I love to eat fine foods. I love the flavor and artistry of gourmet cuisine. Culinary artists encourage the natural beauty of foods, their quintessence. Simplicity goes a long way. Here are some tips to heighten your kitchen art; the benefits go well beyond your health to your soul and the appreciation of your belly, your eyes and your dining companions.
Ingredients. Every creation is more than the sum of its parts. Love, creativity and joy are the most important elements in amazing meals. High quality foods are also important – raw, organic, fresh.
Equipment. A high-speed blender helps. I like the Vitamix best. Ceramic knives are both wonderful to work with, and help the foods stay most vital. Food processors can be inexpensive and useful.
Recipes are guidelines. I include a few here to get you going, to share some of my favorite delights. What you can create is infinite – play, taste, be creative. Blender alchemy is my specialty. Please see my friends Shazzie and Paul Benhaim’s sites for lots more amazing recipes.
Famous super chocolate smoothie
Mix the following in a blender
10-15 peeled cacoa beans
8-12 ounces fresh coconut water
the flesh of one young coconut
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinammon
1 tablespoon spirulina
1-2 teaspoons maca
pinch of salt
quarter cup soaked goji berries
1 tablespoon raw, organic carob powder
1 vanilla pod
All items and quantities are variable. If you like it sweeter, I suggest agave syrup or honey. To make it thinner, add more coconut water or pure water. Tea can be substituted and especially good is tea from medicinal herbs.
Double bliss pudding
Mix the following in a blender
Two cups fresh durian flesh
2 ounces coconut or pure water as needed
20-30 peeled cacao beans
1-2 teaspoons cinammon
1-2 vanilla pods
¼ cup soaked goji berries and/or
3 soaked figs
Add as little water as needed to blend well and keep pudding consistency. If you like it sweeter, add agave, honey or more dried fruit. Add more cacao to make more bitter and more stimulating.
Salad dressing. General salad dressing tips: According to my philosophy, a salad dressing should taste good enough to drink. Vary consistency with amount of liquids. Non-sweet fruits (tomato, celery, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper) make a great base. Use plenty of fats (high quality oils, avocado, nuts or seeds, tahini) to make it thick and satisfying. The key is lots of fresh herbs; I use tons of basil, cilantro, parsley, etc.
Pesto dressing
Blend the following in a blender or food processor
Celery stalk (the weaker the blender, the smaller the pieces must be)
¼ cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup basil leaves or more
the juice of 1-2 lemons
½ cup pine nuts
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