For the past 27 years, I’ve been educating people on selecting natural whole foods from nature’s pantry and preparing them in ways that benefit the entire family. I immigrated from South Africa about 16 years ago, and my passion lies in helping individuals develop a healthy, balanced lifestyle that enhances their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. By prioritizing natural whole foods in your diet, good health, stable weight and blood sugar, and overall wellness will naturally follow.
I have always believed in the power of food to nourish both body and mind, but I have found that most people need practical guidance on how to put these principles into action in their kitchens. The following recipes are a start to a comprehensive toolkit to support your wellness journey and cultivate a healthier relationship with food. Each recipe celebrates flavor, nutrition, and simplicity and is designed to inspire and empower you to embrace a lifestyle centered around wholesome, delicious meals.
During colder months, we tend to consume more cooked, heavy foods, especially in the South where cooked food dominates and raw, living foods are not as expected. As we embrace spring, aim to make every meal vibrant with colors and textures by incorporating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods. Did you know that fiber is the secret to permanent weight loss? Most of us don’t consume enough. Fiber helps us feel fuller on fewer calories and aids in eliminating excess toxins and hormones from our system. Without sufficient fiber, these chemicals linger in our bodies longer than they should.
Instead of obsessing over calorie counting, try counting the colors on your plate. Raw fruits and veggies contain living enzymes crucial for metabolic processes in the body. As we age, our enzyme levels diminish, making it essential to consume raw foods to aid digestion and nutrient absorption. Cooking food at high temperatures can destroy these enzymes, so eating raw vegetables helps maximize enzyme intake.
Lastly, prioritize self-care by relaxing, staying connected with others, moving your body daily, and spending time in nature and natural sunlight. Spend time outdoors, soaking up natural sunlight and immersing yourself in nature; a brisk walk, especially after meals, can profoundly impact your immune system, blood sugar levels, mental well-being, and overall health.
I urge you to prioritize gathering around the table during meal times. In our hectic world, sharing sacred moments with loved ones is invaluable. Cherish these occasions and relish every nourishing bite shared.
Simple ways to incorporate raw foods
- Begin meals with raw veggies or a fresh salad.
- Opt for raw snacks like apples with almond butter, raw nuts, or veggies with hummus.
- Enjoy a delicious raw smoothie packed with living enzymes.
- Include a variety of leafy greens, especially bitter greens, which benefit the liver and provide chlorophyll — a potent healer and cleanser, nourisher, and detoxifier of human blood.
- Leafy greens contain high levels of magnesium, which is nature’s calming mineral.
- Don’t forget to consume essential healthy fats, particularly omega-3s, in fish like salmon, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
Asparagus, Mushroom, Thyme, and Avocado Salad
Dressing
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Herbal salt and freshly crushed black pepper, to taste
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and season to taste. Close the jar with a lid and give the bottle a good shake. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
Salad
1 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
1 yellow pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 pound (about 2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, pit removed, peeled and roughly chopped
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced and lightly sauteed in 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, then left to cool
1 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme leaves
Microgreens, arugula, or watercress to garnish
Variations:
- Replace the asparagus with fresh green beans.
- Replace the avocado with regular feta, dairy-free feta cheese, or goat cheese.
- Replace the other greens with leafy spring mix greens.
Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the boiling water and add it to a bowl of ice-cold water to stop cooking. Mix the cherry tomatoes, avocados, mushrooms, and thyme leaves. Arrange the asparagus on a platter and spoon all the other ingredients over. Top with the onions mixed in with the dressing just before serving. Garnish with micro greens, arugula, or watercress.
Nut and Seed Crunch
¾ cup almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
⅛ cup sunflower seeds
⅛ cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon cardamon powder
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Set oven to 350 F. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway. Allow it to cool and store it in a sealed glass container until ready to use.
To serve, add it as a topper to chopped fruit, smoothies, chia seed pudding, overnight oats, raw salads, sliced apple smeared with almond butter, or enjoy it as a snack.
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
4 medium sweet potatoes, different colors
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced, peeled mango
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red or yellow pepper, seeds removed, chopped
1 small red onion, peeled, sliced, or chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 small red chili, seeds removed and finely chopped — optional
½ cup cooked corn — optional
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 ripe avocadoes, pits removed, peeled, sliced or diced
2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon raw honey or maple syrup
½ teaspoon cum
¼ teaspoon pepper
Set oven to 400 F. Rinse the sweet potatoes and use a fork to prick holes in each one. Rub each sweet potato with avocado oil. Place them apart on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until soft. In a bowl, add together the rest of the ingredients, making sure to mix the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, and salt and pepper separately. Then, pour the dressing ingredients over the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Once sweet potatoes are cooked, slice them open and use a fork to loosen the sweet potato flesh a bit, then add a generous helping of the vegetables. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
Chickpea Tabbouleh Salad
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup cooked brown lentils
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, finely chopped
2 cups fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
8 spring onions, finely sliced, or 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
Dressing
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup
5 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
¼ teaspoon pink salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed, or ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Optional: 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
Add all the salad ingredients to a salad bowl. For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together and pour over the salad. Using salad tongs, lightly toss all the ingredients together and serve. Serves 4 to 6.
Leré’s Kale Salad
6 ounces curly kale, stalks removed and roughly chopped
1 handful arugula
1 large red pepper, seeds removed, finely diced
1 large yellow pepper, seeds removed, finely diced
2 cups baby tomatoes, halved
6 spring onions, finely sliced, or ½ cup finely diced red onions
A handful of sunflower microgreens
Add Ins:
1 cup oven roasted butternut squash, diced
½ cup cooked chickpeas
1 avocado, diced or sliced
2 tablespoons sunflower or pumpkin seeds
⅛ cup dried cranberries
1 cup cooked quinoa
Salad Dressing
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Optional: 1 thumbnail size ginger root, peeled
Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the kale to a large bowl. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of the dressing over the kale and massage until kale is tenderized. Add the remaining ingredients and salad dressing. Mix well and serve.
Leré Robinson, founder of Alive Again! and author of Alive Again! cookbook, takes the focus off diets and denial and on to balance and health. Leré grew up on a farm in South Africa where she learned the value of holistic nutrition health, which she now brings to our South Carolina Midlands community.