The Live Green Smoothie Diet

A tomato, a banana, a green onion… who knew these guys made such a great team?

But it’s not so surprising, really… Bananas have been used in all sorts of savory dishes around the world, and tomatoes are technically a fruit. The combo makes me think of fried sweet-banana cuban “maduros” with fresh salsa. But of course… without the calories, the heaviness, the toxicity of fried things.

This dish is quick, luscious, juicy, and I enjoyed the entire recipe myself for a filling meal without the benefit of crunchy side things, such as raw chips or organic tortilla chips. This was entirely satisfying on its own.

And, again… the theme of delicious food made from Utterly Pedestrian ingredients continues admirably. I am pleased.

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 What a great salad. Seriously folks, if you haven’t tried any savory fruit salads, give this one a try! My 20-yr-old son who does not like tomatoes loved it. And the dressing… it’s amazing what you can do with fresh corn and zucchini!

Here we have the sweetness of crunchy watermelon mixed with the slightly acidic zing of tomatoes, but with the tomatoes almost imperceptible once you toss everything up in the Creamy Garlic Dressing. And that dressing… it’s made with fresh corn off the cob and baby zucchini!

This salad isn’t non-fat, but it’s low-fat, with only 1 teaspoon of cold-pressed olive oil in the entire recipe! Both watermelon and tomatoes are great for the heart and rich in phytonutrients that will make you feel great. Not to mention the immune system-empowering garlic in the dressing!

You can whip this all up (including the dressing) in just a few minutes and be feasting in no time… and feel truly satisfied afterwards. That’s what I love so much about savory fruit salads, that’s they convey they are meals and not just snacks or desserts.

If you like both watermelon and tomatoes, get in the habit of keeping them both on hand because there are so many different ways you can combine them for a delicious and filling meal!

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The theme of pairing watermelon with tomato continues. I’m a big one for having multiple options for similar ingredients, because there’s a lot to be said for getting into a groove of having a consistent family of ingredients in the house at any given time. You just gotta know what to do with them so they don’t go to waste.

This ridiculously gorgeous dish would certainly be great as an antipasto before dinner, or eat the whole thing for dinner (it would be very filling, as I last night’s dinner proved), but I had a good third of this recipe today for a late breakfast! And it was delicious.

This is, again, not a savory recipe. It is completely non-fat, there is no added sugar, there is no olive oil, no garlic, no onion… but of course, you could happily add any or all of these things and the dish would be wonderful, too.

But on it’s own, it’s so flavorful and satisfying, with the crunch of the watermelon, the unctuousness of the glossy mango glaze, the slight earthy pungency of the fresh tomatoe pieces, and just the mildest hint of pepper from the bit of orange or yellow pepper in the glaze… Just wonderful.

This is a salt-friendly dish. Use it to bring out the sweetness of the fruit!

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This is a non-fat recipe with no added sugar, and a non-savory (no onions, no garlic, no olive oil) way to enjoy the health benefit of your jucy summer tomato harvest!

If you’re trying to lose weight, if you’re watching your sugar, if you follow a Weight Watchers program, or looking  to increase your tomato consumption to strengthen your heart-health, this is a unique dish you might want to check out.

Thinly sliced watermelon layered with thinly sliced juicy tomato wedges, “frosted” with an aromatic Strawberry-Rose glaze sweetened only with a few red grapes! Add a bit of quality salt to bring out the sweetness and you’ve got a great side dish for the summer table… or a juicy feast for one!

We tend to think of tomato as a veggie, but in fact it’s a fruit… and it behaves nicely as one when paired with many fruits.

(By the way, I ate this whole thing — eventually — for dinner. Seriously filled me up. Drank whatever berry glaze was left. *slurp* Good stuff!)

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Okay, so clearly this isn’t true “pesto”, and as it has neither onions nor garlic, it’s not really a “salsa” either. But you get the gist… call it what you like, just call it good.

And you can always add some red onions or a bit of fresh garlic to this recipe, or sprinkle some raw pine nuts over top for that pesto feel. As the recipe stands, however, it’s light, flavorful, filling, and low-fat!

This makes a nice light main-dish and whips up in minutes. You can also make it ahead of time, and it holds well for parties. It would make a brilliant sauce for fresh fish, or a filler for a raw or “rawish” sandwich. And it makes a great side dish when paired with something cooked, such as rice or roasted potatoes.

And if you have any leftovers, do what I did and just blend it up into a slightly-savory smoothie! Don’t let any of this go to waste!

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The way tomatoes taste in heaven…

This is a sweet, tropical answer to the Bloody Mary, and I’ll bet you’ve never had anything like it!

The intent of this recipe was to make a Tomato-Rose Sorbet sweetened with Mango, made creamy with Zucchini, and made aromatic with Rose Water. But it was so delicious, I couldn’t wait for it to freeze and drank it as a smoothie aperitif. The result… a delicious, wonderfully flavorful beverage that makes a truly 100% raw cocktail… and also a great creamy sorbet when frozen!

I’ve been asked by a few people to showcase more fresh tomato recipes, so I have that trend going on right now. And one thing to remember: tomatos go great with mango! Remember that the next time you want to prepare a colorful sandwich or salad platter for company. Or for yourself. They complement each other so very well, with the earthy pungency of the tomato slightly mellowed by the tropical sweetness of the mango.

Add rose water and this really does get ethereal.

What… you don’t have any rose water yet! Get with the program, darlin’… you simply must have that in your cupboard a.s.a.p!

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This makes for a very pretty first course, buffet side dish, or a main dish salad for one. It’s super-easy and made from ingredients so easy to pick up at your local grocery store… or perhaps you even have all the items growing in your own garden!

Tomatoes, zucchini, tomatillo, fresh basil… paired with garlic, cold-pressed olive oil and some quality natural salt, eat with some raw dehydrated chips, or for a “rawish” meal enjoy with organic tortilla chips or a wee bit of home-baked bread, and you’ve got a light feast on your hands!

Tomatillos have a delicate tomato flavor, but actually remind me more of tart plums, so they give a refreshing astringency to the tapenade. Chop them fine, as their skin can be a bit tough if left in large pieces.

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Why isn’t tomato paired with tangerine more frequently, I wonder? It’s a great combination… gorgeous on the plate, and the sweetness of the tangerine pairs so nicely with the acid in the tomatoes!

This particular recipe has so many uses. You can serve as-is. You can add fresh greens and toss for a green salad, using it as a dressing. You can serve it as a relish, as a salsa, as a dip, and as a side to a plate of antipasto.

And this was just made for spooning over fresh fish! I’m a lover of Moroccon sardines (I keep “Season” brand “skinless, boneless, saltless, in water” variety on hand and freshen them up with some himmy salt, black pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and some cold-pressed olive oil. With this dressing on top it’s a feast and a half.

Raw vegan recipes aren’t just for raw vegans.

To make this, I used tiny little “mineolas”, wee little mandarin orange-type things. If you use larger tangerines, be sure to get the pips out first… or just pick up tangelos, which are seedless. But whatever you buy, the smaller and more fragrant, the better, in my opinion.

And be sure to use wee, sugary grape tomatoes!

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On a cold winterish evening, a nice warm bowl of soup really hits the spot… and you can make Warm Live Soups that are filled with still-living enzymes and still-raw nutrients. It just takes a gentle hand while your soup is over the heat. And the delicious upside: you’ll have your soup ready in just minutes, and you’ll feel great afterwards… soothed but not necessarily sedated.

This recipe is for a basic tomato broth, one you can dress up a gazillion different ways. You can add some fresh greens and sliced green onions into the warm broth… maybe some chopped portabella mushrooms… or a mix of chopped vegetables with a few pistachios or cashews.

This is not a “cream” soup — there’s nothing in it that will make it creamy. But it does has a rich texture, and is certainly smooth and creamy if you’d blended it up using a high-powered blender like my Blendtec or a Vitamix. Experiment with this one and see what combinations you can invent!

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This very mild-tasting Live Green Smoothie (you would never know it has cabbage in it unless I told you…) has less fruit, more vedge & greens, but none of the ingredients I would normally include in a “Savory Smoothie” or “Blended Salad”, such as a bit of garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar and maybe some chile.

Instead, it has the light refreshing quality of a greens-and-fruit smoothie, but with cabbage, tomato, cilantro, and a few other mild goodies.

Because of a healthy mix of rich red and deep green ingredients, the outcome is a dark Coca-Cola brown…not to be frightened by because it’s simply the laws of the light spectrum doin’ their thing!

Because of the high-nutrient/low-sugar quotient of this smoothie, you will feel GREAT after drinking it! Superb for post workouts and an accompaniment to lunch or dinner!

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