RAW GRANOLA BAR Recipe- day 3

I use to make homemade granola bars all the time, but i used rolled oats and had to bake them.  I was in the mood for something sweet and my cabinet was looking a little bar. I did however have dried fruit and nuts, so i thought i would try and make a raw version granola bar.   I knew they would be a little sticky, so i thought i would roll them in shredded coconut.  Feel free to use whatever fruit and nuts you like and add in things like mulberrys, goji berries, raw coaca nibs, etc if you want.  These bars came out sooooo good and are perfect for  packed lunches and snacks on the go. I ate mine as dessert. Make sure to double the recipe so you can put some in the freezer for later. Enjoy!!

Granola Bars Y= 5 bars

1c Nuts, any kind (i used a mixture of almonds and walnuts)
1c Dried Fruit, any kind (i used a mixture of figs and raisens)
2T Coconut Nectar or sweetner of choice
1/2 unsweetned coconut, grated

step 1- put dried fruit and sweetner in food processor and blend until it becomes a paste
step 2- add the nuts and pulse until combined ( the bars should have some texture)
step 3- line the counter with some syran wrap and sprinkle coconut on top
step4- eye ball about 1/5 of mixture and put on top of coconut
step 5- wet hands and shape into rectangles flipping the bars over so there coated in the coconut.
step6- individually wrap each bar and keep in cabinet, fridge or freezer

Day 3- STRAWBERRY TOP SMOOTHIE- Very Budget Friendly

How many times have you eaten strawberries and throw away the tops? Most people do, but the tops are completely edible and full of nutrients.  We had had a bunch of strawberries for a snack and put all the tops in a bowl in the fridge.  They are perfect blended up in a smoothie and didn't really cost you anything! Here i mixed the tops with fresh banana and coconut water.  It tasted Great!

Strawberry Top Smoothie

2c Strawberry Tops
2ea Banana
11oz Coconut Water

step 1- put everything in the blender and puree until smooth

Day 2- The BK WRAP makes a Perfect Snack

Kale is a super food, but some people have a hard time eating it. That use to be me. I would try juicing it or eating it in a salad and i just couldn't get passed that bitter tough taste.  My goal has been to find ways to prepare the kale so i can enjoy it and get all the benifits of this leafy green.  This recipe is one of my favorite and is so easy to put together. It makes a perfect snack or can be eaten as a meal.  Keep this as simple as you want or eat it like i do with almond butter, celery and hemp seeds on top of the banana:)

Banana Kale (BK) Wrap

2 Kale leaves, i like dinasour kale
1 ea banana, spilt in half lenghwise
1 T almond butter
1/2T hemp seeds
1 stalk celery, cut in half (opt)

step 1- put the banana in the kale leaf and top with nut butter, seeds and celery
step 2- eat just like you would a taco. Enjoy

Day 2- Open Faced HUMMAS Sandwiches- RAW VEGAN

This has to be one of my favorite raw vegan recipes so far.  I love making dishes that really do taste like the original or better.  Hummus is such a popular dip or spread for a sandwich, but is made with beans. Since I do not eat beans, I decided to make my version the same way i would normally make hummus, but with zucchini instead of the beans! OMG was it amazing....honestly it tasted so close to the original that most people probably would have no idea it was made with zucchini.  I had this for lunch over some sliced tomatoes and other veggies on top like an open faced sandwich.  Feel free to serve as a dip to a crudite platter at a party or for a snack.  The kids willl like this too:)

Hummus y= 3cups

3 ea zucchini, peeled and rough chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
2T tahini, untoasted
2ea garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

step1- put all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth
step2- taste for seasoning and enjoy anyway you'd like:)

Day 2- Banana-Mango Colada GREEN Smoothie

Budget Week day 2- I made this banana-mango pineapple green smoothie this morning for breakfast and it was absolutely delicious! So easy to make and such a great way to get you fruits and vegetables in you and your kids without even trying:) Try picking up some coconut water if youve never tried it, it comes in a carton and can be kept in your cabinet until you use it. It really adds a great flavor to smoothies and juices and keeps everything dairy free!!! Give this one a try.

Can I feed my family of 5 for 1 week with $100 on A Raw Food Diet????????

After coming back from the holiday weekend, i decided to do a raw food challenge.  Since i desperately needed to do a food shopping, i thought it would be fun to see if i can feed myself, jennn and the 3 kids raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for 7 days on $100.  My plan is to shop at a few stores and buy things in bulk, on sale and what we enjoy eating and then make videos on the dishes and meals i make.  I thought this would be fun and also show people that money shouldn't be an excuse for not eating healthy:) Subscribe to my youtube videos/blog to stay up to date on daily post. thanks for watching.

Fresh Pineapple -Raspberry Orange Juice