My last post was about a great restaurant I went to called Nuba. You can read about that here. I mentioned the delicious cauliflower called “Najib’s Special” that was served with “La Feast” that I ordered. I knew once I tried it that I had to recreate it at home, and I must say that my version is tasty and much healthier, as it is roasted in just a bit of oil, instead of deep-fried. The lemon flavour is strong, but that’s exactly how it was at Nuba- yum!

Once again, go to Nuba and try Najib’s Special out for yourself- this is just my take on it!

Also…if you are wondering why my cauliflower looks green it’s because I used a “broccoflower”, a green cauliflower!

As Spring and Summer start to roll in, my workouts seem to increase automatically…not to mention that I’m training for the Sun Run (my first 10k!!). I’ve been trying to keep my protein intake up, and so I used this shake as yet another excuse to give the Vita-Mix a workout, too! I’ve been using my new Vita-Mix blender like it’s my job…I can’t get enough of it! Despite the hefty price tag, I think it’s my best purchase ever! This is a great post-exercise drink, and I used my usual protein powder. I loved the light chai taste…doesn’t it almost look like a latte!?

This is another delicious recipe from my raw foods class. The class that this recipe comes from focused on high nutrition snacks. I would suggest making these in bulk as they can take up to 48 hours to deyhydrate. If you make one giant batch you can store them in the freezer. The chocolate used in this recipe contains only healthy ingredients- these snacks provide a perfect burst of energy for you….which is what a snack is really about.

Pineapple Dips

• Pineapple(s), sliced into 3″ x 1″ pieces

I thought I’d share this smoothie recipe with you today. This is a variation of a recipe I learned in my Raw Food Class, as I will be getting my Raw Chef Certification in about a month. I really love learning about raw foods….the ingredients used are so packed with nutrients, and it’s so exciting to learn about. I hope that you will enjoy more raw food recipes from Koko’s Kitchen in the future.

This particular smoothie is great anytime, but especially after a workout. The coconut water is amazing for rehydration, and the sweeteners used (coconut sugar and lucuma powder) are extremely low glycemic, and won’t spike your blood sugar levels. The cacao powder is a fantastic, healthy source of energy.

For those of you wondering what lucuma powder is, wonder no more. Lucuma is actually a fruit from Peru, and the powdered form is becoming easily available. You can add the powder to smoothies, puddings, baked goods, and frozen desserts. It’s slightly sweet and can be used instead of sugar…since it’s so low glycemic, it’s a great option for diabetics. It also helps to emulsify fats and oils with sugars, which is why it can be used in ice creams and frozen desserts. Try this new superfood in your next smoothie!!

Raw “Post Workout” Smoothie

• 1 young thai coconut, meat and water
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp lucuma powder
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder

I was contacted by the company Olives & Things, a relatively new company made up of a Spanish woman and her Canadian husband with the intention of bringing 100% natural products of the Mediterranean and Spain to the world.

I was able to try the Cazorliva, a Spanish, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. I wanted to try it in a recipe that really focused on the flavour of the olive oil itself. I chose a Spanish tapa, “Pan con Tomate”. It’s basically toast with tomato and garlic and lots of delicious olive oil. It’s a widely eaten dish all over Spain.

Pan con Tomate

• 1 baguette
• 1-2 big juicy tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic
• sea salt
• 1-2 tbsp Olives & Things Cazorlina extra virgin olive oil

I decided to make this recipe after seeing it on the morning news. The recipe comes courtesy of Laura Calder, one of my favourite Food Network Canada hosts. I love the soft, roasted peppers in this recipe, the healthy olive oil and tangy citrus flavour. Make sure you use a good baguette for this…I don’t eat bread often, so the crusty, toasted outside and soft inside of the rustic French baguette we bought was quite a treat. I was quite surprised that there was no cheese in this recipe, and I thought about adding some but after biting into the sandwich, I realized it doesn’t need anything else. This ain’t your mama’s brown bag tuna sandwich!

TUNA AND WHITE BEAN SALAD ON TOASTED BAGUETTE

Recipe Courtesy of Laura Calder – French Cooking at Home

• 2 red peppers
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 orange pepper
• About 1/2 cup olive oil, more for the baguette
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• A scant cup (100 g) pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
• A few handfuls of fresh parsley leaves
• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans (use white kidney if you can’t find cannellini)
• Salt and pepper
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons, more to taste
• 14 ounces (390 g) high-quality tuna chunks packed in olive oil, drained (about 3 cans)
• 1 to 1 1/2 baguettes

Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Seed and julienne the peppers, toss on a baking sheet with a few tablespoons of olive oil, spread into a single layer, and bake until soft, about half an hour. Remove from the oven and turn the heat up to 400°F (200°C).

Tip the peppers into a large bowl. Add the garlic, celery, olives, parsley, and beans. Season with salt and pepper, and toss with the lemon zest and juice and the remaining olive oil. Add the tuna last and carefully mix it in with your hands so the chunks don’t break up too much. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Slice the baguette(s) in half lengthwise and then into pieces the length of the palm of your hand. Arrange on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toast until golden and crisp on top but still squishy within, about 5 minutes.

Put a piece of toast on each plate and top with a generous heap of the salad, including the juices.

Okay okay, so these are really just crab cakes, but you can’t blame me for fantasizing about trying one of Spongebob’s favourite foods.

This was actually the first time I had made crab cakes and I was very pleased with the recipe. It didn’t involve eggs as a binding agent and was very light on the bread crumbs (It calls for one cup, but I used maybe a 1/4 cup just coating the top and bottom of the cake lightly.). I also replaced the mayonnaise with a vegan mayo, so these crab cakes were egg free! I had also never made chimichurri sauce, and that turned out to be a total breeze. Just chuck the ingredients in a food processor and you’re good to go!

Crab Cakes in Chimichurri Sauce (adapted from here)

Sauce:

• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 cups fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley
• ¼ cup sherry vinegar
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Another delicious summer salad recipe for ya today! This one features plump, juicy, ripe peaches that are warmed and caramelized on the grill. They pair up with toasty walnuts, blue cheese, and peppery arugula and it’s all tied together with a honey & balsamic reduction. What’s not to like!? I’ve included a variation of this recipe that I think would be delicious to try!

Grilled Peach Salad (adapted from here)

• 2-3 ripe peaches, cut in half
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
• butter (or olive oil/Earth Balance/etc. to veganize the recipe)
• 5 oz baby arugula
• 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes until they are aromatic. Set them aside to cool. Once cooled, give them a rough chop.

In a small saucepan, heat the honey, balsamic vinegar, thyme, black pepper and salt over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the honey and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is slightly thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the honey balsamic syrup cool a bit – it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Preheat a grill pan to high heat. Spread a thin layer of butter over the cut side of the peaches. Place the peaches on the grill, cut side down. Grill until peaches are softened and grill marks appear- 4 to 5 minutes.

Arrange the peaches cut side up over the baby arugula and top with blue cheese crumbles and toasted walnuts. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

**Variation: Try using apricots instead of peaches, goat cheese instead of blue cheese, basil instead of thyme, and pine nuts instead of walnuts.

I recently spent the weekend on Saltspring Island (one of my favourite gulf islands here in British Columbia, Canada). Saltspring is known for it’s self-sustaining community. For this small island, you can literally get anything you need. There are plenty of beautiful farms producing everything from fresh dairy  and vegetables to lavender and wine. Every Saturday there is a market in the heart of town that showcases all of the great products of the island. I love seeing all of the fresh organic vegetables, hand crafted jewellery and clothing, and of course the raw, or vegan baked goods.

A trip to Saltspring Island reminds me of everything summer, which leads me to this salad. A caprese salad just screams summer, to me. Using tomatoes straight from the garden or farmer’s market for the fullest of flavours, along with fresh basil, and soft mozzarella cheese, you just can’t beat the taste that these simple ingredients provide. A quick vinaigrette to drizzle over top and this colourful salad is ready to serve.

Caprese Salad

• 2 large tomatoes, red or yellow or both, sliced
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 lb soft mozzarella, sliced or bocconcini
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp altogether of dried italian herbs (ie. basil, oregano, thyme)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

This recipe is very easy to make, and you can easily adapt it to include other delicious ingredients- mushrooms, red onion, or sun dried tomatoes would all be great add ins. Make this for a light meal or serve it as a delicious summer appetizer.

Grilled Veggie Tart

• 15oz puff pastry, thawed ( I used Tenderflake, which is vegan, but any kind will do!)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tsp dried basil
• sea salt and pepper
• 2 oz mozzarella
• 2 oz feta
• 2 oz parmesan