Chia Seed, Concord Grape, Pomegranate Smoothie

Pomegranates are locally in season in the Santa Barbara area and many of the local Framers Market have Red and White varieties. This is a very healthy fruit and combined with these other ingredients of Concord Grapes and Chia Seeds you have a superfood starter for the day! Chia Seeds is truly a superfood today it can be found at co-ops, health food stores along with Whole Foods. However you will pay perhaps around $14/lb, don't worry a pound goes a long way. Even better you can go to here and get it far cheaper at Raw Food World I am going to order 5 pounds for 32 dollars!!! I like Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes the mail order store remains in Ojai, CA now they are living in Ecuador
One reason I use a high speed blender such as Vitamix and Blendtec is that I can even throw a iphone and grind or masticate whole foods. For Pomagranets I use both the little fleshy seed arils, and the white pulp around the seed groupings. With the seeded Concorfd Grapes I make use of the seeds, and the Chia Seeds (presoaked in filtered or pure water) just becomes liquified.
It is shocking how much whole food goodness is discarded in the compost bin (or worse) whereas the First Peoples and other aboriginal cultures often made extensive use of the whole food. Don't be fearful of a watermelon or grape seed or some fruit pith!
This blended drink makes great use of all sorts of micronutrients that you could not find packaged in a store. Please start integrating whole foods into your diet. Your mind will recognize your body is loving you!

Just look at this purple goodness! I would wear it, but I will drink it instead!

Chocolate Mousse

Something decadent, something good, something nutritious, something healthy, something that pleases everyone. What could one do to satisfy all of those somethings? Chocolate Mousse of course!
Just look at the ingredients below and tell me you are on your way to wholesomeness.
Pictured below you'll see: Almond Milk (fresh and not from a box). (Soaked) dates, pitted and the water in which they were soaked in. Raw Almond Butter. Organic Raw Cocoa powder along with Celtic Sea Salt, and Vanilla. Fresh Mint. And the secret ingredient - Avocado! I just must add... don't feed your household members vitamin supplements, feed them whole foods! This recipe gives lots of vitamin B, antioxidants and other great goodness. Good lord is this good!

This is a recipe Amy bachelor provided me that I am currently using though you can find many variants. If that is not enough to keep you in chocolate heaven then you might want to go check these links to Raw Chocolate Mousse. NOTE: I prefer starting with dates as the sweetener, after tasting if not sweet enough add, coconut sugar or other quality sweeteners, agave being last on my list.

Almond Milk

Yield: 4 cups
Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, soaked overnight in 3 cups of water with 2 drops of Nutmeg Young Living   essential oil
4 cups purified water
2 pitted dates
Pinch of Himalayan salt
Instructions:
1.Rinse and drain the almonds.
2.Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
3.To separate the milk from the pulp, squeeze the mixture through a cloth mesh bag or a double layer of cheesecloth. Reserve the pulp for recipes or freeze for later use.
4.Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in a sealed glass jar for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Comments:
•Make thicker or thinner by adding more or less water to the blender.
•Create taste variations by adding one to two drops of Young Living Essential Oils to the    finished milk. Try ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, Thieves or Christmas Spirit.
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Cacao Mousse

Yield: 2 cups
Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 cup almond milk (see recipe above)
6 to 8 dates, soaked and pitted, save the soaking water
½ cup cacao powder
¼ cup almond butter
Pinch of Himalayan salt
2 to 4 drops Peppermint Young Living essential oil
Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients, except the Peppermint, in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
2.Add the date soaking water, as needed, to blend more easily.
3.Add the Peppermint essential oil, to taste, at the end. Blend in briefly.
Comments:
•Try a different Young Living essential oil such as orange or tangerine.
•Try carob powder instead of cacao. It will be sweeter so use less dates.
Amy Bacheller, M.Ed, NC  ~  www.scentfromheaven-sb.com ~  415-450-5000

Just look how creamy and yummy this appears! Everyone loves this (Don't mention the ingredients till after the taste test, they won't believe you!) This is so good and healthy you won't be in trouble if you forget to eat the main course!

Cocao Figs

Figs are in season and locally available!  What to do? When in doubt add chocolate! Figs are full of calcium here's more from the wiki article: 

Nutrition

Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber. According to USDA data for the Mission variety, dried figs are richest in fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, relative to human needs. They have smaller amounts of many other nutrients. Figs have a laxative effect and contain many antioxidants. They are good source of flavonoids and polyphenols.^[3] In one study, a 40-gram portion of dried figs (two medium size figs) produced a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity.^[4]

Cooking at the very high temp of 105 degrees, just like a like my hot springs or tubs!

Here is the basic idea. Cut figs in half and scrap out the fig seeds placing into food processor. Figs, cocoa, cocoa nibs, some blackberries, a dash of salt, a little raw sunflower lecithin, along with coconut sugar to sweeten the cocoa does the trick! Fill the fig skins. Dehydrate until filling thicken and sets. You got a treat that is not too decadent but no longer ordinary!

SOL Festival

The 1st annual SOL Festival in Santa Barbara, CA (Oct 2, 2010) is a success! Why? Because I had fun, learned new things, had great food and even got a recipe for a delicious RAW Chocolate Mousse! To begin with for once I was so excited that I went to farmers Market early in the morning... try finding me at the market at 8:30 am! I quickly got home and prepared to come right back down to Vera Cruz park right across the street from the market.
What did I do? I went to some workshops most notably for me was worm composting. Elisa Robles (Worm Girl) provided a very informative discussion on the merits of worm composting along with handy tips. She consults in the local Santa Barbara area. Here is a quick little movie of her work.

Throughout the day when I was not at the main stage I also attended workshops on culturing food, and bees.
Beyond the exhibits what I found very entertaining was the competitive chef cook off!
(From The Daily Sound:) "Food Network Iron Chef, executive chef at Bon Appétit magazine, and local gal Cat Cora will demonstrate a three-course meal and announce the winners of the Santa Barbara Independent’s Foodie Awards. After that, she and Erik Talkin, executive director of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, will judge a competition between Chef Pink of Square One, Chef Budi of the Ballard Inn, and Chef Erik Stenberg of Fairview Gardens; local chefs who must make a dish using farmer’s market ingredients."

The three chefs which were provided with the secret ingredient Avocado (appropriate considering the Avocado Festival was occurring 12 miles away). (I had not realize that Santa Barbara County is the third largest producer of Avocados in North America!) They were each provided with $35 to quickly run through Farmers Market gathering ingredients to compliment an Avocado inspired imagination. Upon there return to the stage the culinary heat was on! To watch three chefs working under pressure was thrilling and got the adrenaline rushing... a pleasant surprise to me I noticed one of the chefs preparing a vegetarian meal. It didn't take long to realize that Chef Erik was not cracking oyster shells or other fleshly distractions.... just got down to core vegetables and fruits!

When the clock was up and the judges were seated out came the creations!

Naturally, the hippie, surfer dude, Fairview Gardens vendor and private chef was the winner!

Well, I don't have TV so I am not familiar with Food Network and Iron Chef and cook offs, but I was captivated by the whole process and it was down right exciting!

Next, I investigated the food court, all local organic foods and the price points were intentionally set to be affordable by all (the entry to the festival were free as well).

As I was munching away, I happily discovered a raw food demo coming next so I ate away and got my self over to one of three stages to find that an old neighbor and someone that I have participated in workshops with Amy Bacheller with her company Scent From Heaven. Amy is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in California. Along with her raw culinary certifications she provides aromatherapy services.

Later I had to email Amy and ask for the recipe which she generously provided. I have been winning converts every since watching her yummy demo!

Almond Milk

Yield: 4 cups

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight in 3 cups of water with 2 drops of Nutmeg Young Living   essential oil

4 cups purified water

2 pitted dates

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Instructions:

1.Rinse and drain the almonds.

2.Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

3.To separate the milk from the pulp, squeeze the mixture through a cloth mesh bag or a double layer of cheesecloth. Reserve the pulp for recipes or freeze for later use.

4.Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in a sealed glass jar for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Comments:

•Make thicker or thinner by adding more or less water to the blender.

•Create taste variations by adding one to two drops of Young Living Essential Oils to the    finished milk. Try ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, Thieves or Christmas Spirit.

****************************************************************************************************

Cacao Mousse

Yield: 2 cups

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1 cup almond milk (see recipe above)

6 to 8 dates, soaked and pitted, save the soaking water

½ cup cacao powder

¼ cup almond butter

Pinch of Himalayan salt

2 to 4 drops Peppermint Young Living essential oil

Directions:

1.Combine all ingredients, except the Peppermint, in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

2.Add the date soaking water, as needed, to blend more easily.

3.Add the Peppermint essential oil, to taste, at the end. Blend in briefly.

Comments:

•Try a different Young Living essential oil such as orange or tangerine.

•Try carob powder instead of cacao. It will be sweeter so use less dates.

Amy Bacheller, M.Ed, NC  ~  www.scentfromheaven-sb.com ~  415-450-5000

If that is not enough to keep you in chocolate heaven then you might want to go check these links to Raw Chocolate Mousse.

Here are some more pictures from our local online news: edhat

I look forward to attending the festival next year. Thanks to all of the great efforts of volunteers and participants! Yum!