Good for you.. Cool Summer Snacks!

Hot Hot Hot!!  It is HOT here... my grass is turning brown... my chickens are super thirsty.. my plants are pouting, and we are hibernating inside!

Keeping our foods to the closest raw state as possible,
and not cooking all of the nutrients out..
the kitchen too HOT for heating the oven...
and fresh raw veggies readily available..
WHO needs to COOK?

Here are a few SUMMER IDEAS that will keep you from heating up that you might enjoy as much as we do...

Raw Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

4 cups raw almond milk
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
2 medium frozen bananas
1 to 2 handfuls ice cubes


Mix in blender, and adjust ice as you wish.  This recipe hails from one of my all-time favorite whole food blogs...  http://www.nourishingmeals.com/

(Virgin) Piña Colada Smoothie

• 1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 1/3 cup coconut milk (or more depending on how creamy you like it)

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. If you use fresh pineapple instead of frozen be sure to add some ice to the mixture. Enjoy!

Popcorn Au Natural! 

Ingredients

       ¼ cup popcorn kernels, preferably organic

• Brown paper lunch bag
• Optional: Melted butter, oil, and/or salt
• Directions

1.    Pour the kernels into the brown paper bag.

2.    Tightly fold over the top three or four times. No tape or staples are necessary.

3.    Put it in the microwave and start it on high for 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

4.    Listen for the popping to slow down to 3 or 4 seconds apart at which point you will ta ke it out of the microwave. This usually happens for me around the 3 minute and 15 second mark.

5.    Pour popcorn into a bowl and drizzle with melted butter or spritz with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt. If you don’t use oil or butter the salt won’t stick.

Yield: Approximately 3 – 4 servings

I cannot even remember where I found this popcorn in the bag idea...I had copied it to my recipe folder and found it again a while ago.  

Enjoy!


HUMMUS -OUR FAVORITE!
Hummus Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed
• 2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish

METHOD

1 In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.

2 Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.

Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips with which to serve the hummus.

Makes about 3 cups.

So, What are YOUR favorite Summer Snacks - Healthy alternatives to the sugar packed snacks sold in stores?
Leave me a comment and share your ideas!