Childhood Favorite Reinvented….Pasta Time!

Yay, it's zucchini season! And what can you use this summer squash for? Well, it would be probably easier to make a list of what you couldn't do with it…because it's such a versatile vegetable. You can use it in soups, salads, dressings, crackers, breads, dips, and…..what else?…PASTA! Yes, you can make pasta dishes even if you eat raw. In the past I've shared with you my Lasagna, Thai Pad, Pesto pasta recipes and here's something else that's very special to me.


This one is a childhood favorite that I wasn't planning on giving up when I switched to raw foods….a simple recipe for some soul food that might sound a bit unusual to many. As a child, I watched fresh, home-made pasta being prepared. I was always lurking around the kitchen and thought it was exciting to witness flour, eggs, and water turn into dough and then the thinnest, finest, strips of pasta that was to be covered with poppy seeds and sugar or other favorite toppings. Today's version is the kind I eat lately. The pasta preparation has nothing to do with the traditional method I just described, and the refined sugar is replaced with healthier alternatives. The key ingredient though, poppy seeds, which is one of my very favorite foods in the world, is the same, of course :)

Raw Poppy Seedish Pasta

(Ingredients for 2 servings)

2-3 medium size zucchini squashes

3/4 cup ground poppy seeds

coconut sugar/honey/maple syrup/agave syrup/preferred sweetener* to taste

*A combination of dry (crystals or powder) and liquid sweeteners works the best


Here's what you do:

1. Cut the ends of the zucchinis off and and peel them.
2. Using a machine (if you have one) or a knife, make pasta out of them as described here.
3. Toss the pasta with a generous amount of poppy seeds and a combination of dry and liquid sweeteners.

4. Share with someone you love and devour!
Ahh…heavenly.

Thank the Universe for providing such amazing foods! : )

Notes on nutrition: poppy seeds are extremely rich in minerals. Look at the amounts of manganese calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, iron, etc. in them! Good for your bones, brain, skin, and hair…these tiny seeds are not only delicious but a nutritional powerhouse!

Lemon Poppy Seed Soft Serve

The inspiration: last weekend while talking to my little sister on the phone she had lemon-poppy-seed cookies in the oven. I knew right then that I would be making something of that flavor combination and this is dedicated to her! Yes, I know you'll love it, L. : )
It's so simple to make and yet divine. A dessert or snack that's refreshing and guilt-free, and quite filling, really, what else would you need? Raw lemon poppy-seed cookies remain on my "to do list" or rather, my "come up with" list...

Lemon Poppy Seed Soft Serve

2 large frozen bananas (peel and slice before freezing)

juice of 2 lemons

~ 1/2 cup water or nut mylk

1 tbsp honey or your favorite sweetener to taste

~2 tbsp poppy seeds*

 tsp coconut oil

optional: little lemon zest

Grind the poppy seeds using a traditional poppy seed grinder or a spice grinder/coffee grinder first if you have one, then place all ingredients in a high speed blender. Start the process on a low setting and gradually increase the speed. Add extra liquid slowly (if necessary) while monitoring the consistency. You will have soft serve ice cream in under a minute. Share and enjoy every spoonful of it!

*Poppy seeds are very rich in minerals. You can read about their nutrition contents here and try out more recipes such as poppy seed bars or salad dressing to incorporate them into your diet.

Gracias Madre & Snacks Made in a Hotel Room

The creators of Cafe Gratitude brought another piece of Heaven to Earth. Gracias Madre, the organic, vegan restaurant in the Mission district is rated as San Francisco’s favorite vegan spot. The menu is not raw but I’m writing about it because I love these people’s philosophy and I know many of you don’t eat 100% raw anyway. The place is gorgeous, the menu lists very delicious and healthy dishes, and the ingredients are grown on their own farm. Even the corn tortillas are handmade using their own heirloom corn. No GMO, no chemicals, just pure stone ground corn flour made into the most delicious tortillas you’ll ever taste…..I even had some!
So what’s on the menu for a raw foodie? Well, as far as drinks, they have freshly squeezed wholesome, organic, fruit and vegetable juices. The hard part is finding something to eat but what they do have is delicious. Remember the Ceaser’s Salad at Café Gratitude? They make a version of it here too and I didn’t mind at all that that was my only choice as a raw guest.

It’s the tastiest combo of romaine lettuce, nut-based dressing, avocados, and toasted pepitas (small pumpkin seeds). I ordered a side of guacamole and finished the whole dish of condiment that was in the center of the table. The raw green salsa is very mild and the red salsa, which tasted like it was made of roasted tomatoes and peppers, was spicy. All in all, the beautiful atmosphere, the kind staff and the yummy food is worth going. If you’re a vegan, you’ll be in heaven because everything we ordered looked and tasted wonderful. They serve seasonal vegetables such as kale for greens, roasted butternut squash along with toasted hazelnuts for garnish, and raw nut cheese replaces what you might be used to in other Mexican places. Organic, healthy, flavorful food in a beautiful and fun place with live Mexican music. What else could you ask for?..

...Well, a home would be nice, if you ask me, but we’re still stuck in a hotel room so besides going out to eat I’ve been making very simple snacks of which I’m sharing a couple with you today.
This is how my endless love for poppy seeds manifests itself every now and then: it’s one way to eat ounces of them in one sitting : ) All you need is a knife and a bowl. Cut up some fruit, add tons of (ground) poppy seeds, and if you want, your favorite sweetener, and some cinnamon. Voilà. One minute breakfast (or dessert) made in a hotel room.

Today I just made a good after workout shake. Do I really know (or care) whether it fits the 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein? No, absolutely not. I just made it because I thought it would be delicious and a vanilla shake sounded good, well, ok, and I knew I had some bananas waiting to be consumed. Minor detail though, you have to have a freezer for this version, which not all hotel rooms have.


A Kind of Vanilla Protein Shake
 (Makes a small glass)
2 bananas (mine were sliced and frozen)
1 heaping teaspoon hemp protein
1 tsp honey/your favorite sweetener
1 tsp coconut oil
½ tsp ground vanilla bean (or vanilla extract, if you prefer that)
water/juice/nut mylk as necessary (~ ½-1 cup)

Blend all ingredients. Enjoy.










We were going to stay in a hotel for just a few days, not a month. Most of my tools I have packed up in storage but I’m sure glad I decided to bring the blender! Whew….it’s saved me over and over. Travel with your blender!
I hope I’ll be able to post the next recipe from my new home. Until then…

Poppy Seed Bars

 I love poppy seeds so much that I really don't need to make them into any kind of special recipe...I simply eat them with a spoon. Yes, I am a poppy seed monster. : ) But I felt like playing around and wanted to create the raw version of something I used to buy a lot in a store in Hungary. There it's called "mákos pite", which translates into "poppy seed pie" but I couldn't imagine anyone would call them "pie" here. If you ever walk into a European pastry shop chances are you will find a selection of pastries and sweets with poppy seeds. I'm not talking about a little bit of whole seeds sprinkled on top of a roll, etc.....no, I mean the "real thing" with piles of black filling that beat chocolate or any other sweets in my world. It has no competition whatsoever. And yes, I have health benefits to add to that because they're incredibly rich in minerals (I highly recommend them if you're anemic). I even took a picture for you that speaks for itself... Poppy seeds are also a complete protein (!) and especially high in oleic and linoleic acids, which is particularly good if you struggle with your cholesterol levels. Rich in B vitamins and antioxidants, these seeds are also soothing to the nerves, and can help you sleep.
I know some of you might freak out and think "what in the world is this???" If you grew up in the U.S. chances are you're used to poppy seeds in very small amounts only in salad dressings or sprinkled on top of bagels. Well, here's your chance to try something new that might just become your new addiction too. : ) Their nutty flavor held my sister and I captive from the time we were able to hold a fork and poppy seed pasta, gnocchi, pastries, etc. were always what we screamed for every time we were asked "What do you girls think we should make for lunch tomorrow?"  

Minerals in 1 ounce of poppy seeds. ~ You'll get more than this in just one bar!*

Poppy Seed Bars
Ingredients:
(Makes 8 bars)
1/2 cup agave syrup/honey
little water
You will use some of this for the pastry and some of it for the filling.

For the "pastry" layers:
1 cup quinoa flakes (or rolled oats/barley, etc. if you use any of those)
4 tbsp almond flour (if you can't get almond flour just grind some almonds or use more flakes/rolled oats, etc.)

For the filling:
2 cups ground poppy seeds
pinch of ground vanilla (or vanilla extract)
4 tbsp raisins/currants

Directions:
1. If you're using honey melt it if necessary because you want is as pourable as possible. Add a couple of tablespoons of water (or nut mylk if you prefer) to it and mix well.
2. Grind the quinoa (or whatever you're using) and mix all the pastry ingredients with just enough of the honey-water to get a crumbly texture, which sticks together and can be pressed into a dish.
3. Mix the filling ingredients with the rest of the honey-water.
4. Line a small dish (mine was about a 3 in x 6 in, which is ~ 7-8 cm x 15 cm) with plastic wrap and, with a spoon, press half of the pastry batter into it followed by the poppy seed mix and finished with the rest of the pastry mix. Press all of them down as hard as you can. Place it in the fridge to settle and harden. It'll be easier to slice and it will hold together better. I cut my batch into 8 bars. Use a really sharp knife and be as gentle as possible...after all, they're not held together by eggs, etc.

I am a little bit shocked by how much these resemble the traditional, baked version. I didn't expect them to come out like that. The truth is, I was planning on recreating a poppy seed filled wafer that is just two very thin layers of wafers filled with tons of poppy seeds. I have no regrets...I think I ended up with something even better and these kinds of pastries definitely have their place on the holiday table....just in time for Christmas. Needless to say, I devoured all of them in a couple of hours... : )
I hope you'll love them too. Enjoy!
If you have questions, just ask!

*Sources: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/spices-and-herbs/203/2