April is upon us. Do you feel yourself stretching, awakening and coming to life again just like this month's offerings? The month of April embodies colors, tastes and aromas in herbs and foods such as chives, garlic, scallions, cilantro and horseradish. early leaf and head lettuces, dandelion, watercress, oranges and papayas. You have probably heard that the raw food lifestyle is not about deprivation, it is about abundance, and that becomes evident when April rolls around.

Spicy Spring Cilantro Soup Serves 2 3 cups young coconut water 1 bunch cilantro 2 Tablespoons raw tahini 2 cloves garlic 1 jalapeno (optional) 1 avocado 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice Celtic salt to taste (optional) Put all above ingredients in Vita-Mix and blend until smooth. Garnish with chopped scallions, red peppers or tomatoes. Dandy of a Salad Serves 2 This simple salad uses some of that free food I mentioned in the recent blog article Raw Food Diet and Your Budget. Combine: 3 cups of fresh dandelion greens with the stems removed 2 cups chopped apple Dressing 1 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup raw tahini 1/4 cup chopped scallions 2 dates 1 inch of peeled ginger, minced pinch of dulse flakes Blend thoroughly, adjust seasonings to taste, and pour over salad, allowing to stand for at least half an hour. Garnish with dandelion blossoms, Blended Papaya Bliss Serves 2 Juice: 2 apples, any variety 1 cups strawberries 2 ripe pears Pour juice into blender with 1 ripe papaya, 1 ripe champagne mango and 1 more cup of strawberries. Blend until smooth and pour into pitcher. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with chilled glasses. Watercress ala Fresh Serves 2 1 bunch of watercress 1 head of early lettuce such as romaine or bibb 1 handful each of parsley and mint (or use cilantro if mint is unavailable) Wash, trim and chop all fresh spring greens coarsely and drizzle with equal amounts of fresh lime juice and raw honey. (approximately 1/4 cup of each) Salt and pepper to taste (optional) Toss in a salad bowl and serve on the patio sitting next to a big bouquet of tulips! Brave Heart Horseradish Curls For those who like the taste of adventure After peeling fresh horseradish root, continue using carrot peeler to make strips of horseradish, making them long enough to curl naturally. Keep in ice water until ready to serve and use sparingly as a condiment, especially if you are prone to sinus congestion or bronchitis when the weather changes in the Spring. Spring Fling Smoothie Serves 2 2 cups fresh orange juice 2 bananas 2 ripe papayas 1/2 inch of vanilla bean 2 handfuls of fresh, tender early lettuce Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy in Vita-Mix blender. Pour into fancy glasses and garnish with a couple thin wheels of orange slices

Raw Food Recipes (by season)