For July 4 and a whole lot more

Happy Fourth of July everyone. Hope you're having a good one.

So far, I started out my morning with a breakfast smoothie inspired by my raw friend, Blaq Berry, who recently posted her Morning Spice Smoothie on her website. Although she blogged about it on June 30th, I haven't had an opportunity to try it until now.

As you'll notice, hers is much more photogenic than mine, especially since I added greens (a pregnant girl has to have her greens; my doctor says my consumption of them has helped keep my iron level in check). Also, her sprinkling of cinnamon is definitely better incorporated than the little ant hill-like piles on top of my sludgy version (hey, at least it still tasted good; that's what really counts).

In the end, I was lucky enough to get a photo at all. I've been having some camera issues, which made it almost impossible to get any shots while on our mini beach vacation this past week (that's what took me so long to blog again and test out Blaq Berry's creation). I guess it's time for a new one.

For now, here are some more blast from the past photos to give you some raw food ideas for today or any day this summer.

Just because you're raw, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good veggie burger. I like to make Cafe Gratitude's "I Am Cheerful" Sun Burgers and serve them on sesame-topped portobello mushroom buns.

You can also opt for a raw hot dog. In the past, I opted to coat them in a raw corn bread mixture (sorry, I can't remember what I used in the recipe) to make these mock corn dogs.

If you don't have time to dehydrate burgers and hot dogs, there's always a banana dog on a romaine bun, paired with my son's favorite pear fries.

If curly is more your style, use a spiral slicer to form these yellow squash fries to go with a zucchini "quick bread" pizza.

Also, you can never go wrong with a festive slaw recipe, followed by a red, white and blue banana-based sundae. When you use these three colors, you can't help but feel like a part of the celebration :-)

Faster than takeout

One of the reasons I haven't posted as many current food pics lately is due to my lack of patience. When I get a pregnancy craving, I have to fill it asap.

For example, the other night Matthew and Jacob took a special daddy and son trip to the movies to see "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" on the big screen. This left Hayden and I at home alone (she's still in my tummy, of course) to think about what we might like for dinner.

I don't know what prompted it, but I just suddenly had to have some takeout. Unfortunately, I couldn't wait for it to arrive, much less take the time to order it. Besides, I knew I should opt for something healthier, especially since I would be sharing it with my unborn child.

So, to the refrigerator, I darted and dashed,
to see what I could put together right there in a flash.
Lucky me, I had broccoli slaw, some carrot and radish.
What a perfect base for a quick and simple dish?

As for the dressing, I used cashew butter, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, agave nectar, ginger, garlic, fresh ground pepper and cayenne (so much for the rhyming). I basically grabbed anything I could get my hands on.

The results were quite tasty with a sprinkling of sesame. Mission accomplished, as in these photos you can see :-)

Tropical breeze

Or in this case, tropical mac nut freeze. That's the cooling effect I've craved in these warming temps. Being pregnant, it feels at least 10 degrees warmer than usual.

Yesterday was no exception, so I quickly whipped up this yummy treat. It's just a blend of raw macadamia nuts and frozen tropical fruit (I used a combo of pineapple, mango, peach, cantaloupe and kiwi).

I was so eager to indulge in this chilly concoction that I nearly forgot to take this pic. After a couple of bites, I was able to hold back long enough to capture its creamy texture before it melted entirely.

It was a race to the finish, as I did my best to polish it off while it was still somewhat frozen. But don't worry about me; I still enjoyed every last satisfying bite :-)

Walk with me, talk with me

Like father, like son; Matthew and Jacob sure are a lot alike, especially since Matthew is still a big kid at heart. For his birthday, he got a set of Transformer walkie talkies, perfect for playing with Jacob.

I have to admit that even I have been entertained, watching and listening to the two of them sending crazy messages back in forth. And, when Matthew decides to take a break, he lets Hayden get in on the action by placing his walkie talkie on my tummy.

Hayden generally responds with some noticeable movements and kicks. I'm not quite sure if she is trying to communicate back or just doing her best to attempt knocking the darn thing off of her.

At first, Jacob was unaware as to who he was talking to, until Matthew's fake baby voice (he tries to pretend he is Hayden) gave it away. When he did figure it out, he went on and on about everything he knows and what he plans on teaching his little sister. He even taught her how to spell her name.

Something tells me Hayden is going to have a lot of fun hanging out with the boys (referring to her dad and big brother). I think they'll have a good time, too.

Happy Father's Day!

Scrunch & Munch

I'm not referring to the Crunch 'n Munch I used to eat from a box (I'm sure some of you tried the stuff as a child), although this could also be described with those words. I'm talking about the simple salad I love to make, while actually having fun in the process.

This is something I was inspired to do after eating countless salads out and about. I've always enjoyed going to places that allow you to personalize your bowl of goodness with a wealth of fresh ingredients from which to choose.

I love watching the person at the counter toss each tasty decision into a bowl, drizzle it with my choice of dressing (I tend to opt for oil and vinegar) and then scrunch it into a perfectly coated masterpiece. As a result, each bite is packed with flavor.

The best part is recreating the experience at home, since you get to do both the scrunching and the munching (hence the name). Essentially, you get to play with your food using your best culinary tools: your hands, of course.

You can use any ingredients you like, but my favorite combination (one I used to get at a particular salad location) includes mixed greens, carrots, cucumber, radishes, celery, tomato, avocado, peas and walnuts. For a quick dressing, I also add apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, EVOO, dijon mustard, agave, sea salt and pepper. Don't worry about combining them first, since it will all get mixed in during the scrunching.

Okay, now it's your turn. Go scrunch and munch :-)

*On a side note, I just wanted to wish my hubby a happy birthday.
I love you, Matthew!

I'm a proud mama

Before you jump to conclusions, I have not had my second baby yet. She is still tucked safely inside my growing belly.

Instead, I'm referring to my first baby (he'll always be my baby, no matter how old he gets), I gave birth to 6 1/2 years ago.

As I've mentioned before, I'm trying to make this summer special for my son, since it will be his last as an only child. To start, he is enrolled in golf camp this week, and being the proud mama I am, I thought I'd share a few shots of his swing.

First, he carefully places the ball. Then, he lines up his shot. Be careful not to blink. Oops, I missed the swing, but I did snap a pic of his follow through.

Good job Jacob. You're going to be a wonderful big brother :-)

Berry cuke

One of my favorite things to make with summer produce from my local farmers market is a simple cucumber and tomato salad. I've been looking forward to these since the end of the season last year.

Can you imagine my excitement when I found farm fresh cukes at the market Friday night? And, although there weren't any tomatoes for sale yet, I was able to pick up some yummy strawberries as a sweet substitute.

(Strawberries are an excellent source of folic acid, which is important for pregnant women and those who are planning a pregnancy. This may explain my strong cravings for them.)

Have you tried this delicious combination? In-season local cucumbers and strawberries tossed in just a splash or so of balsamic vinegar. When the ingredients are this fresh, you don't need anything else (although basil is a tasty addition).

Unfortunately, I won't be treating myself to this combo for long, as I was informed these would be the last of the strawberries at the market this year. I guess I just have to enjoy them while they last.