinnamon and mix (it was easier to mix them by hand at this point and shape the biscuits in my palm).I did not roll out the dough and cut biscuits, but rather chose the lazy way of hand-patting little rolls and dropping them onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool and enjoy! They make a fantastic companion to coffee, especially at 6 am!

Options of use of leftover biscuits:

Top biscuit with fresh ground flax, cinnamon, and serve with fresh fruit of your choice- I used banana and fresh peach here. It works great as a breakfast, dessert, or side. I ate it with a lactose free peach and whey smoothie for breakfast.

Horseradish Beets

Horsey Beets

1 can non salt beets (drained)
3 T fresh ground/minced horseradish
1 T red wine vinegar
2 T organic apple cider vinegar
1 t sea salt

Mix. Marinate in fridge overnight or longer for a nice horseradish kick!

Garlic Hummus

Easy and Healthy Garlic Hummus

1 25 oz. can organic garbanzo beans
3 T sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic
1 sundried tomato (chopped)
2 T olive oil
1 T water
1 t. sea salt
Seasoning:
- Oregano
Garnish:
- Olives
- Peppers

Open and drain beans; add all ingredients to Vitamix or other blender and process until creamy (1-2 minutes). Serve cold with fresh raw veggies, salad, or a sandwich (or just eat with a spoon like me!)

Simple Shitaki Soup

This is a quick and easy healthy soup which only requires a few ingredients and has the potential to have many more foods added for different spinoffs.

Shitaki Mushroom Soup

2 c. water
1/2 c. gluten free organic free range chicken broth, low sodium (optional; or use vegetable broth for vegan)
1 T. Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 T. San-J wheat free tamari
1/2 c. dehydrated (or fresh) shitaki mushrooms
2 T. sea vegetables or seaweed
Seasoning:
- 2 T. red pepper flakes
- sprinkle garlic powder
- sprinkle hot curry powder

Bring all to boil in large saucepan. Once it has reached boiling, reduce heat to simmer and let mushrooms absorb liquid for at least 20 minutes. Serve hot.

* Seaweed is a great source of iodine which is extremely beneficial for the thyroid. If you add tofu or any unfermented soybean products, remember to add seaweed as well since the iodine helps buffer the nutrient-blocking issue associated with unfermented soy.

Salads of All Sorts

I’ll just start a brief list of different salads and expound on it later:

• General salad: Organic spring mix, sprouts, red onion, carrot slices, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sea salt

• Classic carrot and raisin salad, made easy with the Saladmaster
• Try the Spicy Asian Peanut Slaw as a twist on carrot and raisin salad

more to come…

Raw Foods Rule the Lunch Box

I know this recipe might sound unappetizing, but it really is delicious and nutritious. I dreamed this concoction up for myself using almond butter and slivered almonds topped with cranberries, but I have since adapted it for Jon since he prefers organic peanut butter to almond butter and loves raisins. This easy sandwich or wrap is extremely versatile- you can use kale, collards, green or red cabbage leaves or whatever you crave as a base and top with your choice of dried fruit, raisins, cranberries, nuts, seeds, blueberries, etc. The dark green leafy greens like kale and collards provide an excellent source of vegetarian (vegan) source of Vitamin K, B vitamins, and non-heme iron. They also require lots of thorough chewing so they slow down your eating which helps with weight loss and digestion. Using greens as a wrap or sandwich base (with or without a corn tortilla) saves calories and gives nice variety- this is the first way I was able to “sneak” greens into Jon’s peanut butter and banana lunches. He was hesitant to try it, but loves it at first bite and claims that the raisins really make the wrap and now it is a weekly staple in the lunch box.

Kale, Raisin, and Peanut Butter Wrap

4-5 leaves washed & torn kale leaves (or other leafy green)
1-2 corn tortillas (optional*)
2 T. organic no salt creamy/crunchy peanut/almond butter
sunflower seeds or other seeds or unsalted nuts for crunch and healthy Omega-6 fats
Topping:
- 1 handful raisins or other dried fruit
- dash of cinnamon
- small chunks of red onion for color
- drizzle of honey or agave nectar
Sides:
- sliced banana

*Tortillas help keep the raisins and honey topping from sticking to the lid

This is quick and as simple as it gets: wash and pat dry kale leaves, add peanut butter or almond butter, raisins, nuts, seeds, honey, and any other topping you’d like. You can wrap the entire package up in a corn tortilla or use the tortilla as a base or top. Pack and go! Yum!

Low Carb Desserts: Raw (Vegan) Fruit, Seed, and Nut Bar Variations

Raw Organic Nut and Seed Bars

These are wonderful, healthy, and extremely tasty versatile treats. They can be pressed into bars, cakes, or any other fanciful shape of your choosing. They can used as a topping or base for frozen desserts, or just eaten with a spoon- the possibilities are endless! Feel free to substitute any of the nuts or seeds as you see fit; I use almonds and walnuts mostly in my recipes since they are among the healthiest nuts.

1 handful (organic) walnuts
1 handful almonds
2-3 T. sesame seeds (can omit if diverticulitis is a concern)
1 handful sunflower seeds
1/2 c. mixed unsalted nuts (substitute w/ more almonds or walnuts
1 handful raisins**
Several Chopped dates**
Agave Nectar or Honey to taste (until mixture sticks together)

Spices: cinnamon, cayenne pepper, nutmeg
Optional: 2 T freshly ground flaxseed

Mix nuts, raisins, and dates in blender. I use a Vitamix which works wonders on all foods! Remove mixture from blender and add agave nectar/honey and enjoy!

**The raisins and dates are completely optional if a low carb/low glycemic index treat is desired; they add to the texture and natural sweetness.

Raw Organic Fruit and Sprouted Nut Bars

1/2 c. mixed unsalted nuts, soaked overnight
1/4 c. raisin soaked overnight
5 dates soaked overnight
3 oz sunflower seed

Spices: cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg, cloves
Optional: flaxseed, hemp, coconut (not included here)

Rinse nuts if salted to remove excess salt and processing oils (most salted and roasted nuts have cottonseed oil which is toxic in large quantities and is best avoided. Try to vie for raw and unsalted nuts when possible since the roasting process also destroys essential enzymes in the nuts). Soak the nuts in enough water to completely cover the nuts plus about 2″ of water (since nuts will swell) overnight or up to a few days. If the nuts are soaked longer than overnight, be sure to rise and refill the water with a fresh supply so the sprouting process is healthy.

Soak raisins and dates in a seperate container overnight as well. I chose the save the syrup that forms from the leftover raisin/date water and use it as a sweetner in other recipes.

When ready to make the bars, combine all ingredients in Vitamix or blender and process until smooth. Adjust consistency to taste and feel free to add any spices that appeal to you- cinnamon, nutmeg and a dash of cayenne pepper gave a nice kick and help with regulating the body’s insulin response by lowering the glycemic index of the raisins and dates.