Raw Vegan Eggplant Salad with Mint, Guava, Lemon and Sprouted Lentils

Eggplant, members of the illustrious nightshade family are at peak season from August to October. This beautiful purple skinned veggie is a great source of fiber, copper and vitamin B1 as well as containing phytonutrients and flavinoids. Eggplant has been proven to protect cell membranes from damage including those all important lipids present in brain cells as well as being a potent free radical scavenger. 

However, personally, I don't always love eggplant. Often its bitter taste and mushy texture just does not appeal to me, not to mention its gaseous. Sure breaded and fried and covered in cheese always tastes great but there has to be another way to enjoy this healthy food without mashing it or frying it. 

Lately I have been focusing my energies on raw foods once again by working on eating about 75% raw meals and 25% cooked. I find there is an innumerable way in which to prepare raw foods and it really forces you to be creative. I started thinking about raw eggplant and wondering how I could prepare it so that it still had a Mediterranean feel to it but also that freshness that comes with raw preparation.

Of course, the biggest issue with raw eggplant is its bitterness and the only way to remove it is with salting! I started out by peeling and slicing the eggplant into rounds, placing them in a colander with a dusting of salt and then letting them sit for 30 minutes before wiping them off with a paper towel and cubing the slices.

View fullsize

I then tossed in cherry tomatoes, mint, garlic, red onion, guava, lemon juice, olive oil and more salt and let the salad sit for another half hour before enjoying. The taste was far better than I ever thought it would be! So fresh and light and the eggplant stayed firm and when kept in the fridge it lasted for 2 weeks. So healthy and delicious, I hope that you enjoy!

Raw Eggplant Salad with Mint, Guava and Lemon

1 Eggplant, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 tbs Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

2 tbs Olive Oil

Juice from 1 Lemon

1 Guava, peeled and chopped

1 cup Grape Tomatoes

1/4 Red Onion, minced

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 handful of Mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup of Sprouted Lentils

Peel and slice the eggplant. Place in a colander and liberally sprinkle with salt. Let sit for a half hour to remove the bitterness and extra moisture. Wipe the eggplant down with paper towel and cube and toss into a non reactive bowl. Add the garlic, onion, tomatoes, guava, mint, and lentils. Drizzle with the olive oil, a dash more of salt and the juice of the lemon, stirring to combine. Let rest for a half hour before eating so that the flavors can develop. Stay covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy and Healthy eating!

Bikini Season: Raw Zucchini Noodles with Olive, Garlic and Lemon Tapenade

The time has finally come...BIKINI TIME! The dreaded season when women shed their clothing and prance around in less than their underwear for all to see! No matter how fit or slim you are, every self conscious thought pops into your head, especially those first few days of display when you awkwardly let winters many layers drift to your bedroom floor. Generally, by the end of the season you could care less about prancing around in your bathing suit its just those first few weeks that take you down that psychological journey in which you consider your abdominal muscles, question your glutes and generally start thinking about your diet. 

Gone are the moments of, well its winter: one more serving won't hurt and I shoveled today so 3 pieces of pizza is acceptable and in strolls salad galore. Lucky for us, bikini season corresponds with fresh veggie season and suddenly we say hello to arugula, zucchini, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes that taste like tomatoes and more. 

As you know, alkaline eating is all about moderation with a heavy dose of vegetable power and I try my hardest to keep that philosophy running strong through the many endless months of cold weather but even I start leaning more towards the naughty side of eating as winter drags on.  So what can you do now that summer has shown, your bathing suit is staring you down and you've spent the last three weeks telling yourself that tomorrow you will get back on the bandwagon?  

Spend a little time eating raw! Raw food, mainly fruits and vegetable is the quickest and healthiest way to alkalinize, feel lighter and look great. Spending one week drinking fresh juices or smoothies, sticking to easily digestible veggies and eliminating carbs and dairy will have you feeling like strutting your stuff in that bikini. It will also cleanse your body of those bad cravings and force you to get creative in the kitchen.

Eating raw foods doesn't mean chomping on carrot sticks all day, although they are a great snack, instead it forces you to focus on flavor combinations and super fresh delicious produce. This dish does just that, it combines some great spicy arugula, zuccini noodles, salty kalamata olives, garlic, lemon, and juicy tomatoes to create a refreshingly satisfying meal that can be made in 15 minutes. Give it a try!

View fullsize

Raw Zucchini Noodles with Olive, Garlic and Lemon Tapenade

Makes 2 servings

2 Zucchini, spiralized into noodles

1 handful of Arugula

2 Tomato, chopped

1/2 cup Kalamata Olives

2 Garlic Cloves

1/2 cup Walnuts

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 Lemon, juiced

1 tso Dried Basil

1tsp Dried Oregano

1tsp Dried Parsley

To make the tapenade, combine the olives, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, herbs and walnuts in a food processor. Pulse until well blended, adding more olive oil if needed. Place the arugula, zucchini noodles and tomatoes into a large bowl, add the tapenade and stir to combine. Divide between two plates and enjoy!  

View fullsize