Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, julienned
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (toasted or raw)
• 1/4 cup hemp hearts

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 -2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, optional

Notes:

Use orange, lemon, lime and/or grapefruit as your citrus juice. Mix and match your citrus flavors using whatever you have on hand or is available.

Make this a creamy dressing by adding 1 - 2 tablespoon tahini when mixing the dressing.

The dijon is optional, I found that I preferred it with a small amount. Try it both ways and see what you think.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried quinoa
• 1 cup water (or just under)
• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1 medium apple (I used Fuji), cored and diced
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
• 2 - 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lemon or orange juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Serves 4

Notes:

If you know and love the Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe's, or elsewhere, this is a great place to use it! Use it in place of the apple cider vinegar.

Sub in a tablespoon or so of water for the oil. Try using 1 tablespoon oil and 2 - 3 tablespoons water.

Feel free to use regular raisins or currants. Cranberries may even be a nice change up.

For my quinoa, I buy one bag each of white and tri-color and mix them together creating a nice blend of color and texture.

• 1 head romaine, sliced
• 1 small head cabbage, or 1/2 head large, sliced
• 1/4 head red cabbage, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced, to serve
• black sesame seeds, to serve
• slivered almonds, to serve

Spicy Mango Dressing

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and seed removed
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons water, or more vinegar if you like
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• pinch of pink salt

• 1 small head green, savoy or napa cabbage, sliced
• 1 head romaine lettuce, sliced
• 1/3 head red cabbage, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 small cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, garnish
• small handful slivered almonds, garnish
• 8 oz. plain or grilled firm or extra firm tofu, cubed (optional)

• 1/2 cup apple cider or rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons natural peanut or almond butter
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (2 if using raw almond butter)
• 2 teaspoons sesame or toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 inch knob ginger, grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional
• pinch of pink salt or splash of tamari

In a small bowl, mix your dressing and set aside letting the flavors develop. Taste before serving adding anything you feel it needs.

Prepare your vegetables, place in a large bowl. Here you can either add the dressing and toss to coat then serve in individual dishes. OR, you can toss and serve adding a drizzle of dressing over top once plated. Top with tofu, sesame seeds and slivered almonds.

Serves 4.

Notes:

Use whatever ingredients you like here. There is plenty so if you don't have access to a few of the items you can sub in something else or omit it all together. Make this a rainbow salad by adding in some julienned or grated carrots. You may like to add in some small broccoli florets, sliced scallions or zucchini too.

If you don't care for vinegar, I would suggest replacing the 1/3 cup of  vinegar with water or unsweetened almond milk and maybe a splash of vinegar for the extra zest it gives. This dressing is meant to be somewhat on the thin side. If you prefer it thicker add a bit more nut butter, to thin add a tad more of the liquids.

For the tofu, you can use uncooked or grilled. I lightly cooked mine using sesame seed oil and a cast iron griddle, about 6 minutes on each side. But it is perfectly fine with tofu from the package, just press if needed and cube it. If you're looking to use cooked tofu here is tutorial from Olives for Dinner that you can reference: 15-Minute Quick and Easy Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 - 3 hours
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or water
• juice of one small lemon or about 1 tablespoon 
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• pinch of mineral salt

Soak and drain your cashews. In food processor/high-speed blender, add all ingredients and blend until nice and creamy, stopping to scrap down the sides every now and then. Add a tad more water/milk as needed to create desired consistency. If using fresh herbs, add once the cashew blend is creamy pulsing until just incorporated, or blend in by hand. Best refrigerated for at least an hour before serving but will do fine if served right away. Sour cream will thicken upon being chilled.

Makes about 1 cup.  Will keep in refrigerator for 5 - 6 days.

Variations:

Use lime instead of lemon and add a few sprigs of cilantro at the end for a Lime Cilantro Sour Cream.

Try adding a few dill fronds and 1 tablespoon dijon mustard for a Dill Sour Cream.

Try this Chili Cilantro Sour Cream from Food 52.

Make a sour cream fruit topping by adding 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup and a dash of vanilla to this recipe. Top on strawberries, blueberries, grapes, mango, raspberries, oranges, etc.

Try this Spicy Avocado and Sour Cream Puree from Huff Post.

Notes:

Adding extra water will depend on how long you've soaked your nuts. The longer you soak, the more water they'll absorb making for less extra liquids needed. Less water will result in a thicker sour cream while more water makes it thinner. If you feel you've put in too much liquids, add a few more cashews and blend until smooth. Keep in mind that refrigerating will also thicken your cream.

You can sub in blanched almonds that have been soaked for 8+ hours in place of cashews.

Ingredients

• 1 head green cabbage, shredded 
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, julienned
• 4 scallions (green onions), sliced
• 12 pepperoncini or banana peppers, julienned or diced
• himilayan salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• sesame seeds, to serve

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons pure cane sugar or pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
• pinch of fresh cracked pepper

Start by mixing your dressing. In a small bowl combine dressing ingredients. Set aside. After five minutes or so, taste for flavor adding anything extra you might like. (You may also consider mixing the dressing on the bottom of the bowl you will be mixing your coleslaw in leaving one less dish to wash.)

In a large mixing bowl, add cabbage, carrots, scallions, pepperoncinis. Drizzle with dressing and mix to combine. Add salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste. Serve at room temp or chilled. This is a great salad to make ahead and let set covered an hour or so on the counter or in the refrigerator for longer.

Serve with a sprinkle of white sesame seeds over top.

Serves 2 - 4

Notes:

If using pure cane sugar or other granulated sugar, you may consider mixing with 1 tablespoon warm water so the granules will dissolve completely.

I like spicy foods but feel free to adjust the amount of peppers to taste.

I tend to keep my tahini in the refrigerator so mine is always a bit thicker due to being cold, if using room temp tahini you may need less water. Keep in mind: If dressing is too thin, add more tahini. If dressing it too thick, add a tad more water until desired consistency.

A note on the dressing: I found it was a bit sweet as I was mixing and tasting it. I worried that even 2 teaspoons was too much sugar but once the salad was completed it was perfect and not sweet at all. Keep that in mind when tasting the dressing and adjusting, you may feel something is off but once it all comes together the results are delicious! Add more vinegar for extra tang.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa (I used tri-color)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 large apples, cored and diced (1 green + 1 red pref.)
• 1 1/2 cup grapes, sliced in half (I used red & green)
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• handful chopped almonds
• a few large mint leaves, julienned
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

Sweet Tahini Dressing

• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar, or to taste (optional)