There is a lot of misinformation about raw and vegan food out there, particularly about how it tastes. Sarma Meningalis is the co-founder of both Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck, and trust me on this, she makes the most delicious vegan and raw food out there. It’s SO good, that you forget how great all of the ingredients and food is for you health. She was kind enough to let us know a little more about her food philosophy as well as give all Tracy Anderson Method readers a 4-day cleanse which can be enjoyed this week, the week after Christmas, or would be the perfect start to 2011. Enjoy!
Almost all of these recipes are excerpted from Living Raw Food, by Sarma Melngailis (Harper Collins, 2009)
Available for purchase here. Please also visit http://www.oneluckyduck.com/ to order delicious treats, snacks, and gifts. Enter code TRACYA to receive 10% off your order.
How did you get started and what began your interest in eating healthy, nutritious foods?
After college I worked in investment banking, private equity, and then at a hedge fund before leaving after 5 years to attend culinary school. My Mom was a professional chef so it was always an interest of mine. I was always drawn to good quality, healthy and whole foods but never thought I’d go (mostly) vegan or raw. Back then I didn’t even know what “raw” meant. After culinary school I got involved in the restaurant business through a partner and he and I were brought to a small raw café for dinner one night. I went in with a frown on my face and terribly low expectations. I came out wanting to learn all I could about raw food and decided to try it as an experiment just to see how it felt. A two week experiment became permanent about half way though. I felt like a new and different person. I was sleeping through the night, had more energy than I’d ever known, and felt much brighter, like a fog had lifted. It was really exciting.
What is your food philosophy?
I’m not strict about anything and I hate rules, so for me it works best to be flexible. I’d rather pass on the plate of French fries not because I’m not “allowed” to have them but because I look at them and choose not to have them, making a thoughtful decision that I’d rather feel good than have a belly full of oily starch. However, if I really wanted one, I’d have it. I love food and I love to taste things, but it’s only worth it to me if it’s really good quality. It sounds corny but I think food should be cherished. Of course, this can be in the context of a celebration, but as long as there’s overall appreciation and care going on, as well as an understanding of food as nourishment, rather than just something to quell your hunger pangs or sugar cravings. Once you see it as fuel for your body, things like artificially processed diet snacks or other junky foods quickly lose their appeal. Fresh and organically grown fruits and vegetables become more appealing. Also, I do think everyone should watch films about factory farming before they continue eating products from factory farms. Eat and choose what you like but at least be aware of what you’re supporting with those choices.
What are your rules when it comes to cleansing and which foods are best for helping rid toxins?
Oh-oh, rules… I don’t have cleansing rules. Though, I suppose it would be a rule to stay away from all processed foods. Beyond that, fresh organic juices are by far the best way to cleanse. But I think it depends on your starting point. If you’re used to a more conventional diet, then going all raw is a big step and very cleansing. Then, you can take it a step further and go all liquid by having just juices and shakes. Then, just juice. Whatever feels right. But, no matter what, starting every day with a big glass of quality filtered water with juice from a fresh organic lemon squeezed into it is the best. It sets you up right and feels good and helps flush away toxins built up overnight. Lots of water during the day between meals is also helpful. Parsley and cilantro are great cleansing herbs, and really good in juices. I make myself thick green shakes full of dark greens and herbs and add enough fruit to make them taste really good. I feel like some kind of Popeye-ish super hero eating these. I posted a blog about why I love green shakes with my favorite recipe a while back here and it’s also in my last cookbook. Also important for cleansing is of course sweating in some way, whether from a good Tracy inspired cardio workout, or some sessions in a sauna, or both. I recently got myself a home infrared sauna and I’m in love with it (and apparently you burn quite a few calories while hanging out in it too). We carry them at One Lucky Duck now. Rebounding is also great aid in getting rid of toxins by stirring everything up. I love mine! It’s one of the more fun and uplifting ways to exercise, and I was happy to see Tracy’s video online showing her rebounder workout.
One Lucky Duck 4-Day Cleanse
The thing I love about this cleanse is the variety (not a lot of cleanses let you have a chewy fudge!) and how the ingredients pair so well together to keep you feeling great but also full of energy. I can’t wait to do this all with you this week as well as in 2011!
Breakfast: Cilantro Pineapple Shake
Lunch: Herb and Argan Salad
Dinner: Sesame-mixed Vegetable “Noodles” with Herbs
Snack: Green Juice
Dessert: Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Breakfast: Chocolate Banana Shake
Lunch: Herbal Guacamole and Spicy Jicama in Romaine Leaves
Dinner: Lasagna
Snack: Green Juice
Dessert: Chocolate Avocado Pudding from previous day
Breakfast: Mango Shake
Lunch: S&M Salad
Dinner: Lasagna from previous day
Snack: Green Juice
Dessert: Chewy Freezer Fudge
Breakfast: Sarma’s Favorite Green Shake
Lunch: Red Grapefruit, Avocado and Fennel Salad
Dinner: Zucchini “Pasta” with Heirloom Tomato and Lemon-Basil Sauce
Snack: Green Juice
Dessert: Chewy Freezer Fudge from previous day
Almost all of these recipes are excerpted from Living Raw Food, by Sarma Melngailis (Harper Collins, 2009)
Available for purchase here
Serves 2
I love cucumbers in shakes because they add filling, thick volume, but they’re very light and low in calories. Mango is also really good in this shake, either as a substitute for, or in addition to, the pineapple.
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup coconut water or filtered water
1/2 pineapple, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons agave nectar, or more to taste
1 large bunch cilantro 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a blender, puree all the ingredients until smooth.
Serves 4 to 6
Before Neal became our chef, he worked on the line. Late one night, I asked him to make me a salad, telling him only that I wanted it to be light, with plenty of herbs. As it turns out, what came out from the kitchen was the most delicious salad I had ever eaten. There was something about the balance of flavors, the lightness of the dressing, and the perfect tart-citrus acidity, with just the right seasoning. Oh, and yes, tons of herbs. Also, either he knew of my love of fennel and capers, or we just share that fondness, but those made it into the salad, too. Capers have a briny saltiness with a bit of a mustard taste, and fennel adds a uniquely aromatic anise flavor. The nuts give the salad some crunch, and the avocado some creaminess, but I tasted another nutty flavor that turned out to be argan oil. Like macadamia oil, this oil is so flavorful that a little goes a long way.
1 large bowl of mixed baby lettuces
1 very large handful parsley leaves
1 small handful mint leaves
1 small handful purple basil leaves
1/2 fennel bulb, cored and shaved thin on a mandoline or using a sharp knife
1 large handful grape or teardrop tomatoes, sliced into halves
3 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons argan oil, or other nut oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small handful raw pistachio nuts, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or nut oil
1/2 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
Place the greens, herbs, fennel, tomatoes, and capers in a bowl and toss with the argan oil and lemon juice, adjusting quantities to taste. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the pistachio nuts in a small bowl, add the olive oil and a pinch of salt, and toss well to coat.
Divide the salad among serving plates, sprinkle with the chopped pistachio mixture, and top with sliced avocado.
Serves 8 to 10
One night, our executive sous chef Anthony made an amuse-bouche out of a little bundle of thinly sliced vegetables tossed in a dressing and tied together with a chive. The flavor reminded me of creamy peanut butter noodles. It’s now a regular in our family meal rotation, and so yummy!
Mellow red miso has a deep, semisweet flavor, but you can use another variety of miso if you prefer. Most sliceable vegetables taste great with this dressing, so it’s really a matter of what looks good at the market or in your garden, what’s in season, or what you happen to have on hand. Substitute or add julienned yellow summer squash, jicama, cucumber, thinly sliced snow peas, or napa cabbage. If you like seaweed, add soaked, rinsed, and drained arame or hijiki. For sweetness add thinly sliced mango, or for richness sliced avocado. Basil or mint chiffonade, or both, are also nice additions.
In fact, you can prepare this with almost anything. If all you have is a pile of zucchini
and nothing else, that would be just fine, too. Multiply the dressing recipe to keep on hand
as a salad dressing or dipping sauce.
Sesame Dressing
1cup sesame tahini
¼ cup sesame oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup mellow red miso
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons filtered water
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, sesame oil, lemon juice, miso, and 1/2 cup of the water. Add the remaining water a bit at a time and continue whisking until smooth.
Stir in the sesame seeds and set aside.
4 cups daikon radish, julienned on a mandoline
2 red bell peppers, cored and julienned
3 medium zucchini, julienned on a mandoline
3 medium carrots, peeled and julienned on a mandoline
6 baby bok choy, leaves thinly sliced on a bias
3 scallions, whites and about 1 inch of green, thinly sliced
1 big handful cilantro leaves
Sea salt
In a large bowl, toss all the prepared vegetables and the sesame dressing until evenly coated.
Season to taste with sea salt.
Serves 4
This rich, thick pudding is full of good ingredients and easy to make, especially if you have a jar of sprouted pecan butter on hand. If you don’t, the preparation will include just one extra step. Dark agave nectar gives the pudding a richer flavor, but regular agave is fine. You can also use a combination of maple syrup and agave nectar, or even all maple if you like its rich flavor.
As a child I hated avocados; now I love them. However, if someone had made this pudding for me back then, I would have eagerly spooned it down none the wiser. And as everyone knows by now, avocados are full of good fats. They also have more digestible protein than some meat, and with more potassium than bananas, they’re a great food for athletes, as well as active kids, who can benefit from potassium-rich foods to help heal sore muscles.
1 cup sprouted, preferably dehydrated, pecans
1 cup dark agave nectar (page 44)
1 1/4 cups filtered water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons coconut butter/oil, warmed to liquefy
2 medium avocados
To make the pecan butter, place the pecans in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed for a uniform texture. A small amount of coconut butter/oil can be added to help grind the nuts into a smooth paste; this will make the pudding a little bit firmer.
Place the pecan butter, agave nectar, water, cocoa powder, and salt in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, slowly add the coconut butter/oil. Add the avocado and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately or chill to set.
Serves 2 to 4
Use either organic cocoa powder or raw carob powder in this shake (or a combination of both.) Carob powder comes from the pods of carob trees that grow in the Mediterranean. Carob does not contain any of the stimulants found in cocoa and it’s high in calcium. We feel carob is hugely underappreciated, but try it in this shake and you might just prefer it to chocolate.
3 cups frozen diced bananas
2 cups Brazil nut or almond milk
¼ cup agave nectar or 2 packets Stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 heaping tablespoons organic cocoa powder or carob powder
Pinch of sea salt
In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Serves 6
6 ripe avocados
2 large handfuls cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 large handful parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced
2 teaspoons plus one pinch sea salt
2 cups julienned jicama
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 heads of romaine hearts
Additional parsley or cilantro, for garnish
In a large bowl, mash the avocados well with a fork.
Add the cilantro, parsley, 1/4 cup of the lime juice, jalapeño, and 2 teaspoons of salt, and stir well to combine.
In a separate bowl, toss the jicama with the remaining tablespoon of lime juice, the cayenne and a pinch of salt.
Separate the romaine leaves. Fill each leaf with a few spoonfuls of the avocado and arrange on a serving platter. Top with the jicama and additional parsley or cilantro leaves.
Serves 6
Lemon-Pignoli “Ricotta”
2 cups raw pignoli nuts, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
Tomato Sauce
2 cups good-quality sun-dried tomatoes (dry-packed), soaked in water for at least 2 hours
1 medium ripe tomato, diced
1⁄4 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons sea salt
Pinch hot-pepper flakes
Place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.
Basil-Pistachio Pesto
2 cups packed basil leaves
1⁄2 cup raw pistachios
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.
Lasagne
3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
3 medium green-zebra tomatoes (or other heirloom variety)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Garnish: whole basil leaf
Lemon-Pignoli “Ricotta”
Place the pignoli, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt in a food processor, and pulse a few times, until thoroughly combined. Gradually add 6 tablespoons water, and pulse until the texture becomes fluffy, like ricotta. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside. Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, shave zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices, then cut in half crosswise. Cut the tomatoes in half, and each half into thin slices. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with two layers of zucchini slices. Brush the zucchini lightly with olive oil, spread 1⁄3 of the tomato sauce over it, and top with small dollops of “ricotta” and pesto, using 1⁄3 of each. Layer on 1⁄3 of the tomato slices, and sprinkle with 1⁄3 of the oregano and thyme. Add another double layer of zucchini and repeat twice more with the tomato sauce, pesto, ricotta, tomato slices, and herbs. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for a few hours. Garnish with basil.
Serves 2 to 4
3 cups diced mango
2 cups coconut water (the best is from Exotic Superfoods, and for sale in our juice bars. You’ll never have Zico’s again!)
3 tablespoons agave nectar or 2 packets Stevia
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Squeeze of lime juice
Pinch of sea salt
In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth.
Serves 4 to 6
I started making this salad during the first year the restaurant was open, usually just for Matthew and me. He really liked it and would ask me to make it again and again. Then, other people, both staff and guests, would see us eating it and ask to have it themselves.
It’s an easy and appealing combination, so we decided to put it on the menu in the juice bar. It became known around the kitchen as the “Sarma and Matthew Salad,” which we then shortened to the S&M Salad, and it remains known as such.
The dressing uses my favorite ingredient of all time, macadamia nut oil, as well as freshly squeezed lime juice. Rosemary crackers are a One Lucky Duck product, which you can buy; if you don’t have them handy, leave them out or add whatever else crunchy you like . . . chopped almonds or macadamia nuts both work nicely. When I add chopped nuts to salad, I first like to toss them in a little bit of nut oil or other oil and a bit of salt, and of course it saves loads of time if you can buy them already soaked and dehydrated. I also love the flavors of rosemary and lime together, so if you use nuts instead of crackers, try adding a sprig of minced rosemary.
This salad came into existence well before I ever conceived of oneluckyduck.com. But it happens that, aside from the fresh produce, you can find all the ingredients there, including pre-soaked and dehydrated nuts if you like those in place of the crackers.
1/4 cup macadamia nut oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 large bowl of fresh mixed lettuces
1 handful of hemp seeds
1 large handful of dulse, torn into small pieces
One 4-ounce bag One Lucky Duck rosemary crackers
Sea salt
2 or 3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
Pour the macadamia nut oil and freshly squeezed lime juice over the greens in a large bowl and toss to coat.
Add the hemp seeds and pulse.
Break up the rosemary crackers (if you prefer them in smaller pieces, as I do), add to the bowl, and toss once again.
Sample the greens and add more macadamia nut oil or lime juice as needed for balanced flavor. Season with salt to taste.
Slice or dice the avocado and toss that in. I like to add avocado last so you don’t
mush it up while tossing, or you can slice the avocado halves and fan them out on top, which is how we do it in the juice bar.
Makes about 64 1” square pieces (about ¾” thick)
We call this freezer fudge because it is incredibly chewy when chilled. If you keep it out for too long it will melt.
2 cups almond butter (one 16-ounce jar)
¼ cup cocoa powder, or raw carob powder, sifted to remove any lumps
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon coconut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, stirring well. You can also use a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, but it’s more fun to do by hand.
Spoon the mixture into little candy molds, flatten with a spoon, and cover with parchment or wax paper. Or line a square baking pan with parchment or plastic. Place the fudge into the pan and cover the surface with parchment or wax paper, pressing down evenly to flatten. Place in the freezer to chill. If using the pan, remove from the freezer after an hour or so, flip it out of the pan onto a flat surface and cut into squares or rectangles. These should be stored, covered, in the freezer (otherwise they would get too soft and mushy) where they would keep quite well for a long time if they didn’t always get eaten so fast.
Serves 2
This is one version of what I put in my own blender. I often consume at least this much each day. You can create endless variations, using different greens, sprouts, and fruits, and, yes, if you like you can also add all sorts of supplements. By the way, notice they’re called supplements, not substitutes. I don’t think it’s great to consume green powder instead of fresh greens (unless you find yourself in a place where fresh greens are unavailable), but if you’re just supplementing, why not? Sometimes I do add a bit of greens powder for an extra boost, or green tea extract, a spoonful of tocotrienols, blue-green algae, a splash of aloe vera juice, or all of them! I like them sweet, so I add stevia and vanilla. You can use agave nectar instead, or add a mango or a ripe banana. With its high water content, pineapple also works nicely in place of the grapefruit, or use oranges if you prefer.
Start by blending the more liquid ingredients, and then add and blend in the greens, a handful at a time, until your blender is full. If it gets too thick, you can always add water or fresh coconut water. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, any blender will do; it may just be a bit chunkier, which is sometimes nice.
1 grapefruit, peel cut away
2 lemons, outer yellow peel cut away
2 limes, peel cut away
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 big bunch of parsley or cilantro, or both, stems and all
1 big handful fresh sunflower sprouts, if available
1 bunch or more of kale, swiss chard, rainbow chard, collards, spinach, watercress,
or any combination of dark greens (dinosaur kale is my favorite)
Stevia (liquid or powdered) or agave nectar, to taste.
In a blender, blend the grapefruit, lemons, limes, cucumbers, and vanilla into a liquid.
Add the herbs, sprouts, and greens a bit at a time and blend as you go.
Sweeten to taste with stevia (about a teaspoon of liquid or a few packets of powder) or agave nectar (a few tablespoons).
Store whatever you don’t consume right away in a tightly sealed glass jar and refrigerate for another day or two.
Serves 4
3 large ruby red grapefruits or 5 oranges
¼ cup macadamia oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
Coarse sea salt
2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 large or 2 small fennel bulb, sliced thinly
1 very small handful mint leaves, julienned
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
Fennel fronds for garnish
To section the grapefruits or oranges, cut the peel from the top and bottom and stand each upright on the cutting board. Cut down from top to bottom along the peel to remove it and expose the flesh. Cut along each side of the membranes to separate the segments, and place the segments in a large bowl, along with any juice that you can squeeze out of hat remains (sometimes it helps to carefully cut the grapefruit directly over a bowl.) Set aside a few tablespoons of the juice mix with the oil.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil with the lime juice, a few tablespoons of the grapefruit juice, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Place the sliced avocado in a bowl and pour some of the dressing over it, tossing very gently to coat.
Add the fennel, the remaining dressing, and the mint to the grapefruit and toss well. Gently combine the avocado with the grapefruit and fennel and divide among serving plates. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with cracked coriander, if using, and garnish with fennel fronds.
Serves 4 to 6
For the “pasta” in this dish, you can use yellow squash instead of zucchini, or a combination of both. It’s nice to leave the peel on for extra vitamins and color. A spiral slicer makes lovely noodles in just minutes, but you can always cut them by hand with a vegetable peeler, by just peeling the squash or zucchini lengthwise into long strips. Of course, shredded with a mandoline would be just fine, too, but I like the wide, flat noodles with this sauce.
As the name suggests, lemon basil is a variety of basil with a lemon-citrus flavor and aroma. You can find it at farmers markets during the summer, but regular basil is a fine substitute. Yellow heirloom tomatoes make a nice, light-colored sauce, but if they’re unavailable, you can usually find yellow cherry tomatoes, which are sweeter. Regular tomatoes will also do fine.
Heirloom Tomato and Lemon-Basil Sauce
4 cups chopped yellow heirloom tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
1/2 clove garlic
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped lemon basil
Add the tomatoes, celery, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to a blender, and blend until completely smooth. With the blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil and continue blending until fully emulsified.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped basil.
To Finish
5 to 6 medium zucchini
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
Trim the ends of the zucchini. Using a spiral slicer or hand vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into ribbon noodles and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the red and yellow peppers and enough of the tomato basil sauce to generously coat the vegetables. Season to taste with pepper and additional salt, as desired.