Chelsea Harrison1 Comment

Skin Food Smoothie

Chelsea Harrison1 Comment
Skin Food Smoothie

This smoothie is packed with ingredients that will make your skin glow. Perfect for sipping on the beach or by the pool.

While these ingredients were specifically chosen as "skin food," you can easily customize any smoothie to support skin health. Here is the basic equation for a smoothie that will make you glow:

1. HYDRATE - choose ingredients with high water content like coconut water and cucumber

2. CALM - anti-inflammatory foods will soothe irritated skin from the inside out. think cucumber, aloe, papaya, greens, or nuts

3. MOISTURIZE - healthy fats are essential for soft skin. try coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, or nuts.

4. FIGHT FREE RADICALS - antioxidant rich foods protect your skin from the elements. colorful fruits and veggies are high in antioxidants, especially berries.

5. BOOST COLLAGEN - increase your Vitamin C to stimulate collagen production by including citrus fruits, bell peppers, and papaya.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup plant milk

1/2 cup coconut water

2 brazil nuts

1/4 papaya, cubed

1/2 carrot (if you don't have a Vitamix, grate the carrot so that it blends)

1/2 orange

1 tbsp aloe

4 slices of cucumber (1/4 in slices)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 pinch of pearl powder

2 strawberries

1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Serve immediately.

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments

Eggnog & Cranberry Raw Holiday Cake

For Friendsgiving I was put in charge of bringing dessert.  Ok, I volunteered.  While I'm known for bringing raw desserts, I thought maybe for the holidays I'd bake something.  Then I realized Thanksgiving is the perfect day for raw desserts.  Here's why: When I thought about all the heavy cooked foods we would be having for dinner, I realized nobody is going to have room for yet another decadent dish.  And I was right.  By the time we finished eating, I was in the mood for something a bit more refreshing.  Fortunately, I decided to pass up the pies and took my standard cashew freezer cake to a new level by adding some holiday flavors.

The cake is one layer of salty, nutty crust, followed by a creamy dairy-free eggnog layer, topped with refreshing cranberry sauce.  So much holiday goodness in one healthy dessert.  And since it's raw, you won't have to use any valuable oven space.  You can even make it a day or so ahead.  I served this to a groups of my friends who do not usually eat raw foods and everyone loved it.

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments
Eggnog & Cranberry Raw Holiday Cake
Chelsea Harrison6 Comments

Persimmon & Peppercorn Smoothie

Like I said in my last post, although it is getting cooler, I'm not ready to say goodbye to smoothies.  But I am adapting them to make them include some of my favorite fall flavors.  One of those flavors is persimmon.  Persimmons are supersweet and delicious.  If you haven't had one, I'd liken them most to plums without the tartness.  They also have more fiber than apples in addition to Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, and a host of other nutrients.

This recipe also uses pink peppercorns.  You may not realize how different they are from black peppercorns.  They are flaky and hollow, with a milder spice than black peppercorns, and a citrus-like flavor that pairs wonderfully with fruit.  Give them a try, but of course the smoothie will still taste delicious without them.

Chelsea Harrison6 Comments
Persimmon & Peppercorn Smoothie
Chelsea Harrison1 Comment

Baked Vegetable Pockets + Orange Peanut Dipping Sauce

Most days I wake up craving fresh fruits and vegetables, raw foods, and earthy flavors. They energize me and leave me feeling pure and on top of the world. But other days…I really miss junk food. That is to say I miss the warm salty flavors and reassuring feelings I get from eating familiar foods. What I don't miss is the inevitable can't-move, bloated, sick feeling that comes along with junk food, not to mention the unseen havoc it causes my digestive and immune systems. 

It was on one of these junkfood-minded days that I came up with this recipe. My perspective is that eating should be fun and intuitive and not about deprivation so when I feel like I need comfort foods, I embrace it. I wanted to make something comforting to satisfy my craving without the heavy feeling and negative repercussions. With this criteria in mind I came up with Vegetable Pockets stuffed with eggplant, mushrooms, cashews and more. It's not quite Indian, not quite Chinese, although it hints at both dumplings and samosas. Usually stuffed foods are wrapped in white flour based pastries or noodles which offer little to no nutritional benefits. White flour also spikes your blood sugar (hello, disease fuel) and is one of the most common triggers for people with food sensitivities. Instead I used rice paper because they are light and gluten free. Rice paper wraps hold everything together without adding much to taste, allowing the vegetable flavors to shine through.

Chelsea Harrison1 Comment
Baked Vegetable Pockets + Orange Peanut Dipping Sauce
Chelsea Harrison1 Comment

Blueberry + Spinach + Cacao Smoothie

Every single morning since I've been pregnant I have woken up craving smoothies. I switch up which ingredients I use for the sake of variety, but this is my go-to smoothie of choice. It is thick and creamy enough to keep me full, but fruity enough to quench my thirst. This smoothie is a great source of healthy fats and antioxidants. And somehow the baby never seems to get sick of it. 

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Blueberry + Spinach + Cacao Smoothie
Chelsea Harrison3 Comments

Tomato Basil Farro with Summer Vegetable Stack & Pesto Drizzle

Last year at the Naked Fig Dinner Party I made this Tomato Basil Farro and topped it with a Summer Vegetable Stack and Fresh Pesto Sauce. I meant to share the recipe with you then, but summer came to an end and the produce was no longer available. So before another summer fades away, I want to share this simple and delicious recipe. It is so easy to make, but the presentation will make people think you worked all day on it. And it is vegan too!

Chelsea Harrison3 Comments
Tomato Basil Farro with Summer Vegetable Stack & Pesto Drizzle