SUMMER CLEANSING with SUPERFOODS and TONICS

Seasonal cleanses, not only refresh and lighten the body, they also serve to refine the mind and tune the spirit into the energy of each season! This week we’ve been offering a raw food nutritional cleanse, combining local summer berries, cucumber, spinach, zucchini, early tomatoes and young greens with wonderful super foods and herbs as well as citrus and ginger to make refreshing juices and soups that are both cleansing and rejuvenating!

Some super foods and herbs I incorporate on a regular basis are hemp seed and oil, goji berries, aloe, raw cacao, raw honey, young Thai coconut, coconut butter, pau d’arco, acai, rosehips, cordyceps and maca.

I often make an herbal tea as the base for seasonal fruit tonics. For instance in a blueberry acai tonic I create a base of elderberry, nettle leaf , pau d’arco, vanilla bean and lemon peel. The base adds dimension to the flavor and cleansing action of the juice. Pau d’arco is widely prized in the treatment of candida and supports liver and endocrine glands, while nettle leaves are one of the highest sources of plant based iron! Elderberries contain potassium, large amounts of vitamin C and strengthen the immune system and bolster the antioxidant power of the blueberries.

Blueberry-Acai Tonic
Serves 4
For Tea
½ fresh vanilla bean, split open
2T Pau d'arco
2T nettle leaf
2 T elderberries
1 star anise
1 strip lemon zest, only organic
1 quart filtered water, gently heated

place the ingredients in a clean 1 quart mason jar. Pour the gently heated water over the herbs and cover immediately, allowing it to steep for at least 20 minutes.

Tonic
2cups blueberries
1T milk thistle powder
2T acai powder
½ vanilla bean
2T raw honey
pinch of Himalayan crystal salt
lemon zest, optional
32 ounces herbal tea, see recipe

Place the first four ingredients in blender and pour in herbal tea. Add in the honey, pinch of salt and lemon zest, if using. Blend from low-high for about 30 seconds. You can either drink it as is or strain through a fine mesh sieve for a more refined texture. Garnish with fresh mint if desired and ENJOY!

Green Thumb Farm

One of the absolute joys about getting to take time in the Hamptons over the summer is going to Green Thumb Farm in Watermill. This is no easy feat, as Watermill is quite a haul from where we stay out in The Springs, near East Hampton. Yet it is one of the true pleasures and nourishing for of all of the senses to spend time hand-picking produce from the bounty of the Green Thumb Farm. Just a few pictures and some recipes to follow!


Watermelon-Red Pepper Gazpacho

This recipe uses watermelon instead of tomato for an unusual twist to traditional gazpacho. Served slightly chilled, watermelon gazpacho is refreshing as an appetizer on a hot day.

4 cups of watermelon, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ cucumber, peeled, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced (with seeds for more heat)
2t cumin
1t celtic sea salt and as needed for seasoning
Coarsely ground pepper

For Garnish
½ cup red pepper, finely diced
½ cup cilantro or mint
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced

Put the watermelon, pepper, onion and jalapeno into a blender or food processor. Add olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and Celtic sea salt and blend until you get the desired consistency. Chill for at least 30 minutes, allowing flavors to combine.
Just before serving, combine the ingredients for garnish and season with a bit of olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
To serve, put about a ¼c of garnish at the bottom of each bowl and ladle the chilled gazpacho over the garnish

Nearing Summer Solstice

Nearing the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, new moon magic and the season where the Fire element is predominant. Seasonal and daily life practices, help maintain balance and equilibrium during seasonal changes. In anticipation of the heat in the coming months, I've naturally gravitated to a primarily raw diet, emphasizing seasonal, local fruits and vegetables as well as enjoying some more tropical foods and herbs like papaya, young Thai coconut and lemongrass. I am still enjoying some consciously chosen wild-caught fish and shellfish and just had some delicious Scallop Ceviche last night. Here are two offerings.

Spicy Thai Wraps
6-8 large Collard Leaves, cut in half with center rib removed
4 c Savoy cabbage, shredded
1c bean sprouts
1c carrot, julienned
1 c mixed herbs: basil, cilantro, mint
1 cucumber, seeded and julienned
¼c cashews, chopped

Dressing
1/2 c tahini
2T maple syrup
2T sesame oil
1/4c lemon juice
2 T ginger
1 Thai red chili
2T shoyu
Filtered water, as needed

Puree the maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, lemon juice, chili and shoyu in a high speed blender. Add the tahini and blend until smooth, adding filtered water, as necessary, to achieve a medium batter like consistency.

Combine the dressing and the cabbage, mixing thoroughly. Taste for seasoning.

To assemble: place one halved collard leaf, with the underside facing up. Place a few tablespoons of the cabbage on the bottom third of the leaf. Then arrange a few pieces of carrot and cucumber and top with bean sprout, a mix of herbs and a sprinkling of cashews. Roll the bottom of the leaf over the cabbage, tucking it under the filling to secure it. Serve with extra dressing as a dipping sauce

Scallop Ceviche
½ lb sea scallops, halved
1/2c lime juice
1 red pepper, diced
1/2c red onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
2T olive oil
1⁄2 tsp Sea Salt
2 T dry sake, optional
1/4c cilantro leaves, gently torn

In a medium bowl, combine scallops and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Remove scallop from refrigerator and stir in bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and onion. Dress with olive oil, sea salt, and sake. Refrigerate for at least another hour. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.