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The weather is ripe for enjoying warm raw soups. My inspiration today was from fall ingredients and the Halloween holiday. I whipped up this delightful and flavorful, raw vegan soup, garnished with black sesame seeds (a wonderful “jing” food – more on jing foods for future posts), and it screamed Halloween! It’s mega easy and only has 8 simple ingredients. Check it out…
Carrot and apple make this a perfect fall season soup.
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This soup is divine! We love it so much that I’m making a second batch to have with our dinner tonight. It’s super creamy, lightly sweet, and packed full of nutrition (tons –> vitamin C, iron, fiber, folate, vitamin B6, copper, vitamin K, potassium, and much more). It’s a definite keeper! You gotta make this one. And… don’t you just love recipes that only take you a few minutes to make?
Indian Mango Soup
Recipe by Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com
Yield 3 1/2 cups
1 1/4 cups filtered water
2 cups fresh mango, chopped
2 cups spinach, gently packed
1/2 avocado (pitted, peeled)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
pinch Himalayan crystal salt
Blend everything until divinely creamy. Enjoy!!!
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It’s time for a recipe! YAY! Here is a delicious, sassy, and unique recipe that is creamy and nutritious (ginger and hemp seeds rock!). This recipe is featured in my latest book, Kristen Suzanne’s Ultimate Raw Vegan Chocolate Recipes. And, the lovely Ingrid (of Raw Epicurean) also featured this on her blog with a picture.
EXOTIC CHOCOLATE MILK
By Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com
Yield 3 cups
Ginger is a rich source of powerful antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties, and there is evidence that ginger’s antioxidants might help fight/inhibit the growth of certain types of cancers. Not only that, studies show ginger can also help boost the immune system.
Hemp is commonly referred to as a “superfood” because of its amazing nutritional value. Its amino acid profile dominates with the 8 essential amino acids (10 if you’re elderly or a baby), making it a vegetarian source of “complete” protein! And, it’s loaded with essential fatty acids in an ideal ratio of omega 3s to omega 6s. Go hemp!
2 cups water
1 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup raw chocolate powder
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar or date paste (or more)
1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water*
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or more)
pinch Himalayan crystal salt (optional)
Blend all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Exotic Chocolate Milk will stay fresh when stored in an airtight container for up to five days.
* Available at most Middle Eastern Markets, online, and at some Whole Foods Markets.
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Today I made Warming Plant Blood (recipe at the end of this post), which includes one of my all-time favorite ingredients – Ginger. I always have fresh organic ginger in my house. I love adding it to juices, smoothies, salads, and other Raw vegan dishes (it’s so nourishing). I’ve often referred to garlic as the king of spices. The queen spot goes to ginger. It rocks.
Ginger offers multiple health benefits. It has warming qualities, as noted in the recipe title Warming Plant Blood. When I feel cold in the winter, I start adding more ginger to my diet. Even though most of my food is Raw (and sometimes a little chilly by nature), adding ginger helps make my digestion and body feel like it’s warming up. Speaking of digestion, ginger is a major helper in that department. Next time you have an upset tummy, try drinking some warm water with a little fresh grated ginger, lemon juice and maybe a dash of raw agave nectar or a drop of stevia. Or, simply drink some ginger tea from a box. I just picked some up at Whole Foods last night from the company Traditional Medicinals. They have a nice tea called Organic Ginger. If I think I’ll have a meal that might challenge my digestive system, I often drink a cup of this about a half hour before the meal.
Ginger is a rich source of powerful antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory properties, and there is evidence that ginger’s antioxidants might help fight/inhibit the growth of certain types of cancers. Not only that, but studies show ginger can also help boost the immune system.
Storing ginger is easy. Fresh ginger can be stored for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator (or up to 6 months in the freezer) when tightly wrapped.
Warming Plant Blood
Kristen Suzanne of Kristen’s Raw
Yield 1-2 servings
1-inch piece of fresh ginger*
4-5 carrots
1 medium/large-ish beet
1 bunch of baby red Swiss chard**
I used my Breville juicer to juice the ingredients.
* This is a lot of ginger and it definitely gives the juice a kick and immediate warming sensation. You might try half this amount and taste the juice. Then, decide if you want to add more.
** The baby red Swiss chard I used today was from the farmer’s market (locally grown, organic – YAY!). The leaves were little, which is why I referred to it as “baby” Swiss chard. If I was using a regular, full grown bunch, I probably would have juiced 1/2 – 3/4 of the bunch.
For more information on great juicers, check out my blog post, My Favorite Juicers – GreenStar and Breville.
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I miss my former espresso days using my cute demitasse cups, so I’m giving them new life by drinking my wheatgrass from them. Isn’t it adorable? Only, I wanted to create a fun alternative to plain wheatgrass, because this never was my favorite beverage (I usually make faces while swallowing it). The verdict? This recipe is fantastically fun! And, it’s potent – Yowza! This little concoction will definitely put some “hip in your hop!”
Wheatgrass rocks because it’s loaded with nutrients and is one of the best ways to help alkalize your body. Ginger is the queen of spices and worthy of much adoration (garlic is king, by the way) because it helps with nausea (which can occur with some people after having plain wheatgrass, myself included), boosts circulation and is filled with antioxidants. The spicy Serrano pepper (or habanero) adds heat and fun (like espresso, only a different kind of heat- haha). Read amazing things about hot peppers here.
Daily Conversation Question:
If money were no object what kind of party would you throw and where?
I'm Kristen, and welcome to my blog. I'm a wife, mom, author, and I love to eat so food is usually the topic of my blog posts. I'm a former (almost decade long) vegan turned back omnivore who enjoys reading, rebounding, coffee, and dark chocolate. More...
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