Raw-food diets have become increasingly popular. The problem is that many raw food recipes require significant planning and preparation. The 5-ingredient recipes in Raw, Quick & Delicious (www.robertrose.ca) can be prepared and on the table in 15 minutes, making it possible to incorporate more energizing dishes into your mealtime routine.

All the meals for every time of day are covered: breakfast, smoothies, drinks and juices, snacks, salads, dressings, main courses, pasta and noodles, sides and desserts. Recipes for main courses include items like sweet potato enchilada, shepherd’s pie, curried cashew and mixed vegetables, and lime, tomato and avocado chili.

If new to the raw food lifestyle, there are informative and easy-to-follow sections on equipping a 15-minute raw food kitchen and pantry. A Raw Food Know-How section provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about both raw food and the lifestyle. Author Douglas McNish is a two-time vegan iron chef winner.   

With everyone looking to incorporate more leafy greens into their diets, from the common to the somewhat obscure, The Complete Leafy Greens Cookbook, also from Robert Rose publishing (www.robertrose.ca) is the answer. Dozens of leafy greens (67 to be exact) are featured, each with a photograph for easy identification. There are popular choices like spinach, to trendy options like kale and collards, to the obscure mizuna or purslane, which may only be familiar to foragers, avid gardeners or world travelers. But the world is getting smaller every day and our grocery store selection larger.

Author Susan Sampson has created 250 outstanding vegetarian recipes, a wide variety that can be enjoyed as main dishes, sides and even breakfast. She shares recipes and kitchen secrets on her website, www.thefarelady.com. Stretch beyond your typical cooking routine and incorporate more greens into your kitchen with spaghetti with arugula and lemon sauce, and pickled lime beets and greens.

For yummy, healthy, naturally sweetened homemade alternatives to soda pop, sports drinks and expensive bottled juices, consult Best 100 Juices for Kids (Harvard Common Press). Author Jessica Fisher, mom of six, experimented with hundreds of flavor combinations and discovered a wealth of recipes. Seventy of the recipes are for juices, 45 fruit-based and 25-vegetable based, with the remaining 30 featuring luscious smoothies, including several dairy-free, and “sparklies,” which are club-soda based carbonated drinks. There are also recipes for icy slushies and refreshing juice-based ice pops. Fisher tested all the recipes on both low-end and high-end juicing machines,
providing expert guidance on how to get the best results from any model of juicer. Kids’ Choice Juice is a favorite.

First three recipes courtesy of The Complete Leafy Greens Cookbook by Susan Sampson © 2013 www.robertrose.ca.  Reprinted with publisher permission.

Stuffed Cucumber Cups

Makes 10 to 12 pieces.

¾ cup whole raw cashews

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup filtered water

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 clove garlic

1 large cucumber

If you can, use an English cucumber to make the cups, as they do not contain seeds. If you are using a field cucumber, be sure to peel off the skin and scoop out all the seeds as they are tough and bitter.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine cashews, red pepper, water, lemon juice, paprika, salt and garlic. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Cut the ends off the cucumber, then cut it crosswise into 10 to 12 equal pieces. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds and pulp from each piece, hollowing it out to make a ring.

Place the cucumber cups on a serving plate. Fill each with 1 tablespoon of the cashew mixture. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Alternatively you could also fill with sunflower seed hummus. 

Spaghetti with Arugula and Lemon Sauce

Makes 4 servings.

12 oz. spaghetti

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or non-dairy alternative

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 slender green onions (white and green parts), cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces

1 large clove garlic, minced (for the finest minced garlic, push it through a press)

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

3 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper

1/3 cup heavy or whipping (35%) cream or soy milk (full-fat unflavored soy milk; sauce
will be thinner)

1 bunch arugula (6 to 8 oz.), trimmed and finely chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, cook spaghetti for 15 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking water.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until softened. Stir in garlic for about 20 seconds. Stir in lemon zest, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in cream and simmer for about 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Add remaining lemon juice to taste.

Add arugula, then cooked spaghetti. Using tongs, toss until arugula wilts and spaghetti is well coated. If pasta seems dry or difficult to toss evenly with the sauce, loosen the mixture with some or all of the reserved cooking water. Season with salt to taste.

Transfer to serving bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Pickled Lime Beets and Greens

Makes about 1- ¾ cups.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2 or 3 small to medium beets (8 oz.), scrubbed

1 cup finely chopped beet leaves and stems (2 oz.)

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place beets in a greased baking dish, cover and roast in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender but firm. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Using a chef’s knife, trim, peel and cut beets into ½-inch cubes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Scatter beet leaves and stems over top.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a full boil, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour mixture over beets and greens; stir to coat evenly. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and refrigerate overnight to allow beets to pickle before serving.

Tips: Choose smaller beets as they are less fibrous and take less time to cook. To avoid staining your hands, use gloves when handling beets. When roasting or boiling beets, it’s simplest to leave the skin on and just give them a good scrub before cooking. After cooking, the skins should slip right off. When cooking beets whole, leave the rat-tail root (tap root), and about ½-inch of stem attached. This reduces loss of nutrients and leakage of color.

Kids’ Choice Juice

(Courtesy of Best 100 Juices for Kids) Makes 15 to 20 ounces.

2 medium apples

1- ½ cups strawberries

2 cups seedless red or green grapes

Core the apples. Remove the hulls from the strawberries. Juice the apples, berries, and grapes according to the directions on your juicing machine. Whisk to combine.

Add water to taste if you or your children prefer a milder juice.

Ann Hattes has over 25 years experience writing about both travel and food for publications both in the US and internationally. A senior living in Wisconsin, she’s a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association and the Midwest Travel Writers Association.

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