Easy, tasty springtime eating!

mango gaz (350x235)With all the beautiful, ripe fruit and vegetables beginning to come into Green Acres, it starts some of us thinking of easy, breezy springtime entertaining.

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, caveman, gluten free or grain-convinced, you’ll love these recipes that are spotlighted in the recent Garden of Life magazine called, Extraordinary Health.  Just looking at the colorful photographs gets the mouth watering for RAW and uncomplicated food.

How does Simple Mango Cazpacho sound? Or Avocado Salad Wraps? Or Raspberry Vanilla Cream Popsicles for dessert? Yum!  Not a bad ladies luncheon, picnic family supper or just a regular meal—just because we all deserve it!

A couple of years ago, Matt, one of our owners, gave some GreenAcres Bradley Fair customers a lesson in cutting up a ripe mango.  Not as easy as you think without a very sharp knife! But if you’ve ever tried to tear into that juicy fruit without really knowing how, by the time you pry your through, you’ve got a puddle of juice all over the kitchen counter and a bunch of stringy pulp. So, before you try the recipe that follows, check out this Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcDPB7wTReg

Simple Mango Gaz courtesy of RAW Chef Penni Shelton

Ingredients

2 c. diced fresh mangoes

2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 c. chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

3 T. fresh lime juice

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro (or basil or mint—you choose)

2 T. organic cold-pressed EVOO

1 t. onion powder

Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Red onion, chopped for garnish

Avocado, sliced for garnish

Directions:

Reserve a bit of the mango, cucumber, red pepper and cilantro to use as the final garnish, if desired.  Process the remaining ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour into bowls and garnish for soup or this can easily be poured into a glass enjoyed as a savory, sweet smoothie.

mango gaz2 (350x233)Avocado Salad Wraps  courtesy Dr. Josh Axe

Ingredients

2 avocados, cubed

1 red pepper, cubed

2 T. diced red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped

2 t. fresh lemon juice

6 to 8 romaine lettuce leaves, roughly chopped

6 gluten free wraps

Directions

Mix all ingredients, except the wraps, in a bowl.  Scoop out approximately ½ cup mixture into each gluten free wrap and roll. Serve.

mango gaz 3 (325x244)Raspberry Vanilla Cream Popsicles courtesy Pure Fresh Daily

 Ingredients

1 13.5 oz can organic coconut milk or 2 cups whole fat coconut yogurt

2 6oz. packages fresh raspberries

4 T. raw honey

1 t. vanilla extract

2 T. Garden of Life Coconut Oil

Directions

Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend on high until smooth, frothy and creamy. Pour into popsicle mold and insert handle tops or wooden sticks (depending on the molds you have.)

Freeze for a minimum of three hours. Once thoroughly frozen, turn popsicle mold maker on its side under running hot water, but do not allow water to touch popsicles! If there are any left over, store in plastic individual plastic bags in the fridge.