Basil and Pine Nut Pesto

4 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup raw pine nuts
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 teaspoons raw honey  (omit honey for a low carb pesto)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste.

Here is the process!
Gather all of your ingredients to ensure that you do not forget one of the delicious ingredients. Oh by the way, I forgot to put a fresh lemon into this picture. See, even I forget :)
Remove the basil leaves from the large stems of the plant.Next, add all of the ingredients to your food processor, except for the olive oil, use the pulse button until everything is combined nicely. Turn the food processor back on and slowly incorporate the olive oil, season with sea salt and pepper.
 
Cook Outside the Box
Toss pasta with this fresh basil pesto and make a pasta salad
Add this pesto to your next grill cheese sandwiches or burgers
Make warm goat cheese and basil pesto toasts and eat them for breakfast or serve them as an appetizer
Toss warm new potatoes in the basil pesto and add some chopped onion

Bon Appétit! 

Spicy Kale Chips

Everyone seems to have their favourite kale chip recipe these days. What bothers me about a lot of the kale chip recipes out there, is that they use the wrong oil and cook the kale at an unnecessary high heat. So my recipe cooks the delicate kale at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and is flavoured with delicious organic, virgin coconut oil and spices.

5 cups raw, curly kale
2 tablespoon organic, virgin coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1/8 tsp) 

Method
Wash and dry your kale, break the kale up into similar small pieces and add them to a large bowl. Season your kale with the melted coconut oil, salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Massage the kale until all of the pieces look like they have been fairly seasoned with the yummy spices.
Add the kale to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and make sure not to crowd the baking sheet. You want every delicious piece of kale to be crispy!
Bake the kale at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-17 minutes. You do not want your kale to turn brown, the purpose of cooking at such a low heat is to retain as many nutrients as possible.
Voila! Once they are crispy and beautifully green, they are ready.

Cook Outside the Box
Crush the kale chips into homemade popcorn, it's ridiculous
Add some nutritional yeast to the spice mixture in the recipe to give it a "cheesy like"  flavor

Raw Red Cabbage and Kale Salad

2 cups Black kale (Chiffonade- Cut very thinly)
1 cup Red cabbage (Chiffonade- Cut very thinly)
1 cup Red pepper (Thin slices)
1/2 cup Red onion (Thin slices)
1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs (basil, mint and cilantro)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Dressing
1 tablespoon Braggs (is a natural gluten free soy sauce, you may use tamari instead)
2 teaspoon raw honey
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger (freshly grated)
Pepper to taste

Method
Note- Omit the honey for a low carb version.
Clean and de-stem your kale. Slice the kale and cabbage as thin as you can, add them to a pretty bowl.
Slice your red pepper and red onion as thin as possible and add them to the bowl.
Toast your sesame seeds on low/med heat on the stove top until they are fragrant and have turned golden in colour. Once cooled, add them to the bowl.
Coarsely chop your fresh herbs and toss them into the salad bowl.
Add the desired amount of dressing and toss all together. 
RAW RAW RAW!

*It is important to incorporate raw foods to your daily diet. Raw vegetables and fruit are filled with vitamins, minerals and enzymes that keep you healthy. Raw vegetables and fruits contain their own unique enzymes to break themselves down, so your digestive tract can take a little break.
This salad is filled with raw enzymes, antioxidants, B vitamins, calcium and fibre. I love to add a hard boiled egg to the top, for protein and texture.

Happy raw eating!

Blueberry and Banana Smoothie

1 big handful fresh spinach or fresh parsley
1/2 fresh or frozen banana
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup mango frozen or fresh
1/2 cup coconut water *You can omit this and just add more almond milk
3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 scoop Whey protein isolate powder (I am using Precision All Natural brand, vanilla flavour. I only use 1/2 scoop which is about 18-20 grams of protein.)
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or almond extract

Method
Note- This is not low carb but still delicious and nutritious.
Buy a whole bunch of blueberries, mangoes and bananas and portion 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1/4 cup mango and 1/2 a banana into small freezer bags.
Done, frozen and ready to go in the morning! In a glass jar with a hand blender or regular blender add all of your ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pure vanilla extract is the flavour of love! I like my smoothies really cold so I add 2-3 ice cubes after I have blended my smoothie. 
*For more information on Whey protein isolate 

Salsa Verde

For a long time I kept this secret recipe to myself but so many people ask me for the recipe that I have finally decided to part with it. I'm pretty sure I could live off of salsa verde, when I moved to Mexico to live with my husband for a year I got addicted to finding the best salsa verde and then created my own version. Edited for more authenticity 2021

4-6 tomatillo or 1 1/2 cups
1-2 serrano (depending on how spicy you like it)
2 tablespoons onion
1 medium garlic clove
1/4 cup cilantro
1.4 teaspoon salt (may need more)
1/2 avocado (small cubes added after blended) 

Method
You want to look for nice green tomatillos and on the harder side rather than soft, remove the husk from the tomatillo and wash the under warm water. Blend everything in a blender accept for the avocado. Season if needed and add cubed avocado after if you desire.

Cook Outside the Box
Use this salsa on your morning  eggs
It's the best salsa for nachos and quesadillas
Use it as a sauce for homemade enchiladas and soups

Bon Appétit!