Geaux Health & Fitness Magazine June 2014

geaux eat Healthy Recipes Written By Traci Vincent The great thing about these recipes is that they are raw vegan (uncooked, and prepared without animal products). I am personally not vegan, but I find that I am healthiest when my diet has balance. In the words of Chef Bethenny Frankel, “A person’s diet is like a bank account.” If you have a bacon cheeseburger at lunch, you may want to have a salad with light dressing for dinner to balance it out. You want to eat a balanced diet, but you don’t want to restrict yourself either. It’s fine to try a bit of everything…in moderation. With that said, I find these recipes particularly great for the summer. They are often served cold, and they are light. If you are going to a cookout or a potluck, you can bring these items to share with friends and relatives: Mirliton Slaw with Sesame Vinaigrette © Traci’s Guacamole with Jicama Chips © 3-4 ripe avocados 1/2 red onion, small dice 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon TT sea salt TT freshly ground black pepper 1 large jicama, halved and thinly sliced 6-8” knife Large Spoon Small bowl Citrus reamer for lemon juice Cut each avocado in half, and use the knife to pry out the pit of the avocado. Make a few perpendicular slices into the avocado so that the fruit is cubed when scooped out. Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado from the thick outer peeling and place in bowl. Immediately cover with some of the lemon juice to prevent oxidation/browning; reserve juice to cover other avocados that are added to the bowl. On a cutting board, small dice red onion-add into the bowl. Add in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and any remaining lemon juice. *Mirlitons are often used to saute with shrimp, or in holiday seafood stuffing—this recipe calls for the use of raw mirliton. The texture is like a raw, red delicious apple, and because it is a squash, it is incredibly mild, and will absorb the flavors or the other ingredients that is prepared with… 1 chayote squash (mirliton), peeled and sliced thin (julienned) 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin 1 red onion, sliced thin 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned 1 green bell pepper, julienned 1.5 tbsp sesame oil 4 ounces extra virgin olive oil 4 ounces raw apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp fresh flat lead parsley, minced 2 tbsp Raw Agave Nectar Juice of 1 lemon TT Sea Salt TT Freshly cracked black pepper Needed: Cutting board Large Salad bowl Potato peeler 6-8” Chef ’s knife Wisk Small bowl Citrus reamer for lemon juice On a cutting board, peel and core the chayote squash, and julienne. Place in large salad bowl. Julienne the remaining vegetables and place in bowl with chayote squash. Set aside. To make salad dressing, mix in all ingredients into a small bowl minus the olive oil. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl, to emulsify the other ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing as desired into larger bowl with julienned vegetables. Toss and serve immediately. Makes about 6 servings. Sesame Salad Dressing: In a small bowl, mix raw agave nectar, lemon juice, vinegar, sesame oil, salt and pepper, and while stirring with a wisk, drizzle in the olive oil. Pour over slaw, toss, and serve immediately. On a cutting board, cut the jicama in half, and once the entire vegetable is peeled, begin slicing it thinly. These should begin to resemble chips that may be used to pick up the guacamole like chips. Serve immediately at room temperature or cold. Makes 4-6 servings. June 2014 geauxhealthandfitness.com 29

Geaux Health & Fitness Magazine June 2014 | Page 29