Happy International Juice Feasting Day!

Today is international juice feasting day.

Although I may have a small meal while we are out later, I will be juicing for the rest of my meals today.

This juice is inspired by the ingredients in my cranberry salad. It is very refreshing, and another easy way to enjoy cranberries while they last!

Cranberry Orange Pear Juice

1 orange
1 pear
1 cup cranberries
1 cup celery
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice

1. Juice orange, pear, celery and cranberries.

2. Shake with spices and serve:)

Have a very juicy day everyone!

Raw Cranberry Salad

I have been enjoying this festive cranberry salad for a few weeks now, ever since fresh cranberries appeared in the market.

The recipe is adapted from one found during a Google search:) (The link to the original recipe is currently unavailable to me)

Festive Raw Cranberry Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 orange, zest before peeling, reserve zest
2 ripe pears
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped(optional)
4 stalks celery
1/2 cup organic currants, raisins, or dried cranberries
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. each of ginger and allspice
2 Tablespoons agave, or sweetener of choice

For "turkey"
Assorted baby greens
1/2 a pear
1 currant cut in half
1 pumpkin seed, shelled
1 small sliver of persimmon or other red or orange fruit

Please note the "turkey" salad pictured used half of the cranberry salad recipe, but with 1 whole orange.

1. Chop cranberries, pears, and celery to 1/4 inch pieces. I used the dice blade on my Vidalia Chop Wizard.

2. If making the turkey pictured, use only 1/2 the orange in the salad itself. Cut 1/2 into slices and the other 1/2 into tidbits and add to cranberry mixture with nuts, spices, zest, and sweetener. Mix well and let stand at least 1 hour for best flavor. I usually leave out the nuts for a lighter, better combined salad.

3. Arrange as shown using baby lettuce, radicchio, sliced orange, and cranberry halves. The turkey is 1/2 a pear with a pumpkin seed beak, cut currant eyes, and a persimmon waddle. Use any red fruit for the waddle, even a red apple peel:)

It looks very pretty on a bed of assorted baby lettuce.

This salad has hunza raisins and no nuts.

This may also be made into a more traditional cranberry sauce by blending all ingredients in the food processor fitted with the "S" blade.



Each salad pictured is 1/2 a full recipe. Full recipe serves 6-8 people.

I hope you enjoy this refreshing cranberry salad as much as I do:)

Please click here for links to more festive Thanksgiving recipes and ideas:)

CranBanApple Parfait

~Please note: recipe links within this post are broken but the video of Mike making it is still up.
Sorry for any inconvenience, and please let me know of any other broken links and I will do my best to find the recipe for you.

ETA~ some people are having trouble with the video, so I am copying and pasting the recipe from Mike:
Ingredients
2-3 sweet apples (fuji or honey crisp)
1 1/2 cups of cranberries
1/2 cup of soaked raisins
Dash of cinnamon
2 really ripe bananas
1 pear
1 1/2 heaping teaspoons of lucuma powder
Teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
4-6 soaked dates and soak water
Sprinkle of cacao nibs

Approximate serving size
2-3 servings

Machine use
Vita-Mix or Food Processor

Directions
If you make this advance, let each layer sit in their own bowls to settle for an hour or so. This will enhance the flavors and consistency of the dish. If you assemble right away, it will be a bit more runny.

Cut up apples and add to Vita-Mix or Food Processor with handful of raisins, 1 cup of cranberries and cinnamon.

Pulse down into a puree.

If it's too liquid, strain off some of the juice and enjoy it on the side.

Add this layer to your serving dish and press down to pack it in.

Rinse out Vita-Mix or Food Processor before moving onto the next step.

Put bananas, pears, vanilla and lucuma powder in Vita-Mix or Food Processor and blend down until smooth. Add warm water as needed.

Pour this layer on top and swirl dish to settle the banana mixture.

Rinse out Vita-Mix or Food Processor before moving onto the next step.

Add coconut oil, rest of cranberries, dates and 1/4 cup of the date soak water to the Vita-Mix or Food Processor. Blend down until smooth.

Place this layer on top and swirl the dish to settle the layer

Sprinkle cacao nibs on top.

Fall is the season for the healthy cranberry. I love cranberries in everything from juice to stuffing, and especially desserts:)

I am so happy that I found this wonderful recipe from Mike Lieberman, aka CanarsieBK of Simply Raw Recipes.

Earlier this month, Mike placed second with his recipe in VeggieConquest III: Battle Cranberry. VeggieConquest is an amateur vegan cooking competition that’s held in NYC. Click here to read more about it:)

I loved this recipe for many reasons, but mostly because it is delicious. It is so quick and easy. The components took me about 15 minutes to make. For those of you who like a lighter, nut-free treat, you will love this!

Please click here for the recipe for CranBanApple Parfait

The first layer is a combination of cranberries, apple(I used honeycrisp), raisins, and cinnamon.

The second, and my personal favorite, is a blend of pear(I had a very juicy Bartlett), banana, vanilla, and lucuma powder. I really loved this layer, and topped some leftover pudding with cacao nibs:) I think this will become a regular treat for me:)

The final layer is cranberries, coconut oil and dates. This layer appears a little lighter in color after it is chilled. Because of the coconut oil, it firms up a bit when cold.

It would be so nice to serve this in beautiful champagne flutes for an elegant dessert or first course for the upcoming holidays.

Click here for all my links posted for raw Thanksgiving recipes.


Thank you so much to Mike for this awesome recipe:) I really loved it!

ETA~As soon as I tasted it, I knew the banana layer would have to become banana soft serve:)

4 frozen bananas
1 Bartlett pear
1 heaping tablespoon lucuma powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Process all ingredients in food processor fitted with the "S" blade until soft, light, and creamy. This may take a few minutes, and you might have to scrape the bowl once or twice. I really love my chocolate almond soft serve, but this is a close 2nd!

Fold in a scant 1/4 cup cacao nibs, if desired:)...I desired, lol!

I put the mixture in the freezer for a few hours, and it was still soft yet scoop-able.