olive oil | The Healthy Eating Site

Basil Cashew Pesto

Published on: February 25, 2011 · 2 Comments

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to find fresh basil at a local gardeners market for a great price. I bought lots so that I could make basil pesto, for the first time ever. It was so easy and it turned out pretty well. Fresh herbs are always magical to work with, but here’s what’s special about basil. A study done in Russia a few decades ago showed that basil alleviates depression. They put a basil plant on the nightstand of people who had been diagnosed with depression and that was enough to alleviate it. I remember reading about that as a teenager. I think it was my first exposure to the concept of aromatherapy. Since then I can’t smell fresh basil without being reminded of that study, and noticing how happy I feel. Making your own basil pesto has the double advantage of that beautiful ‘happy’ aroma and lots of tasty, creamy basil pesto as a result. Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Dairy Free, Raw Foods Recipes, Vegan, Wheat Free - Tags: basil, cashews, garlic, lemon, olive oil, watercress

Red Cabbage Braised with Olive Oil and Garlic

Published on: March 24, 2010 · 2 Comments

Red cabbage is a superfood, and this has to be one of the simplest, yet tastiest ways to eat lots of it. I love cabbage, maybe it’s the Irish in me, but I can make a meal of this. Properly cooked cabbage has a slightly sweet taste which is complemented by the garlic. If you don’t like cabbage, you’ve probably never had it cooked properly. I’ve met many a person who thought they didn’t like cabbage until they tried one of my cabbage dishes. They’ve always asked for more. So if you imagine over-cooked, mushy cabbage with rotten-egg smell permeating the house give this recipe a try and see if cabbage doesn’t become one of your favorite vegetables too. Cabbage contains phytochemicals called indoles which are thought to be responsible for reducing the risk of cancer. It’s also high in fiber, and contains a good amount of vitamins C, K, beta-carotene and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin which promote good [...] Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Vegan - Tags: cabbage, garlic, olive oil, red cabbage

Barley Bread

Published on: March 23, 2010 · 23 Comments

This dense, rustic flat bread has a satisfying nutty taste and crunchy texture around the edges. It’s great served with soups and stews, or salads. It’s also nice on it’s own, spread with honey or avocado as a snack or light meal. Best served warm, right from the oven. Because it’s wheat-free, this bread doesn’t contain the amount of gluten that a wheat-based loaf would, so therefore it doesn’t puff up and create a light, airy bread like wheat-based loaves. It’s more a cross between a flat-bread and a cracker, crunchy around the edges. But I love the texture, it feels much more substantial than a typical airy loaf. It’s chewy in the middle, crunchy around the edges and much more flavorful than wheat flour. Oh, and it’s vegan as well. This is one of the easiest and quickest bread recipes I’ve ever used. No bread maker or mixer required, it’s easy enough to do it all manually. You don’t [...] Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Baking, Most Popular, Vegan, Wheat Free - Tags: barley flour, flaxseed, olive oil, sunflower seed

Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

Published on: March 7, 2010 · 8 Comments

If you love sauteed mushrooms but hate the taste of them raw, and are trying to eat a raw vegan diet, then this recipe is for you. Using a dehydrator, olive oil and spices, you'll be amazed at how you can totally transform the taste of raw mushrooms to so closely resemble sauteed mushrooms.

Keep the temperature setting of your dehydrator at 115 degrees F or below, and you won't destroy any of the important enzymes in raw food, but the warmth is enough to change the texture and taste of the food, similar to cooking at higher temperatures. In the case of mushrooms, these are every bit as delicious as sauteed mushrooms. Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Dehydrator Recipes, Raw Foods Recipes, Vegan - Tags: garlic, ginger, lemon, mushrooms, olive oil, oregano, portobello mushrooms, rosemary

Cheesy Vegan Kale Chips

Published on: November 15, 2009 · 2 Comments

I honestly cannot get enough of these delicious kale chips. They more than satisfy that spot that potato chips once filled, only without the greasy food hangover and the guilt. Kale is a super food among vegetables. It’s a brassica, a member of the cabbage family and is probably the closest relative to the wild cabbage. As such it has the same antioxidant power and cancer-fighting phytochemicals of the other brassicas. In fact, kale is number one in the antioxidant ratings according to The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. If that’s not reason enough to indulge in my kale chip addiction, I don’t know what is! Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Dehydrator Recipes, Raw Foods Recipes, Vegan - Tags: apple cider vinegar, kale, olive oil

Salted Kale Chips

Published on: October 20, 2009 · 37 Comments

Kale chips… the raw vegan alternative to potato chips. I’m addicted to them. I eat about a third of them before they even finish dehydrating. Even if I ate junk food, I’d choose kale chips over potato chips, or tortilla chips any day. Yes, they really are that good! And here’s the thing… kale is really, really good for you. Prepared this way it’s easy to eat a whole mixing bowl of kale in one sitting. My dogs adore them, I’m sure kids will too. They’re simple to make too, it’s easy to experiment, and it’s hard to go wrong with them. Here’s the most basic recipe for salted kale chips. So if you get the hankering for something salty, crunchy and oily instead of reaching for the potato chips, try some of these healthy, nutritious kale chips instead. Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Dehydrator Recipes, Most Popular, Raw Foods Recipes, Vegan - Tags: apple cider vinegar, kale, olive oil

Rainbow Cole Slaw

Published on: June 9, 2009 · 2 Comments

I love cabbage, and this really hit the spot. So much so that I ate nearly the entire bowl myself. Using heirloom red cabbage and yellow carrots and fresh herbs from our garden the colors were intense. This photo doesn’t really do it justice. The taste was just divine, and the raw energy packed into this quick-to-prepare meal was just what I needed. If you don’t like the taste of apple cider vinegar tonics, this is a good way to get the health benefits of ACV without really noticing it. You can also add whatever fresh herbs you like, I used cilantro, parsley and wild mint. Read more »

Categories: All Recipes, Raw Foods Recipes, Vegan - Tags: apple cider vinegar, cabbage, carrot, hemp seed oil, olive oil