Raw Food Gluten Free Recipes for the Holidays
At this time of year, you might spend lots of time shopping for just the right gift for everyone on your list. But what about you?
Have you ever considered giving yourself a gift? Today’s post has the perfect plan for giving back to the only person who will be with you at every moment and can support you best of all. And it’s not one of those store bought gifts, either. It’s one from your heart.
A Special Gift to Give Yourself
- Purchase of make a pretty card for yourself.
- Address the inside of the card to yourself by name.
- In the white space, write ” My gift to you is” followed by one self care thing you plan to include in your life on a regular basis. Pick something you have not already managed to make routine. It could be taking a daily walk, making a green drink, meditating, taking a yoga class, doing daily stretching. The sky’s the limit. Make it something you know would benefit your health and well being and just hasn’t been given the priority it deserves.
- Sign the card from you.
- Put the card in an envelope and address it to YOU.
- Put the card with the gifts you plan to give away and open it at the appropriate time.
- Surprise!!! Follow Through with Joy!
You deserve to be healthy, happy and whole.
Make a commitment to do it NOW.
Holiday Recipes for You
If you haven’t already decided on your holiday menu, consider adding these recipes. Perhaps instead of being tempted by the traditional mashed potatoes and gravy loaded with gluten, dairy and processed fats you’ll enjoy my mashed potato recipe made with cauliflower and loaded with cancer fighting and hormone balancing phytochemicals and mushroom gravy made with immune boosting mushrooms.
These recipes variations of recipes in my eBook Healthy Holiday Traditions, which is loaded with recipes for the holidays including the familiar holiday favorites like gingerbread cookies, latkes and “egg” nog, apple pie, Christmas cookies, pumpkin pie and so much more
Herbed Mashed “Potatoes”
Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 cup macadamia nuts, cashews, or a combination of both
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups corn (fresh, or frozen and thawed) or 1 1/2 cups zucchini, peeled
- 1 scallion, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or amount to taste
Directions:
- Break cauliflower into 2-inch chunks and chop in food processor with “S” blade until grainy.
- Put corn or zucchini in blender and process until smooth. Add water if necessary, but only enough to result in a smooth, creamy blend. It should be relatively thick.
- Add nuts and lemon juice to blender and process until smooth. Add water only if necessary. This mixture should be thick and creamy.
- Add the blender mixture to the cauliflower in the food processor and process until well combined, but not completely smooth. It should have a bit of texture, like mashed potatoes.
- Place in serving bowl and serve as-is (mixture should be warm from the processing) or put entire mixture into baking dish and place in dehydrator for 2 hours to warm through.
- Serve right away. The taste is best if served shortly after preparing (it changes after refrigeration).
- Optional: Add flax oil, salt and pepper to taste, and minced herbs just before serving. Top with mushroom gravy.
Personal Note: This is a slightly modified version of the recipe on page 24 of Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo.
Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup Brazil nuts or almonds, soaked for 6 hours, rinsed and drained
- 1 shallot, or 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried mushrooms, ground to a powder, or 1/2 cup fresh brown mushrooms
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch of pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
Directions:
- Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Make this just before serving so that it’s warm.
Personal Note: This recipe is from page 25 of Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo.
Tags: apple pie, christmas cookies, gingerbread cookies, holiday favorites, holiday menu, Holiday Recipes, holiday traditions, latkes, mushroom gravy, phytochemicals, potato recipe, pumpkin pie, self care
Posted in Gluten Free Diet, Gluten Free recipes, Healthy Holiday, Living Foods, Raw Food Recipes
Hanukkah in the Raw: Living Foods Version of Traditional Latkes
When I first met my husband I had no idea what a latke was, nor did I know very much about Hanukkah. Having grown up Catholic the only thing I’d learned was that Hanukkah was like Christmas, only they got presents for 8 days instead of 1!
I’ve come a long way since then. Now I know quite a bit more about the holiday, and the meaning behind it. I’ve also taught myself to make healthier versions of the traditional foods. My favorite is latkes. Latles are potato pancakes and are traditionally served on the first and last nights of Hanukkah, at least in my husband’s family. Traditional latkes are made from potatoes, onions, flour and egg, and are deep fried in vegetable oil. They come out crispy and very greasy. Quite frankly, all that grease just never appealed to me.
So my first experiments were created by simply using non-gluten flour in place of the unbleached white, flax or psyllium seed in place of the egg and a bit of olive oil, brushed on before baking instead of frying. They were a bit hit with my family and friends.
Next I experimented with substituting some or all of the potatoes with shredded broccoli stems, daikon radish or zucchini. I got to the point where I could make them without any potatoes, and my kids still loved them. I was happy because they were eating lots of veggies!
Finally I took it to the next level and created a recipe that I could “low temperature bake” in the dehydrator. These are uncooked and maintain the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes of the raw ingredients. I served them side by side with the cooked potato version and most of my friends preferred the raw ones.
I put all of the variations of the recipe in my new e-book Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.
I’m sharing the Living Latkes recipe here. The book has recipes for raw dairy free versions of applesauce and sour cream too.
Living Latkes
by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
Equipment Needed: Dehydrator and Blender
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds of a combination of shredded daikon radish and broccoli stems
- 1 medium onion
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water
Directions
- Shred daikon and broccoli stems and place in a large bowl.
- Shred or thinly slice the onion and add to bowl with the daikon and broccoli.
- Blend the tahini, pepper and salt and add to bowl with vegetables. Mix well with your hands.
- Brush with a thin film of olive oil, if desired.
- Form into patties and place on the mesh tray of your dehydrator. Dehydrate overnight, up to 12 hours.
Serve with apple sauce or nut sour “cream”
Shared with love from Dr. Ritamarie’s Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.
Enjoy, and have a happy healthy holiday.
Love, Health and Joy
Dr. Ritamarie
P.S. Even if you’re not Jewish, the latkes are worth making. Everyone loves them.
http://www.DrRitamarie.com/WinterHolidays
Tags: Christmas, Christmas recipes, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, gluten free christmas, Gluten Free Diet, gluten free holiday, gluten free latkes, gluten-free vegan latkes, hanukkah, Hanukkah recipes, Healthy Holiday, heathy hanukkah recipes, holiday diet, Holiday Recipes, holiday survival, latkes, Living Foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, raw latkes
Posted in Gluten Free recipes, Healthy Holiday, Raw and Living Foods
