autumn recipes

Cooler fall weather ushers in a new crop of earthy, seasonal flavors. Here's a range of savory dishes from certified clinical nutritionist Theresa Dale, Ph.D. Dr. Dale is a homeopath, founder and dean of the California College of Natural Medicine (http://www.traditionalnaturopathy.com/) in Santa Cruz, CA.. A nationally renowned lecturer, Dr. Dale is also the author of "Revitalize Your Hormones: Dr. Dale's 7 Steps to a Happier, Healthier and Sexier You," (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005).

This organic raw food soup brims with fresh flavors and is super-easy to prepare. Enjoy it with toast or garlic bread for lunch, dinner or snack.

Quick and Hearty Lentil Soup

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

3 cups organic almond milk

1 organic avocado, peeled and seeded

3 tablespoons organic garlic, minced

3 tablespoons organic onion, minced

1/2 cup organic bell pepper, diced

3/4 cup organic tomato, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh organic dill

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup extra organic virgin olive oil

1 cup warm spring water

3 cups sprouted organic lentils

Method: Blend all the ingredients except the lentils in a blender. Stir in sprouted lentils and serve.

Salmon Roll

(Serves 4)

Salmon rolls are rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, which form the building blocks of your hormones. It's essential that you use wild salmon, if possible, since farm-raised salmon is often fed soy and administered antibiotics and hormones, making it low in omega-3 fatty acids and high in omega-6 fatty acids. If you suffer from PMS, arthritis or any other inflammatory problem, you want to avoid too many omega-6 fatty acids because they fuel the fires of inflammation.

Ingredients:

4 organic romaine lettuce leaves

4 teaspoons sugarless high omega-3 unsaturated mayonnaise

4 ounces smoked wild-caught salmon, without sugar or preservatives

2 teaspoons organic capers

juice of 1/2 organic lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Method: Rinse the lettuce with purified water. Take 4 leaves, and spread a very light layer of mayonnaise on each lettuce leaf. Lay slices of the salmon among the leaves. Place the capers and a squeeze of lemon on top of the salmon. Salt and pepper to taste. Roll up leaf and serve.

Give your endocrine system a boost with this organic mushroom dish, which is particularly yummy when served with brown rice. Rinse all the fresh vegetables thoroughly withy spring water before preparation. Give your endocrine system a boost with this organic mushroom dish, which is particularly yummy when served with brown rice. Rinse all the fresh vegetables thoroughly withy spring water before preparation.

Organic Portobello Saute

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons organic exgtra virgin olive oil

4 organic garlic cloves, peeled

4 organic Portobello mushrooms, sliced

2 organic red peppers, seeded and finely sliced

4 organic plum tomatoes, seeded and quartered

2 organic scallions, finely chopped

2 jars organic artichoke hearts (packed in water), quartered

8 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar

pinch of organic cayenne pepper

Fresh organic basil leaves

Method: In a large nonstick pan, warm the olive oil on low heat for a few minutes. Be careful to avoid overheating or burning. Saute the garlic for 2 minutes; add the mushrooms, red pepper and tomatoes and saute for 10 minutes on low/medium heat; stirring occasionally. Add the scallion, artichoke hearts and balsamic vinegar. Allow it to cook for 5 to 8 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.

The following chocolate, date and nut pie recipe delights raw food lovers and chocoholics alike.

Chocolate cream pie

(Serves 4 to 6)

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups organic sunflower seeds, soaked overnight

2 cups organic Brazil nuts, soaked overnight

11 dates, pitted

Crust Method:

Combine ingredients in a food processor and mix until nuts are broken down and thoroughly blended. Using your fingers, press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Filling ingredients:

2 cups avocado, peeled and seeded

2 cups dates, pitted

1 1/2 cups organic cocoa powder

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract prepared date and nut 8-inch pie crust

1 or 2 sliced organic strawberries for garnish

Filling Method:

Combine the avocado, dates, cocoa powder and vanilla extract in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Spoon mixture into the prepared pie crust and allow to set for 4 hours. Garnish with strawberry slices.