Well, color me a bandwagoner, I’m hooked. For how long it will last, no one knows. Many folks in the raw food community are onboard already, such as Phillip, Heidi, and Kris, to name just a few. Last week I wrote about my favorite fresh juice, or more precisely, about its color. This week we’re showing how to make it. Without further ado, we give you… “The Director’s Cut.”
The Director’s Cut:

2-3 large carrots, to taste

2 ribs celery

2 ribs celery

Whisk all sauce ingredients in a small dish, add water if the mixture remains un-saucy. Serve portions of the ice cream topped with the sauce, fresh banana and chopped raw almonds.

Tags: ice cream, sundae, valentine’s day, vegan

Be sure to check back next Tuesday, when we’ll be showing you how to make some festive pagan treats of your own!

Tags: history, love, lupercalia, pagan, valentine

In addition to tossing a little green, Tanja put together a wonderful, earthy, spicy parsnip noodle salad for this episode. We’ll be putting the recipe in the next edition of the Freshtopian, so if you haven’t already signed up, do so by entering your preferred address in the field at the site’s upper-right.

Tags: chinese new year, lunar new year, year of the rat

Despite the soup’s tragic disposition, the episode may be worth a check-out, if nothing more than as a cautionary tale. “What not to do with grapefruits.” The music, by our friend Justin Winokur , is great, and there is a healthy dose of nervous laughs to accompany.

If we’re still friends after you watch this, consider tuning in next week. Among other things we’ll be showing you how to make our variation of green lemonade, as well as blogging up a storm.

Here’s the recipe, so you know what to avoid…

Sundried Tomato-Chipotle Swirl:
1/3C olive oil
1/4C sundried tomatoes
1 small dried chipotle pepper
1t mustard
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Grapefruit Avocado Soup:
2 large grapefruit, peel and pith removed
1 large avocado

Tags: grapefruit, raw food, soup

Sage-Pistachio Pesto:

1/2 Cup fresh sage

1/2 Cup raw pistachios

1/3 Cup olive oil

1 small clove garlic

1 T nutritional yeast

Peel, de-vein, and chop garlic. Add all pesto ingredients to food processor and blend to desired consistency. Serve over julienned butternut squash, or the shredded vegetable of your choice.

Thanks once more to Justin Winokur for his generous contribution of just the right music. Happy new year Justin!

Tags: food, freshtopia, pesto, pistachio, raw food, SAGE

This is an event that will one day reach great renown… the first Christmas Special in online media history. Well, the first to our knowledge at any rate. This is day one of three action-packed days of Freshtopian Christmas cheer, featuring food, fun, green gift ideas, holiday stress relievers, and more.

In today’s episode we will first illustrate a reclaimed stocking craft idea. Next, Barb Finnin gives us some green stocking-stuffer ideas (see links below for purchase). Lastly, yoga instructor extraordinaire Kate Schox shows us a holiday stress-relieving pose.

Tags: Christmas, drink, egg nog, vegan egg nog

In today’s episode we will first illustrate a reclaimed stocking craft idea. Next, Barb Finnin gives us some green stocking-stuffer ideas (see links below for purchase). Lastly, yoga instructor extraordinaire Kate Schox shows us a holiday stress-relieving pose.

Happy Holidays!

Tags: Christmas, freshtopia, freshtopia.net, stockings, yoga

Celery Root, also known as Celeriac, is an often underappreciated vegetable. It has the brightness and water content of celery but is much more mild in flavor, as well as having a slightly higher starch content. In a soup, these factors combine to make a dish that warms and comforts the palette the way a potato soup might, without adding the empty calories that many starchy vegetables are prone to. We hope you’ll take the time to give it a try!

Tags: celeriac, celery root, soup

As this was our first attempt at capturing a dinner event in episodic format, I’m sure we missed a few details. That’s ok, the company was great and the food was spot on. Ryanne and Jay brought some fresh mixed greens from their backyard garden, along with a mystery squash that they had grown from seed. Eddie brought along an organic chardonnay that suited his Gary Vaynerchuk alter-ego just fine. Ryanne and Jay’s squash was destined to become a spiced squash soup, featuring the surprising combination of cinnamon and dill. And even I was surprised by the liveliness of their fresh greens. I’m still always struck by the difference between produce served minutes or hours after picking, rather than days or weeks.

The evening was filled with roving topics, like any good dinner party should be, though eventually we settled on cross-promotion and surviving in a new medium. Making a go of it in the world of online content is still a tremendous challenge; the industry at this point is still a sea of turbulent waters. Add to this the issues of unaffordable health care and fading social security, and the outlook could appear grim for long-term survival in the video blogging world. Young professionals in today’s work force, especially the increasing ranks of freelance professionals, are in for a potentially bumpy road. There are some real advantages to the transient work life that has evolved in modern America, such as greater flexibility to pursue interests and less likelihood of chronic boredom. However these perks in many lie on top of a shakey foundation. Dismal health coverage was unanimous among us, and at the current rate social security will be a thing of the past well before we’re likely to need it. Talk about a domestic threat – the office of homeland security needs to sic itself on reinstituting usury laws, reducing insurance premiums, and fighting labor loss and infrastructure deterioration in order for us to have a truly safe and stable country. There was a palpable patriotism to much of the evening’s discussion; despite the likelihood of choppy waters ahead, everyone present seemed interested and determined to make a positive change in their corner of the world.

In the end, we’re blessed enough to be doing what we have a passion for, making content, entertaining, trying to affect change. None of us are likely to switch jobs any time soon.

On the subject of passion, this Friday night the Freshtopia.net team, along with Ryanne and Jay, and Doctor Popular will be presenting at Eddie Codel’s Video Salon Redux . If you’re in San Francisco Friday night, consider stopping by and saying hello.

Happy Dinning,

Tags: Ryanne Hodson, Jay Dedman, Momentshowing, Eddie Codel, Eddie Codel’s Video Salon Redux, dinner party, Geek Entertainment TV, momentshowing, ryanishungry

Tags: bonnie pierzina, clean tech, freshtopia, gary vaynerchuk, geek entertainment tv, irina slutsky, lan bui, noodlescar, the winnies, vu bui, vu goes vegan, wine library tv

Tags: The Winnies, vloggywood, Tanja Andrews, Vitamix, compostable

It’s an easy mistake to make. Once you get on the green smoothie train, you tend to ride it all the way to happy town. I don’t really know what that means. The point is, often once people get into the GS, they tend to really get into the GS. It can be easy to forget that not everyone is so keen on the taste of pulverized kale and celery right out of the starting gate. It is not a transition food.

There are exceptions. On a recent episode of Oprah, Dr. Memet Oz presented Ms. Winfrey with a bright green concoction that she was pleased to receive. Her response upon tasting, “It’s like a glass of fresh!”

Our green smoothie episode garnered us our first video response. Our friends Steelee and Jessica gave our first smoothie a try, and were less than enthused about it. Fair enough, I wasn’t so jazzed at my first either. In time the body adjusts to the taste of more punchy, alkaline drinks, but it’s a good idea to start with a more accessible smoothie. So, if you’re up for giving it a shot, toss together the recipe below. As you’ll see, it’s so good even a child will like it!

Green Smoothie 2.0:
Serves 1-2

1 ripe banana
1 Cup mango, chopped
1-2 Cups fresh spinach
Water as necessary
2 ice cubes
1 Tbspn flax oil, optional

Blend as long as necessary. Make it as smooth as possible. Enjoy.

The primary difference? More fruit, less (and less bitter) greens. Give it a shot… and send us your video comments!

Tags: raw-food, health, Green Smoothie, Dr. Memet Oz

Maybe it’s not so insane after all…

Macadamia-Stuffed Figs
Serves about 4

6-8 large figs, or more if smaller ones
Macadamia cheese
1C macadamia nuts soaked 1hour or more
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2T honey or agave syrup
1t vanilla extract
Dash of sea salt
Pecans and additional honey for garnish

Blend all “cheese” ingredients in food processor until smooth and fluffy, scraping down sides of processor if necessary to ensure even blending. Cut figs in half and use small spoon or spatula to mound about 1T of filling (depending on the size of the figs) in each half. Press a pecan sliver into the filling and drizzle with additional honey before serving.

Wicked delicious!

Our house had a problem; we all loved sparkling water, but hated the wasteful plastic packaging and crazy cost. Americans drink more than 55 billion liters of soda and seltzer every year, which means over 3 billion cubic feet of packaging ends up in recycling facilities or worse, landfills! We were determined not to be those consumers any more.

After doing some research, Barb determined that the answer to our sparkling dreams was a home carbonating unit with reusable bottles… and also that there’s some sort of inexplicable connection between sparkling water and yachts. For more information on our Edition One soda machine, visit SodaClub.

Even if you don’t have a yacht, why not celebrate the blushing finale of peach season with a fresh white peach Bellini?

White Peach Bellini
Serves 2-4
1 large white peach
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 raspberries, plus additional for garnish
Agave to taste
Sparkling water

Remove the pit and chop the peach, then blend until smooth along with the lemon juice, raspberries and sweetener if using. Divide among 2-4 glasses, garnish with 1 or 2 whole raspberries and top with sparkling water, stirring gently.

Cheers!

Tags: sparkle motion, SodaClub

This post has not been approved by the FDA. SuperCandy is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any illness, but it tastes great and may make you feel awesome….

Caramaca-Chocolate SuperCandyMakes
8-16 bars Walnut crust layer
1 1/2C walnuts
1/2C dates, chopped
1t vanilla
Dash of sea salt
Caramaca layer
1/4C carob (un-roasted)
1/4C maca powder
3/4C agave syrup or honey
2T cold-pressed flax oil
1t cinnamon
1/2t sea salt

Power chocolate layer
1 1/2C raw chocolate powder
1/2C coconut butter (not oil!)or substitute your favorite nut butter
3/4C agave syrup
1-2T He Shou Wu (add more if you like!)
1t vanilla
Dash of sea salt

Blend all crust layer ingredients in food processor until cohesive, but still chunky. Press into bottom of small loaf pan. In a small bowl, whisk all caramaca ingredients together until a saucy consistency is reached. Pour caramaca over walnut layer and place in freezer while making the chocolate layer. In cleaned food processor, blend all chocolate layer ingredients until a nice fudgy consistency is reached. Press chocolate evenly over the caramaca layer and return pan to the freezer for about 1 hour to firm. Cut into squares or bars and enjoy!

Feel super!

Wondering where to get all this good stuff? Your local health food store will probably happily help you out, or go online to:

One Lucky Duck for raw chocolate powder, agave, and Artisana Coconut butter.

Nature’s First Law for maca and raw chocolate.

Herbal Extracts Plus or Ocean Wave Vibrations for He Shou Wu, aka Ho Shou Wu or Fo Ti.

Tags: shou wu, One Lucky Duck

Tags: composting, worm bin, Freshtopia, Barb Finnin, Wriggly Wranch

This post is sponsored by Audible.com, click here for free download and 14-day trial.

Holy Mole with Faux Frijoles Serves 2-4 Mole sauce

1C fresh tomato

1/3C olive oil

1/4C onion

1/4C raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/4C raw almonds

1 clove garlic

3 large dates

3-4 sun-dried tomato pieces

1 small dried pepper or ground chili powder to taste

1T raw cocoa powder, or carob if ya like

2t fresh oregano

1t ground cinnamon

1/2t ground cloves

Smoked salt and black pepper
Faux Frijoles

1C sunflower seeds

1C zucchini, diced

1/4C red bell pepper, diced

1/4C sweet onion, diced

1t cumin

Salt and black pepper

Cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano for garnish

Soak dates, sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds and dried pepper if using, in about 1 1/2C warm water for at least 1 hour. De-stem and remove seeds from dried pepper. Reserve soak water and add all mole ingredients to blender and blend well, adding soak water as necessary to thin. Mix drained sunflower seeds with diced veggies and seasonings. Top with sauce and garnish with tomatoes and oregano.

Tags: Mexican, mole, Aztec, Audible.com, Holy Mole, Faux Frijoles, olive oil

It’s time to get into a pickle, quicker than ever!

Simple Pickle SaladServes 2-4

1C thinly sliced cucumber

3/4C thinly sliced sweet onion

Apple cider vinegar, about 1/2C

1t agave, or more to taste

Fresh ground black pepper

Soak the cucumber and onion in warm, sea-salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Immerse drained veggies in equal parts apple cider vinegar and water to cover. Add agave and fresh black pepper to taste. Let sit overnight if possible. Pickles will keep in refrigerator 3 to 5 days.

I’m talking about Barbeque! It’s so crazy it just might work… or is it just a delicious recipe and a great excuse for some bizarre factoids and possibly dismally inaccurate history?

Pineapple Portabella BBQ!
Serves 2-4

Pineapple BBQ sauce:

1C pineapple plus 1/2C chopped for garnish
1C fresh tomato
2T sun-dried tomatoes
2T dates, soaked
1t chipotle pepper, soaked if using whole dried pepper
1t fresh ginger
1t garlic
1T apple cider vinegar
1T mustard
1t nama shoyu or soy sauce
Smoked salt and fresh pepper to taste

Spice rub:
2T paprika
1T chile powder
Pinch of ground clove
Fresh pepper and dash of smoked salt, if desired
2 large Portabella mushroom caps

Blend all sauce ingredients until smooth, adding water as necessary to thin. Cut the mushroom caps into strips, and marinate in the sauce for 2.5-3hours. Remove mushrooms from sauce, reserving the sauce for presentation, then press one side of each strip into the spice rub. Serve mushrooms garnished with sauce and the additional pineapple, sprinkled with remaining spice.

Feel the heat!

Tags: vegan

Oh man. All I wanted was to make home-grown, organic, sun-dried tomatoes…. I just didn’t know what I was in for. This tomato caper business is making us all a little crazy here at Freshtopia HQ. Growing your own tomatoes simply isn’t for the faint of heart. We’ve had casualties, wild successes, replacements, funerals and a rather, um, overdeveloped zucchini plant. Here’s Barb and me trying our best to talk about our gardening adventure without devolving into complete idiocy.

Bonus garden tip! If you eat yogurt, or know someone who does, we’ve also got a great use for those empty cups. Reuse rocks!

Tags: Great Tomato Caper, organic, tomatoes, Freshtopia, zucchini, gardening, Reuse

What we came up with is a bright, satisfying rendition of a classic comfort dish, pasta Alfredo. Our version uses marinated, julienned zucchini in lieu of conventional pasta, and the perhaps surprising combination of cashews and pine nuts to create a rich, delicious sauce.

Vegan Alfredo with Marinated Spagini:
serves 2

Fresh Alfredo Sauce:
1C cashews, soaked
1/2C water
1/4C pine nuts, soaked
3T olive oil
2T sweet onion, chopped
2t agave syrup
1t nutritional yeast
small clove garlic
1/4t sea salt
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 pinch fresh lemon thyme, for garnish

Blend all ingredients in your regular or high-speed blender until smooth and creamy, adding additional water as necessary. Serve over thinly shaved zucchini “pasta” and garnish with additional nutmeg and herbs!

Marinated Spagini:
1C green zucchini, julienned
1C yellow zucchini, julienned
1t olive oil
1t fresh lemon thyme, de-stemmed and chopped
dash sea salt

Julianne your zucchini, combine in bowl with remaining ingredients. Allow to marinate 15 minutes before serving.

Plate your marinated spagini, give it a generous dose of Alfredo sauce, and garnish with fresh lemon thyme and a pinch of additional ground nutmeg. Enjoy!

Tags: Gluten Free by the Bay, Karina, The Gluten Free Goddess, Cooking for Karina, Vegan Alfredo

With summer’s bounty rolling in on all sides, I wanted to do an easy rendition of a summer staple with a twist. You may have had gazpacho before, but did it shine? The many heirloom and unusual varieties of ingredients, like lemon cucumbers and tomatoes, are perfect for a novel color theme. It’s time for gazpacho with bling!

Traditionally, this summer soup is thickened with bread, but using sun-dried tomatoes as an alternative makes it both fresh and gluten-free. Gazpacho is a great way to enjoy some of the best produce the season has to offer, and you’ll have a great meal without even having to heat up your kitchen on a hot summer day!

Golden Gazpacho:
Serves 2 as entrée, 3-4 as appetizer

2 C yellow tomatoes, we like yellow cherry tomatoes
1 C lemon cucumber, chopped
1/4 C onion, chopped
2T olive oil, or to taste
2T oregano, plus additional for garnish
1/8 C sun-dried tomatoes, soaked until soft
Small clove garlic
1t mustard
1t agave syrup or honey
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/8 Cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked
Salt and pepper
1/4 red jalapeno for garnish, minced

Blend the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, agave, mustard and half the fresh tomatoes in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add remaining tomatoes, onion, oregano and cucumber, and pulse until desired consistency… Smooth? Chunky? You know what you like. Garnish with finely minced red pepper and fresh oregano. Edible flowers are nice too if you can get them, and you can get them if you try!

Taste the sunshine, gold-diggers!

Tags: gazpacho, heirloom, tomatoes

Both of my cats used to be raw-food kittensabout why to try.

Here’s a nicely comprehensive list of options in prepared raw cat food.

Totally hardcore? Interested in making your own from scratch? Here you go.

Remember, raw meat can carry food-borne illnesses, which may affect your pet, and can be passed to humans. Always use human-food grade meats and safe handling practices if you choose to feed your critters a raw diet. Kittens do not live by cheezburgers alone!

Tags: Lolcats