Enchanted Chameleon

~ blueberry green tea pick me up ~

I've been trying to dream up, well, pretty much anything to get on here and get my mind and my fingers moving again.  But more specifically, I've been trying to dream up more original smoothies.  One challenge that I have in making smoothies, is using plain water as the liquid base.  It's boring.  Sometimes I find just adding coconut water, apple cider, orange juice or lemon juice reduces how much sweetner I want to add or brings all the other flavours together.

Any inspiration for something different is always welcome, so when I came across this smoothie on Martha Stewart using Green Tea as a base, I knew I had to give it a try.  For one, green tea is delicious and full of antioxidants and 'good' caffeine.  Also, it's much more affordable than fresh juices and coconut water.  After a few attempts at making it taste the way I want to enjoy a refreshing green tea smoothie I came up with the below that C enjoyed as well.  This was perfect in the afternoon when we needed something refreshing to pick us up.

Blueberry Green Tea Pick Me Up, adapted from Martha Stewart Blueberry Green Tea Slushie
Serves 1

Needed:  1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup cooled green tea, 1 mango, honey or agave to taste (I added a teaspoon of agave)

Blend and enjoy.

Do you have any favourite liquids to put in your smoothies?  I would love to hear about them and give them a try. XO Suzanne. 

Related articles

~ tasting plates/CUPS in kitsilano september 12 ~

~ green smoothie 365 ~

~ serendipity smoothie ~

~ green smoothie 365 challenge ~

~ serendipity smoothie ~

I love blending.  That's why you're here aren't you?  It's sure why I started here and ended up here.  That is for shizzle.  A blender would be my coat of armour.  That and some knitting needles and Persol glasses and if possible, without looking overaccessorized, flip flops.

I'm not sure that I've come flat out and said it here but I'll say it today:  I sold the Juice Caboose.  It's true.  It lives on in my soul and in memories and the blog that is still up to taunt and tease Vancouverites with the possibility of it coming to a venue (not intentionally, just sheer laziness and hope that it may come in use again).

It was a bittersweet decision.  Naturally I didn't want to give up my dream but in so doing I have freed up my life and finances in a way that I wouldn't have been able to do before in order to be with my family throughout my father's sickness this past year and a half, not to mention giving me a ton of space and time to heal.  Sometimes even marriages that aren't meant to be and past their expiration date require time for mourning.  Another dream, gone.  Grieving, a necessity. 

One hard thing about giving up the Caboose was giving up the Vitamix blender.  My Cuisinart was great and I know how to work a blender to make things like a Vitamix but still, it's a nice piece of kitchen bling that is hard to part with.  However, the decision to sell the business included that piece of equipment.  It was a package deal and regardless of what I wanted, the right decision was to keep the package together.  So I let it go.

Not long after, I was visiting Harvest Project, a place where I shop once a month for free groceries for low to no income people, a place that has helped me stay afloat and treading comfortably since I became a single parent.  They offer career counselling and professional clothing as well for those in need.  An amazing and award winning not-for-profit here on the North Shore that I'm eternally grateful for and hoping to repay someday with time, money or whathave you that I can offer when the opportunity arises.  I was there for my monthly shop and one of the volunteers approached me with a paper bag and asked me if I juice or blend.  Well, yes, if anyone does, I do.  Thinking she was handing me a bag of culled apples or juicing carrots I accepted the bag from her only to discover a practically new Vitamix Blender.  I but but butted, that this was a Vitamix.  The volunteer agreed it was in fact a really nice blender and it was mine to keep. 

After nearly falling over and scooping my jaw from the floor I thanked the Universe.  Sometimes when a dream comes to an end, it is easy to think one is not deserving.  I couldn't have questioned my deserving in any measure at that moment.  Again, thank you Universe, Higher Power, Good Rich Person of the North Shore that Didn't need a Vitamix?!?!  Thank you, you made my life.

It took me a little time to warm up to it.  It sat on my counter like a very expensive piece of art for the first few weeks till I finally mustered the acceptance that it wasn't going anywhere and it was mine to keep.  And naturally, just like my beat up used one that was from craigslist that went off into the sunset of someone elses dreams, so did this one magically start to make delicious smoothies from random who knows what I had in my fridge, was on sale, etc., just like I used to do in the truck.  Enter my Serendipity Smoothie.  The most delicious smoothie to touch my lips since October 2012 when the Caboose unknowingly sold its last batches.

Isn't she a beaut?

Serendipity Smoothie, fills a Wide Mouth Mason

Needed: 1 young thai coconut water and meat, 1/2 large bunch of fresh cilantro, 1/2 large bunch of fresh mint, 1 large mango or 2 small, 1 lemon, juiced, honey or agave to taste (I used about a tablespoon), 1 cup ice if you prefer it chilled (don 't bother with ice if you use frozen mango)

If you are blending with a regular blender or a bullet, first don't feel bad, I have used them for years.  Blend the greens with the liquid first until smooth and then add fruit and meat.  If you are fortunate enough to have a Vitamix or a Blendtec just throw it all in a blend up this delicious smoothie.  Enjoy.

XO.  Suzanne

 

Related articles

just-like-pumpkin-pie-no-pumpkin-smoothie

~ happy birthday juice caboose ~

just-like-pumpkin-pie-no-pumpkin-smoothie

The legend of the Juice Caboose comes alive again this fall season with one of its best selling, seasonal smoothies - the Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.  This smoothie is completely raw.  Nothing canned is contained.  And why should there be, it's a freakin smoothie!  A smoothie should be fresh and alive and easy to digest, not masked with a bunch of stuff to make it taste better.  If it doesn't taste good with natural and wholesome elements, you shouldn't be drinking it as a smoothie, you should call it something else, in this case a pumpkin pie.  Let's call a spade a spade.  (if you want to know why health experts are saying smoothies are bad for you, it's most likely they AREN'T A SMOOTHIE!)   

Ok, ok.  Passion for pure smoothies aside, this thing is delicious and you don't have to feel guilty that it isn't a smoothie.  CAUSE IT REALLY IS!  And it really tastes like pumpkin pie.

Just-Like-Pumpkin-Pie-No-Pumpkin-Smoothie

:: 1 Cup Ice

:: 1 1/2 C Carrot Juice

:: 1/2 Avocado

:: 2 T Honey

:: 1/2 t Pumpkin Pie Spice

Blend all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!

You can also substitute the 3-4 soaked dates for the honey, or a good quality raw agave syrup.

Enjoy this as a treat or a meal.  For those of us that would love the taste of a Pumpkin Spice something without all the calories and such.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!  We started drinking them today, another sign of fall and Thanksgiving upon us.  

XO.
Suzanne

#tbt :: first month of blog '08

Decided to Throwback Thursday to the first month of my blog.  I decided to start recording my experience as a raw foodist.  We had Wednesday night dinners every week where I would go all out gourmet and our neighbours daughter Jessica and our friend Laura would join us as well.  It was such a great experience and a nice little tradition we had going on.  C was such a great eater then.  Not even remotely as picky as he is these days.  And of course, he was also still partially bald.

XO.
Suzanne 

living naturally fair :: raw zucchini pasta recipe

Photo by Tereza Anderson

I had the honour of participating in the Whole Foods Living Naturally Fair again this year on the chef stage.  Last year I did a one hour demo of a green smoothie and gourmet smoothie, representing the Juice Caboose.  Recipes can be found here.  This year I competed, yes, I said competed, as a Whole Foods employee on the chef stage against another Whole Foods employee. The ingredient that both of us had to incorporate into our dish was Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips.  It is a vegan, gluten free chicken substitute that Whole Foods using in some of its vegan dishes in the prepped foods department.  C and I tried it in preparation for the competition.  In the past I've stayed away from meat replacements when eating vegan/vegetarian as I haven't enjoyed them all that much.  I have to say that this one is really delicious and the most chicken like I've ever tried!  We cooked up the strips quickly from frozen and ate them as chicken strips with BBQ sauce. 

I decided to pull out some raw vegan recipes of days gone by.  I've been noticing that fresh, veggie pastas are making the circuit of main stream food blogs.  Thanks raw vegans and all your great ideas!  I decided on a raw zucchini pasta, as I always think it best to keep it fresh when making vegan dishes.  It's easy to turn a vegan and vegetarian diet into a junk food vegan/vegetarian diet therefore my first priority with a vegan/vegetarian dish is to start with the raw vegetables and incorporate my other ingredients from there.

One of my favourite dishes when I was a practicing raw foodist was zucchini pasta.  It always seemed to be the kind of dish that you could get non-raw vegans hooked on healthy quite quickly.

Photo by Whole Foods Market Robson

Beyond Meat Raw Zucchini Pasta & Tahini Avocado Alfredo Dressing

 :: 5-6 medium zucchini
:: 1/4 C raw tahini
:: 1/2 avocado
:: 1-2 cloves garlic
:: 1 lemon juiced
:: 3 T apple cider vinegar
:: 1 1/2 T raw honey
:: 3 T nutritional yeast
:: 1 t black pepper, to taste
:: 1 t sea salt
:: 2 T tamarind paste
:: 1-2 C water, as needed
:: 1-2 C Beyond Meat Chicken Free Strips, grilled and cubed
:: Alive and Radiant Foods - Perfectly Plain Kale Chips, crushed

Trim the ends of the zucchini.  Using a spiral slicer slice the zucchini into noodles (**see note below on spiral slicers and alternatives) and transfer to a large bowl.  Using a paper towel or cloth, gently ring out the zucchini, discarding the leftover water.

In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.  The dressing should be quite thick.  Add more water to thin as desired.

Store in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator.

Beyond Meat can be grilled, baked or fried from frozen.  For the above recipe we grilled the Beyond Meat Chicken Free Strips for a few minutes on each side.  Careful not to over cook.  Chop Beyond Meat into size you prefer.

Combine all three together in the large bowl.  Toss until thoroughly mixed.  Garnish with the crushed kale chips and serve. (4-6)

Variations:

:: Add julienned red and yellow peppers to add some colour and vibrance.

:: Instead of garnishing with kale chips try: nutritional yeast, seaweed flakes, or hemp seeds.

:: Take out the tahini and tamarind and increase the avocado and lemon juice to make more of a caesar dressing for your pasta.

** The spiral slicer that is featured on the lower part of this link is the one that I have in my home and used for the noodles.  It has two types of noodles - thin/spaghetti or ribbon/fettucine.  The top one of this link has more types of noodles.  In my recent research on the topic of spiral slicers I found this called the Gefu for $29.99.  It looks like a great little kitchen tool, but I've never tried it.  If you don't have a sprial slicer or a mandolin, you can use a vegetable peeler to make the noodles.  I have eaten very delicious zucchini noodles made this way.

Much to my dismay I do not rock a baseball cap!  Nor did I rock the competition.  Pictured above is Mary, my competitor who made Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Caesar Wraps with ginger and spring greens.  It was apparently a tight contest, like I lost by one vote type thing and that's ok.  I already have another invite to next years fair and I had a blast hanging out on stage with Mary and the other marketeers that were running the competition.  Plus I got to hang out and try all the other dishes paired with delicious Harkers Wine.  Here's a little taste of my weekend:

The real winner this weekend was UBC Farm - they walked away with $30,000 raised by the Living Naturally Fair 2013.  What a huge success and fun way to raise money.

All the recipes are to be posted from all the contestants on the Whole Foods Robson Facebook Page.  I will update when they are.  In the meantime, enjoy this recipe of mine!

XO.
Suzanne

~ gluten free @ EAT Vancouver top picks ~

Before the fun and yumminess of EAT! Vancouver 2013 fade away into happy memories I wanted to tackle the wonderful list of things that I loved and discovered at the show.

Gluten Free Brewskies

I'm not much of a drinker, at least not much of one anymore.  After not drinking throughout my pregnancy 7 years ago, I found that alcohol was really hard to tolerate.  I would have a glass of wine and be rocked the next day.  I later found out that I was allergic to sulphites found in conventional wines and of course, gluten found in most beers.  When C turned one I turned off the alcohol.  I couldn't hack it anymore.  With the little sleep I was already getting from the super fussy, undiagnosed Celiac baby at that time I couldn't afford painful hangovers the next day from the cost of a pitiful few sips of alcohol.  I've only recently started indulging in cocktails again.  I usually have one and my tolerance for alcohol is far more pitiful than my intolerances for alcohol.  I like to have one quality drink for pleasure with my friends and I am good for the evening.  However, I figured I owed it to my fellow Celiacs to provide a quality taste test of the gluten free options at EAT! and here are my observations.

Mongozo Pilsner is where it is at.  I believe if you are a beer drinker and you are Celiac then this is the beer for you.  Although out of the gluten free beers at the event, this was my second favourite for taste, I believe I recognize what a beer drinker is looking for in taste and that can be found in Mongozo.  I learned at EAT! there are two types of gluten free beers.  One is made from gluten free grains and one is made from a grain that has the gluten removed.  Monogozo is the latter.  It is also the only organic Pilsner in the world, a Gold Winner Gluten Free Beer in a worldwide competition as well as a top voted Pilsner in Belgium, where it originates.

The other beer that I preferred to the Mongozo in taste, was True Grist by Lakefront Brewery in the US.  I found this one light and refreshing in taste.  It's made from sorghum, rice and hops and is certified gluten free.  Lakefront offered two other gluten free beers that were much heavier in taste and barley based with the gluten removed.  I found this one really nice.  This one is easier to find at public and private liquor stores whereas Mongozo is only in private stores and available to order.  

Next year, I'll tackle the sulphite free wines (and book the day off work!)

Gluten Free Treats

The product I went into EAT! looking forward to try the most was the Trugs Gourmet Hidden Garden Cookies.  I had interviewed Catherine the creator of the Hidden Garden Ginger Snaps and Red Velvet Cookies, and I was excited.  I love it when my treats have good stuff in them, especially if I'll be sharing them with my son.  By far did these cookies deliver!  They were fantastic.  My favourite was the Ginger Snaps, but Catherine informed it was a real 50/50 run between the two and the favourites among the samplers at EAT!  I absolutely look forward to whatever else Catherine's kitchen produces and hopefully seeing more of her products on local shelves.

Two products that were deceivingly good were the Giddy Yoyo chocolate bars and the the Fresh Unfiltered Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost.  Giddy Yoyo provides raw chocolate bars that are organic and full of wonderful things.  My preferred bar had spirulina in it.  I'll take greens any way I can get them!  

I've been wanting to try the Unfiltered Ginger Ale for a while now since I first saw it on the shelves at Whole Foods.  It includes Original and specialty flavours like Jasmine Tea and Pomegranate.  I overheard a conversation in regards to the Ginger Ale where Ontario doctors are recommending it to chemo patients.  My ears perked up for my dad's sake who is suffering from nausea and this particular product seems to work wonders with it.  I love the taste of real ginger. I never liked ginger ale as a child, not even flat and for an upset belly but I can assure you this will be in my medicine chest for any upset bellies of the future.  Or it will just be there as a refreshing and delicious tasting beverage.

All But Gluten was a new brand that I've never heard of before.  It had a huge display and was providing free lectures throughout the event.  I tried their bread and their coconut macaroons and both were good to taste.  I'd like to check out this company more as I've never seen it in any stores.  I checked the packaging to ensure it wasn't a sugar first ingredient type list like some companies on the gluten free train are providing and it wasn't.  A good sign of a potentially great gluten free product.

Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss ice cream was a welcome surprise.  I love their products.  Not only are they gluten and dairy free but they are also a non-gmo product.  There was a big line to sample and I was amazed to discover how many more flavours they have than I originally knew of.  I believe some grocers have been holding out on us or Luna and Larry have been busy in the test kitchen.  I tried the Salted Caramel, my absolute favourite flavour as of late.  So good!  Love this product and love this company.

Gluten Free Pantry

Probably my absolute favourite discovery of EAT! Vancouver was West Point Naturals line of gluten free flour mixes.  I am all over trying these out with my Saturday morning pancakes and other baking experiments.  I had to this point thought they only provided dried fruit, nuts and dried herbs.  I was very happy to discover organic gummy bears, lavender sea salt and an array of gluten free flours.  I hope to further discover that I love their flour mixes!

Other delicious things include the Peanut Butter Co and it's amazing peanut butter mixes.  Perfect for eating off spoons!  Or as a friend recently demonstrated for me, including it in indulgent smoothies!  And Maison Orphee, a boutique product that specializes in oils, mustards and vinegars.  I'm a huge fan of their Organic Coconut Oil.  For in and on the body, my favourite uses for coconut oil are for baking, smoothies and cooking scrambled eggs.  Big yum.  

Some other sights around EAT!:

In the end my Top 3 absolute favourite discoveries of EAT! were:

Trugs Gourmet Hidden Garden Cookies which barely lasted a serving in my house.  A bag is a serving right?  

West Point Naturals and its incredible line of products.

Fresh Unfiltered Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost.  So yummy and good for the belly.

Honourable mentions go to Luna and Larry's, Mary's Organic Cookies, Snackbox by Foodee and Organika.

After an awesome experience I can only hope to take it a step further next year.  EAT! offered so much more than just a bunch of vendors selling products.  The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts was offering class, plus the celebrity chef stage, free cooking and baking lectures plus wine, cheese and beer tasting workshops!  This is definitely an all around event.  I highly recommend it as a to do for 2014 and personally hope to DO MOre at it then!  XO.  S

Related articles

EAT! *gluten free* Vancouver :: Trugs Gourmet

~ cinco de mayo :: raw vegan horchata ~

I love this super delicious and healthy recipe for a Mexican Horchata drink from Annemarie and Kevin at The Regegade Health Show.  Check out the recipe here.  It's raw, it's vegan, it's something that every can enjoy!  Happy Cinco de Mayo!  XO.  S

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama

~ one month :: green smoothie 365 ~

One month down and 11 to go!  The first month went off sooo well!  I am extremely grateful for the routine that I have created every morning to make this first month go off so easily.  The combinations feel like they are still endless at this point!  I'm sure that come month 11 I will be singing a different tune.  I will admit that part of me looks forward to the summer months of doing this when there will be bounties available at all the farmer's markets in particular greens that I don't normally find at the grocery store.  

If you are interested in what I am up to, please check out the Green Smoothie Challenge 365 over at the Juice Caboose blog.  If you are just interested in the wonderful, life changing food/drink that is a green smoothie, check out my hero Victoria Boutenko over at the Raw Family.  XO.  S

Related articles

~ green smoothie 365 ~

~ green smoothie 365 challenge ~

~ green smoothie 365 challenge ~

My Green Smoothie 365 Challenge is well under way.  I am posting daily at the Juice Caboose blog.  Currently, this is my most favourite thing in the world.  Every day I am creating a new recipe, snapping a photo with a little make shift smoothie studio set up in my kitchen and every night I am playing on Pic Monkey, trying all sorts of photo filters and fonts I may not normally use.  This is exercising more than the my creative smoothie bone which was my original intent. I'm pleased to be getting so much more out of this besides the 2.5 lbs that I released!   Hopefully the inspiration that I draw from a little daily creation will keep this smoothie challenge going strong.

Check out the above smoothies and their ingredients here:  11, 12, 7, 9, 3 

Feel free to join in on the fun at any time!  XO.  S