heatherblanton.com

heatherblanton.com: "Marathon Triptych" No. 48 - 3-8x8" acrylic on birch cradle board

Why marathons and cyclists?

You may ask? The chaos of the group! The heart of competition! The sweat, the blood, the tears.

Kale salad with Cashew based Dressing, Dried Cranberries, and Pumpkin seeds

Do you love kale but aren't sure how to eat it? Here's how!

1 bunch organic gale, cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors

4 green onions, cut into small pieces

1/2 c dried no sugar cranberries

1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds, preferably organic

Dressing

1/4 c cashew cream cheese

1 tsp onion powder, organic

1-2 raw garlic cloves, minced

4 dates, chopped and seeded

1-2 tbsp lemon or orange juice

Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

Rejuvalac added slowly until desired consistency

Blend in the high speed blender of your choice, adding rejuvalac slowly until desired consistency is achieved. Pour on to greens after they have been cut into small pieces and refrigerate for 1-4 hours. You can also add raw goat cheese chèvre on top or your choice of salad toppers.

Oat Rejuvelac and Cashew Cream Cheese

Oat Groat Rejuvelac

1 cup Whole Oat Groats, Buckwheat, Quinoa or other grain

6 cups of Spring or filtered water

Soak grains in enough water to cover and soak overnight in a glass jar with a cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar.  Drain the grains and put in 6 cups of water for 1-3 days either in 2 jars or three, divide grains equally between containers and add water.

Drain the rejuvelac with a metal strainer and refrigerate for 1-2 weeks, it should be pungent 

Cashew Cream Cheese

2 cups raw cashew, soaked in rejuvelac for 5-8 hours, just enough to cover the cashews

Blend in a high speed blender until smooth. Add some Himalayan Sea Salt to taste, blend once again.

Put in a glass jar with lid and store in the refrigerator 

I use this on crackers, celery, or anything you would use cream cheese on.  I also use it as a base for cheese sauce I put on top of dishes. This is simple, add cashew cheese with nutritional yeast and lemon juice and some red pepper, fresh or dried.

Vegan Shrimp Tacos

These unbelievably realistic vegan treasures are from a company called "Sophie's Kitchen" out of Taiwan. They are made with Konjac Powder. It is a root of a native Japanese plant. They also grow in Korea, Indonesia, and China. It is also known as "elephant yams". Much of the time it is used in place of gelatin, an animal based product unsuitable for vegans, vegetarians and health conscious people. It also has zero calories and is very high in fiber. 

Now if you eat seafood regularly, you are not going to eat this and saw "wow, this tastes just like shrimp" but if you are allergic to seafood or against factory farm raised shrimping, you will be thrilled at the possibilities this product has to offer. 

I love mexican tortillas so I was very happy to find out Ezekial makes sprouted corn tortillas in the freezed section of most local health food stores. Being frozen, I can have them on hand whenever I am craving mexican food. Braise cabbage, portabellos and onions with some Earth Balance, Maldon Sea Salt and whole cumin seeds for authentic mexican flavors. 

 

Seaweed Salad with Sweet Miso

Soak arame, hijiki and wakame dried seaweeds in water for time directed on package. I add carrots, shaved raw beets, and avacado.

The dressing is sweet miso paste, raw tahini and hemp oil. The only problem is...I never want to see FD&C Blue #4 seaweed salad again after having this delicious, nutritious salad! 

Risotto Stuffed Cubanelles and Hot Peppers

I like Risotto but not when made with heavy creams and butters. It really tastes good to substitute a much healthier alternative like cashew cream and Earth Balance. Please remember that Earth Balance is available soy free and unlike Smart Balance, it does not have hydrogenated anything. Read the label on everything you eat. You should be able to understand every word on there. If not, research it. MSG is being added as all kinds of things these days. These are excito-toxins that make your brain not want to eat natural foods.  "Let thy food be thy medicine."-Hippocrates

Curry Quinoa Timbale over Baby Arugula Salad

 Quinoa is not only delicious but one of the best sources of tons of vitamins and minerals! Its light, fluffy flavor has always been one of my favorites. Plus, it's full of amino acids, actually all 9 of the necessary ones. It also has as much protein pound for pound against meat. That should satisfy most of your protein cravings and help you with lysine if you work out and are worried that a vegan diet might not contain enough protein.

If this is not enough to convince you to LOVE quinoa, I have a few more phenomenal facts about this Superfood...

It's full of antioxidants helping your body rid itself of free radicals, wheat and gluten-free, Magnesium rich which helps control hypertension, fiber-rich so it helps clean your colon,  lowers triglycerides,  helps regulate bile helping prevent gall stones, and if that is not enough, it  aids in WEIGHT LOSS!!!!

Chick-in and Pea Shoot Spring Rolls w. Thai RAW Dipping sauce

Fresh Springs Rolls get a twist in this take-off on Thai!



Spring Roll Wrapper, soaked in warm spring water 3 sec.

2 Gardein Scallopini pieces rubbed with Toasted Sesame oil and then grilled on med-hi heat with a cast-iron grilling pan. It gives them a char-flavor and black stripes like you made it outside on the grill...
4 baby bellas diced and grilled

Fresh, raw Pea Shoots
fresh, raw basil,
fresh, raw avacado
fresh mint leaves
freash garlic cives
fresh cilantro


Sauce is made of 1/2 c Raw Almond butter and 1/4 c raw cashew butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 stalk of lemongrass minced, 4 minced garlic pieces, 1/2" fresh minced ginger, juice of one lime, 2 tbsp. nana shoyu, cayenes, mined, 1 lime leaf, minced, cilantro and thai basil.

Gardein Chicken Fried Chicken with Easy Drop Biscuits

Vegan Gardein Chic-un available at Winn_dixie's locations near you!

Vegan Bechamel poured over top Gardein's Mandarin Chick-un without the added sauce packet.

The Chick-un pieces are lightly breaded and then sauteed until crispy, add sliced portobellos and cook til tender.

Drop biscuits are wheat flour, baking soda, salt, oil, almond milk and Vegannaise spread. I drop these into my 9" cast iron skillet and cook for 8 minutes. Then add chick-un and mushrooms and top with vegan bechamel sauce and serve!

Vegan Bechamel
6 tbsp Earth Balnce melted
add wheat flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms, add almond milk or coconut kefir etc. and whisk until desired bechamel consistency. Salt, white pepper and nutmeg finish it off, then some turmeric because it's really good for you and has zero flavor.

Addictive but healthier alternative!

WALNUT and Onion Frittata w. Sherry Vinegar