Full Moon Fare Delivery.

A few weeks ago, I featured Full Moon Fare, a Fishtown-based raw and vegan food delivery company, with a promise of a review. Shortly after, I placed my order and was delighted when Lisa showed up with 3 days of gorgeously prepared, nutrient-packed food in a large box. What a treat for me, as I had a few busy days ahead and not much time to prepare my meals.

The box contained 3 days of meals, along with snacks (a generous container of kale chips, flax crackers, and a massive slice of Pecan Caramel Tart) and a jar of fresh coconut water (which tastes a zillion times better than the packaged stuff) as well as sauces/dressings to accompany the dishes. Each item was labeled in the order that it is suggested to be eaten, and the menu clearly described what should be eaten on Days 1, 2, and 3. I deviated a bit from the order (I just couldn't resist having those raw tacos on Day 1), but everything kept well and tasted fresh throughout the 3.5 days that I enjoyed it. As a bonus, each item is packaged securely and is easy to transport should you be taking lunch to work or your food on the run.

A look at a few of the items:

What I loved about this plan was that I didn't crave cooked food the entire time, even though the temperatures were dropping, and there were enough spices and fall flavors to keep me satisfied. I also liked that the portion sizes were quite generous, because my husband wanted a taste of pretty much everything. We both were pretty much obsessed with the tart, as well as the Coconut Yogurt Parfait, which he said he could eat every day.  The dishes I enjoyed the most were the FMF Tacos with Cashew Sour Cream & Sundried Tomato Salsa, the Cashew Hummus (sorta like cashew cheese) with Veggies, and the Breakfast Scramble (I was delightfully surprised at how much I liked this). I felt light and energized after all of my meals and only skipped one meal (it was our anniversary that night) which I added to another day.

Overall, I thought everything was especially tasty, and really liked the quality of the ingredients and the details involved. Lisa is incredibly talented and it's not every day that you find raw food executed so flawlessly right in your backyard (well, close enough). This is obviously food prepared by someone who cares about it tasting really good, rather than just being raw. Full Moon Fare is a refreshing new addition to Philly, and makes smart eating a lot easier.

If you'd like to give it a try, Full Moon Fare offers $25 off your first order. The box is $150 for 1 week and $550 for 4 weeks. You can check out the weekly menu on Facebook. This week's Pasta Primavera sounds fantastic!

And if you're looking for a quick recipe to try tonight, be sure to try Lisa's Curried Carrot Apple Soup (scroll down for the recipe). As per Lisa's advice, place a pot on the stove until hot, and then remove the pot and add the soup to the pot to warm it gently while still keeping it "raw".  It really hits the spot.

Chocolate Protein Truffles

I've never been the kind of vegan who takes the "Are you getting enough protein?" commentary seriously. I've tracked my protein intake enough over the years and have found plenty of wonderful sources (including veggies, of course) that are easily digestible and readily available.

That said, the mister and I have been increasing our post-workout protein intake a lot this year, because that is when we find that we need it the most and have the most gains in our fitness. To shake up the protein smoothie routine, I've been whipping up variations on this quick protein "truffle" and it's become a favorite around here.

And protein concerns or not, isn't it always nice to eat a truffle, especially during the week of Halloween?

The protein truffles make a wonderful workout recovery snack, with over 5 grams of protein (depending on your protein powder) per truffle.

Chocolate Protein Truffles

1/2 cup almond meal

3 Medjool dates

1/4 cup cacao powder

1.5 scoops vanilla or chocolate brown rice protein powder

1 tbsp maple syrup

4 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Pinch of sea salt

Toppings to roll in - Cacao nibs, coconut, more cacao powder, whatever you like

Optional - 1 scoop of greens powder (leave out 1 tbsp of cacao powder to account for this)

Makes 9 truffles.

Combine dates and almond meal in food processor, then add 2 tbsp coconut oil, maple syrup sea salt, protein powder, and cacao powder and pulse. Then add final 2 tbsp coconut oil and pulse until the mixture becomes sticky. Roll into balls and coat in your toppings. Freeze for one hour and then store in the fridge.



I like to keep a plate of these in the fridge most of the time so that I have a quick, energizing treat or recovery snack on hand. I made one batch with green powder and one without, and I would say the difference is the green powder I used added a fruity flavor (the powder was berry-flavored). The batch without definitely tasted more like a chocolate treat. Enjoy!

Green Pumpkin Smoothie

It's pumpkin smoothie season, I get that. But I can't go more than a few days without blending up something green. Lately, I've been wanting both, so that's what you get in my smoothie below: A seasonally inspired green smoothie. While it's definitely not the prettiest of smoothies, it really does taste like pumpkin and is quite filling, almost pudding-like. If you don't like your smoothies on the thick side, do add an extra splash of non-dairy milk.

Green Pumpkin Smoothie 

1 cup non-dairy milk 

1 frozen banana

Handful of greens or 1 scoop green powder 

(I love the Trader Joe's Super Green Powder) or both

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp ginger spice

1 tsp cinnamon

Blend and serve. I garnished with cacao nibs for crunch and cinnamon.

Full Moon Fare

Every year, Philadelphia becomes a city that's more about kale and collards, than well, those other things. I'm excited to welcome Full Moon Fare, a raw food delivery service, to the mix.

For those of you who like it raw, or simply want to try something different, the raw and vegan enterprise from Chef Lisa Ransing offers a rotating menu of  seasonal bounty with weekly deliveries. 

I had a chance to meet Lisa and try the fare during a First Friday event, and I'm happy to confirm, the food is raw food like the city has never quite seen it, full of flavor, satisfying, and delightfully inspired. I'll be posting a full recap of the 3 day meal plan soon, so stay tuned for that. For now, I have a few questions for Lisa as well as a recipe to share below, along with photos of some a la carte items I tried.

Chef Lisa with one of her star ingredients, kale

Living on the Vedge: How did you first become interested in raw foods?

Lisa: About 10 years ago, I had the privilege to attend a dinner prepared by Chef Matthew Kenney.  I was having some health problems and had been reading about the raw vegan lifestyle.  I was so impressed by the dinner, the next day I rid my house of any “non-living” foods and dove headfirst into raw veganism.   Since then I have been dreaming about starting my own raw food business, but I wasn't sure that there was much of a demand for raw food in Philly at the time. I continued working in the food and restaurant industry, and eventually left my last job as a private chef a little over a year ago to start Full Moon Fare.

Living on the Vedge: Lucky for us! What are some of your favorite Full Moon Fare items?

Lisa: I have a big sweet tooth, so I would have to say, all of the desserts!  One of the most exciting things about eating raw to me is that the desserts are GOOD FOR YOU! I eat raw desserts for breakfast all of the time, they are mostly made from fruit and nuts, so why not?

Living on the Vedge: Where do you find menu inspiration?

Lisa: Like any good chef, I look for seasonal inspiration.  I design my menus around whatever the peak produce is at the moment. I think it’s an exciting way to eat, it adds a little aspect of anticipation. Concord grapes are in season right now, and I cannot eat enough of them.

I also try to create dishes that anyone will enjoy, not just die-hard raw foodists.

I like to try to recreate healthy raw vegan versions of familiar dishes. Nothing is more satisfying to me than to see someone’s face light up after their first time trying raw food, especially if they are skeptical at first. Some people can’t believe how good it really can be.

Living on the Vedge: We try to eat raw often but it's definitely easier in the summer. What are your tips for eating raw into the fall/winter seasons?

Lisa: Like I mentioned previously, I think it’s extremely important to eat what is seasonally available.  You don’t want to be buying strawberries in January—just because they are raw, doesn't mean they will taste good. Also, I find that adding warming spices like ginger, chile, and curry to my dishes makes them more satisfying in the colder months. Dried fruits are always an option, too.

Living on the Vedge: Can you tell us about the future of Full Moon Fare?

Lisa: We are currently looking for a café space in Fishtown. Also, I will be teaching a series of raw food 
preparation classes at Whole Foods Market on Callowhill St. in Philadelphia. The first class is scheduled for October 19th.  You can also find us out front of Adorn Boutique on Frankford Ave. every First Friday from 5-9pm. I would recommend following us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, as we are always adding new events to our schedule.

And now for that promised recipe!

Curried Carrot Apple Soup

2 large carrots, peeled

½ of a large apple, reserve other half for garnish

1 stalk celery

1 clove garlic

1 tsp braggs liquid aminos, or nama shoyu

½ tsp curry powder

1/2 c warm water

2 tbs coconut oil, warmed to liquefy

Place all ingredients except coconut oil in a blender. Blend to liquefy.  Continue blending and slowly add coconut oil. You can warm the soup gently by running your blender for a few minutes.

Garnished with a little salad of baby kale, the leftover apple, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and olive oil.

A few food shots..

Raw Falafel Burger w/ Cashew Hummus & Tahini Sauce (insanely delicious!), Garlic Miso Kale Chips (best kale chips I've ever had)

Raw Apple Cider Donuts

Ready to give Full Moon Fare a try? Each box includes 12 items, for 3 days of meals, with the option to add on a la carte menu items to your order. The cost is $150/week or $550/4 weeks. Good news? Lisa is offering $25 off your first order. For the weekly menu,  visit Full Moon Fare on Facebook.