Health Nut

I've been on a health kick lately. Gotta get ready for all the tubing I'm going to be doing in Arizona! Anyhow, I've incorporated raw foods back into my daily diet. I'm nowhere near becoming a "raw foodist" again; however, I do try to eat raw as much as possible. Tonight I'm having poached salmon topped with a pineapple/avocado salsa with a side of raw zucchini spaghetti topped with raw cashew/basil pesto. I made the salmon last night, so tonight I just whipped up the pesto. Which I just tasted right now and It's delicious!! Here are the recipes for the pesto and pineapple salsa (random combo. I know). Also, you should know that I hate measuring. So when I made these I just shoved all the ingredients in a bowl together and added more of less of things to suit my taste.

Raw Cashew and Basil Pesto
3–3½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large clove garlic
¾ tsp dry mustard
¾ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, for oil-free version add 1-2 tbsp extra water)
1 cup + 1–2 tbsp raw cashews (soaked for an hour)
2½–2¾ cups (packed) fresh basil leaves and tender stems

* Basically, I just dumped all this stuff in my blender and pulverized it.

Pineapple Avocado Salsa

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon honey (I used agave)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and diced

1 tomato

1/4 fresh pineapple diced into cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 clove fresh garlic

1 medium avocado, halved, pitted and flesh cubed

2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

Again. I didn't measure anything when I made it. I just chopped everything up into little pieces and put it in a bowl. I did however wait until the very end to add the avocado and folded it in gently. I wanted pineapple avocado salsa, not really interested in pineapple guacamole.

As for the poached salmon. Just take some water, put it in a pan with some salt and pepper, and wait for it to simmer. Add the salmon and flip it once it's changed color. Poaching salmon literally takes no more than 10 minutes to cook.

The zucchini spaghetti. You just take zucchini through a sprializer. I don't have a spiralizer so I grate it into long, skinny pieces. I know it's ghetto, but you have to make do with what you have.

And if I don't make it as a doctor, at least I know I can always start a cooking blog called "The Ghetto Kitchen."