Starting Fresh

Happy New Year!

It’s been an interesting start to 2025. Mother Nature is certainly letting us know that our impact on the planet is disruptive. The devastating fires in Southern California coming with such force at this time of year feel apocalyptic. I hope that in addition to finding ways to help those who were affected, we have a renewed sense of urgency to care for our environment and keep it top of mind as we make choices in our daily lives.

Personally, I continue to try and cut back on packaging, reuse and recycle, shop locally, grow some of my own food, eat a plant-based, less processed diet and support organizations and public officials who make sustainability a priority. Disasters of such magnitude can make us feel powerless. I feel a small sense of control over my life when I make healthy food choices, and knowing how to prepare my own food gives me a sense of self-sufficiency.

I’m very excited to be participating in the 2025 UC Master Food Preserver Program in San Mateo County. Their mission is “to keep Californians safe and well as they use culturally appropriate, research-based practices to safely preserve food in the home, reducing food waste, increasing food security, and providing engaging ways for Californians to explore healthy food.”

One of the program requirements is to volunteer to help share recipes and techniques for preserving food. Stay tuned for more details about workshops and events in the future.

RECIPE

Cabbage is an abundant winter crop. It can thrive in colder weather with many varieties available at farmers markets and in CSA boxes. This member of the nutritionally beneficial cruciferous family along with broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts, is quite low in calories, high in fiber, vitamins (especially C and K) and antioxidants including sulforaphane, which is believed to have power health benefits including protection against cancers.

I came up with this Spicy Cabbage Crunch Salad when I needed to make a big salad to bring to a brunch. I wanted to make it the night before, and I had a big green cabbage in the fridge, so I decided to build on that. Once chopped, a whole head of cabbage is A LOT. It will soften nicely and shrink down in the salty / acidic dressing, but still hold some crunch for a couple days. The jalapeño and green onions give a nice kick, and the cashews add a little extra crunch along with healthy fats and protein. If you’re making this ahead of time, you can wait and add the dressing before serving or add it when you prepare the salad so all the flavors meld together.

NEW CLASSES

Do you want to have a hands on experience learning how to make some of the favorite items from my time running Que SeRaw SeRaw? I continue to partner with Moonlight Collective to offer classes in my kitchen. These small groups are so much fun! Come join a group of other healthy foodies and get all my tips and tricks while we prepare dishes together. Coming up are Scrumptious and Healthy Raw Vegan Truffles on Sunday, February 2 from 3-4:30pm and Make Mock Tuna and Nori Rolls at Home on Tuesday, February 25 from 5:30-7:00pm. We can also arrange private custom classes. If there is something specific you’d like to learn, please send me message and let me know.

To celebrate their one-year anniversary and in support of turning “connection into action,” Moonlight Collective is donating 100% of their net profit from all experiences purchased in January to support LA fire relief efforts, benefiting World Central Kitchen and the LA Fire Department.

REVIEW

Rad Radish in Hayes Valley is a sister restaurant to Wildseed. Both are 100% plant-based eateries offering creative, seasonal dishes featuring vegetables. Rad Radish is more casual with an open dining area where customers order from the counter or using a QR code menu on their phones.

I met a friend for lunch over the holidays and enjoyed the Wildseed Burger and a Ginger Turmeric Probiotic soda. I’m a big fan of “real” veggie burgers made with actual plant vs. the processed fake meats. This mushroom, brown rice and spinach patty was very flavorful and holds together well. It’s topped with grilled onions, a delicious sweet and tangy tomato chutney and a vegan chipotle aioli. I added optional avocado instead of vegan cheese and chose the side salad which was very fresh and lightly dressed. It was a satisfying lunch that felt indulgent but healthy. The ginger turmeric soda was delicious. They make their own ginger turmeric syrup in house and add it to a Kvass soda for a refreshing drink with a little zing.

There are a lot of interesting dishes on the menu, including several salads and bowls and many items in common with Wildseed. It’s one of the very few places that’s 100% plant-based which makes eating out a lot more interesting and relaxing for a vegan. My non-vegan friends and family are also able to find dishes to enjoy, so both restaurants are great options if you want to enjoy a meal out with a group.

Over the holidays, I splurged and ordered an assortment of vegan cheeses from Rebel Cheese. This company was started by a couple in Texas. They use clean ingredients and traditional artisan cheese-making techniques. I just received this box, packed with recyclable padding. I can’t wait to test these, and will report on them in my next newsletter…