Tag: berries

Watermelon-Berry & Watercress Salad

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Watermelon, Berry & Watercress Salad

I promise you; this fruit salad is Berry Berry Good!
We recently returned from a trip to North Carolina, and I definitely felt the need to detox. It is so easy to eat bad and fill up on junk foods when you are traveling.

This salad is so refreshing and packed with flavor. The berries alone are loaded with antioxidants, and still – I kicked it up a notch …with Watercress! Watercress has a peppery flavor to it, which pops so perfectly in this fruit salad. These leafy greens are a powerful antioxidant and packed with many minerals and vitamins (they’re also known to lower blood pressure). It is nutrient rich with Vitamins A, C, K, and is also Calcium rich.

The peppery flavor of the watercress, coupled with the fresh, earthiness of the basil and mint brings this recipe home. The lemon pops too, and any good salad dressing has a balance of fat and acid, so I chose coconut oil as the fat for its flavor.

Enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 Watermelon (small), seeded / cubed (reserve 1-2 cups for dressing)
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blackberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blueberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Raspberries
4oz Fresh Watercress

Dressing:
1 handful fresh Mint (about 1/4 cup)
1 handful fresh Basil (about 1/4 cup)
2 Lemons, juice/zest (about 1/4 cup)
1-2 Cups of Watermelon cubes
2-3 Tbsp Agave or Honey (raw)
2 Tbsp Coconut oil, softened or melted

Directions:
-Reserve about 1-2 Tbsp of the Mint, Basil, Lemon zest for garnish.
-Cube watermelon and rinse berries, then mix to combine. Add watercress before serving.
-Blend dressing ingredients together to combine and set aside.

Note: This recipe stored in a 1.5-gallon storage container. I mixed the berries and watermelon together and topped with the watercress but I added paper towel and did not mix in the watercress to avoid wilting. I also stored the dressing in a separate container and mixed all to serve.  

Enjoy!

Watermelon-Berry Watercress Salad

  • Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:
1 Watermelon (small), seeded / cubed (reserve 1-2 cups for dressing)
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blackberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blueberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Raspberries
4oz Fresh Watercress

Dressing:
1 handful fresh Mint (about 1/4 cup)
1 handful fresh Basil (about 1/4 cup)
2 Lemons, juice/zest (about 1/4 cup)
1-2 Cups of Watermelon cubes
2-3 Tbsp Agave or Honey (raw)
2 Tbsp Coconut oil, softened or melted

Directions:
-Reserve about 1-2 Tbsp of the Mint, Basil, Lemon zest for garnish.
-Cube watermelon and rinse berries, then mix to combine. Add watercress before serving.
-Blend dressing ingredients together to combine and set aside.

Enjoy!

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Simple Berry Smoothies

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Simple Berry Smoothies
(Serves 4) ~ Vegan, Gluten-Free, Raw, Soy-Free

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Umm… Happy New Year! Is that inappropriate since it’s now the 20th? Well, maybe not since this is the first time I’m saying hello for the New Year. What a blur it’s been since my last post. Life, right?

I ran into a woman at the grocery store this evening, which may have prompted this very post. As I’m walking up to the natural section, there is a woman standing there. She reaches for the Daiya cheese then hesitates and placed it back. I walked up and grabbed the Daiya and also the Better than Sour Cream because it’s taco night tonight! After watching me grab the cheese she then asks if it was any good. I replied and then proceeded to rattle off several other products I thought were good! I’m pointing and grabbing: So Delicious – yogurts, Vegenaise (mayo), Earth Balance (butter) and all the ice creams that are available! She may have thought I was a bit crazed given how hyper I quickly became on the subject. Hey it’s not every day I run into someone in person that is actually interested in vegan food or food products. She said her church was trying out veganism this month; to which I exclaimed Veganuary!?! She said yes and thanked me. I let her know about this blog and went on my way. Sometimes it’s the little things or rather the chance encounters that spark or motivate. Happy New Year and Happy Veganuary all! Make it another great one. As always… enjoy! The smoothie, of course. 😋

I love serving these in stemless wine glasses…
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Ingredients:
3 Cups Frozen Berries (I used a mixture of Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries and Blackberries)
½ Cup Orange Juice
2 Cups Almond Milk (I used my favorite Almond/Coconut Blend)
2 Tbsp Honey or Agave Nectar
Handful of ice, optional (depending on if using fresh or frozen fruits)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender or high-speed blender (like a Nutribullet or Ninja).
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Morning Smoothie!

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Morning Smoothie!
(Serves 3) ~ Vegan, Gluten-Free, Raw, Soy-Free

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Morning Sunshine! I should say instead. This smoothie is not so pretty, but it’s pretty healthy. I say not-so-pretty because at least that is what a co-worker thought last week. It was a bright sunny day (jk). So, I was at work reaching for my smoothie as a co-worker passed by and says, “ew, what is that!?!” To which I replied a smoothie, here try some. 😊 She thought it was delicious by the way. I honestly believe she meant no ill-will but the story doesn’t end or start here. A few weeks ago Seth was at a deli picking up some veggie sandwiches, the employee does the ‘ol “order up – veggie sandwiches!” An patron nearby hears this and says, “ew, who would even order a veggie sandwich. Ugh, a sandwich with no meat etc. etc.”  Well her supercilious comment wasn’t going to get by Seth that easily. He replies back, “that would be mine. by the way what form of dead animal carcass will be decomposing in your body today?”  Another incident within the same week occurred at a grocery store. He was on his way home, it was pouring out, I got in late myself and wasn’t up for cooking. So… he stops off to grab pizza. (Vegan – Daiya Pizzas to be exact). Another customer hears the automated self-checkout say the item and price. The customer to his son says, “whoa, that price for 1 pizza my God we could get 2 large pies for that price! The son adds or 3 medium!” Followed by both of them cackling. Now I don’t remember exactly what Seth commented back and he’s sleeping at the moment or I’d ask but I do remember in short – he let it go.

I suppose this rant is all to say or ask the burning question: Has society as a whole lost their manners?  Where is the tact? Has ill-mannered behavior become socially acceptable? Despite the popular ‘vegan perception’ I don’t look in other people’s carts at the grocery store and examine their items. I don’t arrogantly comment or turn up my nose at the person who orders the triple bacon cheeseburger. Can we not get the same treatment?
We are modest and humble people we don’t flash around or advertise our vegan lifestyle. I enjoy life, animals, family and love. I enjoy creating recipes and sharing them with all who will seek them out.
Think about it and ‘do to others as you would have them do to you.”
✌

The best part about this smoothie is that my kids have been begging me to make it. I made this last week before heading into work. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4-5 pieces of Kale, stems removed
7 Strawberries, hulled
½ to 1 cup Fresh Raspberries
½ Banana
1 Cup Non-Dairy Milk (I used almond/coconut blend)
1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp Sweetener (Agave Nectar or Honey)

-Blend together in high-speed blender. I used my nutribullet. Enjoy!