Mango Apple Spinach Smoothie:

Here is a green smoothie that is sweetened with frozen mango. This recipe is a modified version of Meredith Baird's "Glorious Green" recipe in her Everday Raw Detox book. The only thing I really changed is a few proportions and adding dates and vanilla.  Not that I can improve on her brilliance, it's just that I have a sweet tooth that I indulge in the best ways possible.  Anything sweet that comes by nature and which hasn't been processed is alright by me.

Mango Apple Spinach Smoothie:
2 c. frozen mango
1 granny smith apple chopped
2 c. spinach
1/2 c. coconut water
1 c. coconut milk
1 lime peeled
1 t. spirulina
2 Medjool dates
1 t. vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serves 1-2. 

Pho and Kale Salad

For a recent dinner I made a raw version of Pho and warmed it in the dehydrator before serving. I paired it with a kale salad with a avocado and miso dressing massaged into the kale. In this particular version of the Pho I used parsnip and carrot noodles, but I'll try it again using kelp noodles. I used the carrot noodles in an attempt to make the soup a little more colorful, but it still looked rather brown, which is not my favorite  color, especially when it comes to food. The taste, however, was full of flavor. The kale salad is my absolute favorite salad. I find the miso dressing so satisfying with the seaweed accents. This salad contains umami, the fifth flavor accent after sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Umami can be translated as pleasant savory taste. It isn't a flavor itself but combines to give you the satisfying combination of flavors.

Pho and Kale Salad:

Pho:
Broth:
1/2 c. namu shoyu
1/4 c. sesame oil
one lime peeled
2 T. agave
2 sheets of unroasted nori
1 T. grated ginger
1 T. miso
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 star anise
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Set aside.

Noodles:
1 carrot spiralied
2 parsnips spiralized
1 zucchini spiralized
1 romanesco head or 1 small broccoli head
1/2 red pepper sliced
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. black sesame powder
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 c. mung sprouts for garnish
1/4 c. cilantro for garnish

Put all ingredients except garnishes into a large bowl. Pour broth over the noodles and toss. Spoon into individual serving bowls. Place bowls on the bottom of the dehydrator and warm at 118 degrees for one hour before serving. Garnish with mung sprouts and cilantro immediately before serving.

Kale Salad:
1 head of dinosaur or lucinato kale cut into ribbons
1 sheet of nori cut into squares
1 avocado
2 T. white miso
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. lemon juice

Put kale and nori into a mixing bowl.  In another bowl combine avocado, miso, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Mash the avocado ingredients with a potato masher or a fork. Massage the avocado mixture onto the kale with clean or gloved hands until the kale feels soft. Put into individual serving bowls. It is best to make this salad soon before serving so the avocado mixture retains its bright color.

Serves 3-4.

Nightcap Smoothie

I made this concoction in the evening as I was trying to wind down before bed. I used kava and magnesium to help relax my nerves and replenish my muscles.  All I can say is I had a really good night's sleep and some pleasant dreams.

Nightcap Smoothie:

1 c. black mission figs
3 medjool dates
12 c. cashews
10 almonds
1/2 c. coconut milk
2 T. chia powder
1 T. kava powder
1 T. magnesium powder
1 t. vanilla

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Serves 1-2.

Orange Pineapple Jalapeno Smoothie

This one is for the brave at heart or for those who get tired of the same old smoothie. It packs some serious heat, but I love it. Since I live in a cold climate it is sometimes hard to drink a smoothie. I don't want to be any colder than I have to be. When I feel like that I throw a hot pepper into the mix. Instant warmth. Hence, the addition of a jalapeno pepper.

Pineapple contains bromelain, which helps break down excess protein build up in the muscles. Bromelain also aids in fighting infections. Pineapple is packed with antioxidants and is a great source of Vitamin C along with the oranges in this recipe. Also rich in manganese, pineapple is good for the bones. These are only a few of pineapple's benefits but worth mentioning.

Cilantro helps pull toxins from the body, especially heavy metals.  The oils in cilantro stimulate digestion. Cilantro is also a great aid in warding off microbial or fungal infections. It has anti-inflammatory properties and strong general  antioxidant properties. It's an overall great liver tonic. Really, the benefits of cilantro are so numerous I can't list them all here, but know that this little herb packs a powerful punch.

So try this smoothie if you like a little heat. Trust me, the combination of fruit and peppers is unexpected and delightful.

 

Orange Pineapple Jalapeno Smoothie:

1 c. pineapple
3 small oranges
1 jalapeno pepper (use less if desired)
1 handful of cilantro
1/4 c. coconut water

Blend well. Serves 1-2.

Sweet Green Smoothie

As I continue to clean up my act I'm making smoothies for easy digestion and lot of nutrients. This one contains pears, avocados, spinach and some spirulina and green powder for an added blast. It's thick, filling, and sweet.  Green pretty much means clean to me.

Sweet Green Smoothie:
1 pear chopped
1 small avocado
2 c. spinach
1 1/2 c. coconut water
1/2 t. Garden of Life Perfect Food (Raw) green powder
1/2 t. spirulina
3 Medjool dates
1 t. vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serves 1-2.

Apple Pear Almond Smoothie

Every time I'm cleaning up my act, I look to Meredith Baird's Everyday Raw Detox for inspiration. I got the idea for this smoothie partly from a recipe of hers called "Fall Fixer" and partly from my insatiable desire for apples and almond butter, which I eat almost every day. And often twice a day. It's fast, portable, and delicious. Even faster is this smoothie. I thought I'd try blending my favorite combination to see what happens. I eat the two together so often, I'm surprised I didn't try this sooner. It's no surprise how it turned out.  I added a jalapeno pepper to give it some heat. I have to admit, sometimes I'm not sure when I throw something into the blender, but I've learned over the years that really unexpected pairings can delight. So it is with the pepper in this recipe. It's just enough heat to give the smoothie a kick without overpowering it. Paired with a steaming cup of hot cinnamon black tea, this is a perfect start to the morning.

Apple Pear Almond Smoothie:

2 apples chopped and seeded
1 pear chopped and seeded
1/2 c. coconut water
2 T. raw almond butter
2 inch chunk of ginger
1 T. chia powder
2 medjool dates
1 T. flax oil
1 t. cinnamon
1 jalapeno pepper
1 t. vanilla

Blend apples and pear with coconut water until it's an applesauce consistency. Blend the rest of the ingredients with the apples and pear until you have a smoothie consistency.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy. Serves 1-2.

Green Tea Latte with Spirulina Smoothie--1

 I just came back from another vcacation overseas. This time it was to France to ski and snowshoe in a beautiful area in the French Alps. After so recently returning from Australia and New Zealand, I've been feeling a bit out of sorts as far as eating raw goes. The majority of the food I ate in France was raw, but I also ate cooked vegetables and rice, as I did in Australia and New Zealand. I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. It's just not my usual choice. Raw works for me on many levels. I also am quite picky about my sweet. I like to satisfy my sweet tooth but in as healthy a way as possible. I like my sweet in the natural state, ie. as in dates and figs. (Yes, I know how much sugar dried fruit contains). I don't like to eat sugar sources that have no nutritional value to them, ie. white sugar. I'm also suspect of evaporated cane juice, which, to me, is the high fructose corn syrup of the natural food world.  (And yes, I know that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get where I'm going...it's in everything).

Well, I digress. Back to the traveling... I know a few things got past me, specifically soy milk, which undoubtedly contained sugar and probably of the evaporated cane juice variety. Finding alternative dairy sources isn't so easy overseas. Soy is generally available, but not almond or hemp or cashew or coconut milk. And I'm not in the position to make my own.  (Though I seriously tried to fit my NutriBullet into my suitcase, but it was just too much). I did make sure the soy milk did not contain genetically modified soy, which was much easier in Australia and New Zealand than here in the U.S., if the labels were indeed correct. I was fortunate to find an almond milk in France, but it had sugar in it. No such thing as an unsweetened choice in the tiny town I was in. I was just content to find almond milk instead of soy.  And since I only use a tiny bit in my tea, I was satisfied that making this sacrifice wasn't going to have too much of an impact on my health. Of course, I could just forgo using anything in my tea, but my tea ritual just wouldn't be the same. And I really, really love my tea. It's the one ritual I have to have when traveling. So I accept that a little soy abroad won't be the end of the world.

A side note on  soy. I don't eat soy at home, so maybe things have changed in the decade since I ate it. But it used to be that only organic soy could be trusted to be non-GMO. Most soy is genetically modified in this country.  In Australia and New Zealand most of the soy milk said it was non-GMO, yet it wasn't organic. It was actually hard to find a soy milk that was genetically modified. Now, I don't know what they are doing that we aren't, but it seems there is a greater consciousness regarding this issue. Perhaps it was public demand to not allow GMO's in their food, I really don't know.  I just know as I looked on the shelves out of curiosity it was hard to find GMO soy milk in these countries.  I can't tell you how delighted that made me. Some countries are successfully fighting the corporate corrupting giants, and you know who I mean. So I'm going to hold out hope that we can still turn the tide on this issue in this country.

I digress again.. back to my cleaned up breakfast. I'm not one of those people who do juice cleanses. I juice, but I'm too active to be able to live on juice alone. When I try to clean up, what I mean is drinking smoothies and juices. My aim is to give my digestive system a break by consuming foods that are partially broken down by the Vitamix and presumably easier to absorb this way. I still drink foods with healthy fats in them. Nuts, coconut, and avocados are still part of my 'cleanse.'  Now the purists out there wouldn't approve of this as a cleanse, but it's my cleanse and I know what I need and how to get it.  I strongly believe there is no one way to do any of this. Each of us has to find our own way. So my way this morning was to start with a wheat grass shot, then a green tea latte paired with a spirulina smoothie. A slow start to be sure, but still an improvement over all the chocolate I ate while on vacation.

Green Tea Latte:
2 c. hot water
3/4 c. cashew milk*
4 T. softened coconut butter
2 T. coconut nectar
2 T. green tea powder (feel free to use less as 2 T. makes for a strong green tea flavor)
1 T. lacuma powder
1/2 t. vanilla bean seeds

Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix and let run for several minutes. The heat of the motor will warm the liquid. Serve immediately. Makes two servings.

*Cashew Milk:
1 c. cashews soaked for 2 hours
5 c. filtered water
1 t. vanilla
a few drops of stevia (optional)

Blend nuts with water until you have a smooth liquid. Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag. Add the vanilla and optional stevia to the milk and stir in.

Alternatively, you can buy nut milks from the store, but they aren't raw. Heat is used in the processing. It's your choice how far you want to go with this raw idea.

Spirulina Smoothie:
1 c. coconut water
1/2 c. shredded coconut
2 T. softened coconut butter
1 scoop raw protein powder
1 T. spirulina ( Use as much or as little as you want.  I've worked my way to loving spirulina and find it sweet)
1 t. flax oil
3 medjool dates

Blend all ingredients until coconut has blended well and smoothie texture is smooth. Makes one large smoothie.

Cinnamon Vanilla Chocolate Bar

I've made chocolate many times and posted several of those recipes. Today I made my first chocolate bar using a silicone bar mold. I used the same ingredients I always use, Navitas Naturals Cacao Power and Cacao Paste with a little agave and stevia and a pinch of cinnamon and vanilla. I also made a few candies using white chocolate to top coconut flakes and goji berries. I couldn't resist dipping a few dried figs in the white chocolate as well. The white chocolate uses Navitas Naturals Cacao Power. I added to that some date paste, some cashews, some agave and a bit of vanilla. I didn't keep track of proportions because I was mostly just having fun with different molds. Next, I'll design a wrapper for the chocolate bars so they look like the real thing. Making raw chocolate is easy, but using these molds takes it to another level. I'm going to give the bar to a friend as a gift. Who wouldn't like homemade chocolate made with love and joy?

Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, VIC, Australia

The last market I visited was more of a tourist attraction. Queen Victoria Market is a large market of vendors selling everything from meat to dairy to fruits to nuts to fish, etc. They also had stalls for clothing and other novelty type things, but I stuck to the organic produce area. I prefer smaller neighborhood markets, but while here I did find a booth operated by Loving Earth, a local company that made the raw foods I had been subsisting on while in Australia and New Zealand. It was fun to find them and to talk with the guy behind the table. Tasting their organic raw caramel chocolate was worth the long walk I took to find the place. I'll be trying to reinvent that flavor in my own kitchen. I think I had already tried almost every item shown in these photos during the month I was there, but still I was just happy to let him know how grateful I was to have their raw food available to me.

So to anyone who fancies a trip to either of these countries and wants to eat raw, this is the company to look for. There are others, to be sure, but Loving Earth is the most accessible and plentiful. Organic produce is readily available.  You'll have no trouble eating your way through either country. I just hope you have as much fun as I did doing so.

Queen Victoria Market

Organic produce section of the huge market

The Loving Earth booth is the entire length of photo.

Buckwheat granola, which came in handy for  me.

Raw nuts and dried fruits

More raw chocolate; caramel white chocolate on right

Abbottsford Convent Farmer's Market in Melbourne

I spent a great day wandering Saturday farmer's markets and artist's markets in Melbourne.  My favorite farmer's market was at the Abbottsford Convent, which is no longer a convent but is now used by art organizations.  My best find was a big container of plump, ripe figs. These were perhaps the best I have ever had, and I've eaten a lot of fresh figs. Absolutely perfect.  Even the figs I lived on for a month in Greece (that I picked fresh every day) weren't as good as these.  Honestly, these were divine.

I also found some other beautiful stalls, my favorite being the Hi-Fye pistachio stall. There I discovered almost a dozen varieties of raw pistachios. It's usually pretty hard to find one kind of raw pistachio, let alone a variety. This discovery delighted me. I also talked to an interesting vendor of organic honey. We had a nice discussion about how they make their raw honey. Talking to vendors directly about their passion and where it meets mine is my favorite thing about these public markets. The people watching is pretty good too. I love seeing people riding in on their bikes with their baskets ready to be filled, or people carrying their totes anticipating this week's find. Farmer's markets are one of the few places left that feel like community, and I love being in the energy of this feeling.

 Here are some pics of beautifully displayed organic produce because, to me, it looks as lovely as any piece of art. I am blissfully happy when walking farmer's markets. Such a simple thing, but I am always so grateful to be among other people who share a love of good, pure food and who work really hard to provide it to the rest of us. 

The tub was twice this size to start.

How perfect is that?

Thank you, Ian and Glennis Haw!

 certified organic greens

more organic produce

Hi-Fye Pistachios--these are different raw varieties

Cornucopia of Delights

As I awaited the Saturday farmer's markets in Melbourne I journeyed to the smaller local produce sellers to get me through in the interim. On this particular Thursday I was in heaven. Not only was it great to buy a peach in February and have it be considered in season because of where I was, but I also found fruits I can't get in the U.S. At this particular market I found passionfruit (my favorite), mangosteen and apple custard. I've certainly used mangosteen supplements and juices, but I had never eaten a fresh one. I had also never eaten the apple custard fruit. I don't even really know if that is what it is called, but that's what the sign said, so that's what I'm calling it here.

I took my bounty back to the Nunnery where I was staying, went out to the back fire escape, and had myself a feast. While I was trying all of these delectables, someone was playing a ukelele down below on one of the hostel's patios. As the music wafted up to me on this beautiful sunny day, I indulged in a mountain of fresh fruit. It may not sound like much, but I was so happy with the richness of beautiful, colorful food and some accompanying music, that I was about to burst. Ok, a little of that feeling was from all the fruit I had consumed, but I couldn't resist. I was about to head back into freezing cold winter where many of these fruits wouldn't be in season for another six months and some would never be available to me. So I filled myself up (though I didn't eat all of this at one sitting) on local produce from Australia. It was all delicious. This day will be one of my favorite memories from my trip.

Organic market on Brunswick St.

Mangosteen upper right; passionfruit lower right

Peaches in February in season!

From left upper corner: apple custard, peaches, passionfruit, cherries, peach, mangosteen, peach, fig

My new favorite yogurt

I discovered this truly amazing yogurt while in Australia and New Zealand. It's made in Australia and not available here, but I hope that someday changes. I mean, if I can buy apples from New Zealand at my co-op, why not this coconut yogurt? In full disclosure, I don't know if this is a raw product. I would bet it isn't, but I have to write about it anyway because it is hard to find a thick, creamy raw yogurt if you don't make it yourself. I also admit that normally I wouldn't have bought this if I had seen the full ingredient list. The price tag was conveniently over the one ingredient that would have prevented me from buying it the first time-- tapioca starch (which raises insulin levels much like gluten).  All the other ingredients were pretty pure, so I didn't think too much about that pesky little price tag (pesky for more than one reason; what it hid and what it stated--this stuff is not cheap).

After purchasing it, I brought it back to where I was staying, took off the price tag and let out a sigh of, "Oh well, not perfect, but I'll try it anyway." Can I just say that sometimes it is so worth it to let go of your personal rules just to experience something wonderful? This yogurt was so thick, resembling a Greek yogurt, and so smooth and not too sweet. It was definitely the full fat coconut, which I have no fear of, though I wouldn't eat this every day. It's so rich that it's better to enjoy it spoonful by spoonful, relishing each one with all the attention it deserves. I mean, really, I closed my eyes and savored each bite. Especially since I thought this would be the only time I ever tasted it. The one exception to the tapioca starch that I would make. Ha!

At this point, the vacation attitude took over and I thought to myself, "I'll only ever have it here. I can't find it at home. I'll try every flavor just once."  I almost did that. I let some flavors slide. But I did try the blackberry, the plain, and the passionfruit.  I found the passionfruit flavor while in New Zealand, long after I had said good-bye and put an end to this love affair with this Australian made product. But there it was in Queenstown, beckoning, and I indulged for the last time, pairing it with a raw cracker made in New Zealand that I found at the Mediterranean Market. The cracker was made with buckwheat, dates, and figs. Really, it was nothing fancy but paired with the passionfruit yogurt, it was divine. While everyone else in my group went out to dine at restaurants, I enjoyed my chance at solitude while indulging in each incredible bite. A bit anti-social, perhaps, but this is what love does. It puts you in your own little world where nothing else enters in, at least for awhile. And I loved it while it was happening. It was my favorite meal during the entire New Zealand adventure.

A day at the beach...in Melboune, Australia

While roaming around Melbourne on the bike loaned to me by my host, I made my way to the beach. It was well over 100 degrees, which considering the temps in Minnesota, was over a 100 degrees difference. Quite something in a matter of days. I loved it. I'm not really a beach person, but Australia is well known for their beaches, so I figured I had to see at least one. Of course, it was a city beach and was quite crowded on such a hot day. It was pretty fun to go from bitter cold to a day at the beach, I must admit.

Along with a couple of really great oranges, this is a pic of my treat at the end of my long bike ride.

Water, sunscreen, and kale chips. All I needed plus some oranges.

Ingredients: Kale, cashews, carrot, coriancer, and sea salt

St. Kilda Beach, St. Kilda, VIC, Australia

Does anyone know what these water propelling boots are called?

I haven't posted much lately because I've recently spent a month in Australia and New Zealand and didn't want to post that I was away from my home while I was actually away. I had some drafts prepared to post while gone but wifi wasn't always reliable, so that didn't really work out. But I did keep a journal while traveling of all the great raw food I found along the way. No dedicated raw restaurants to be found but plenty of options for delicious food, especially chocolate. Normally when I travel I have to give up raw chocolate because it isn't so readily available, but it is plentiful in Melbourne. I tried every kind and flavor I found from every small business. So for awhile I'll be posting those discoveries, starting with the chocolate. It was so much fun for me to search out raw food while in Melbourne. I think I pretty much discovered every nook and cranny as it relates to raw ingredients and availability. I discovered some new things, contemplated new ideas, and met some great new friends who share my passion. New Zealand was a bit harder but mostly because I was with a group and meals were planned. Still, I did just fine. Any raw foodists out there can rest assured that these two countries are easy to travel to and still eat as well as you want to. (Well, getting there isn't so easy, but traveling within the countries is easy and raw food is plentiful.) And since the people are so nice and the countries are so beautiful, I highly encourage you to find your way there at some point in your life. Truly remarkable places.

Here are some of the raw chocolate bars I found. My favorites were by Pana, especially the cinnamon flavor. I also discovered these amazing chocolate truffles that about made me kneel and kiss the ground. I cannot even tell you how good they were and do them justice in the telling. With flavors like pistachio; orange blossom; coconut goji berry; coffee infused; sea salt; and my favorite, chili pepper, these were as much art as food. The chocolate bars I can confidently say I could make myself, but these truffles were something else. I haven't quite figured out the secret, but I'm going to try. I don't know the company that makes them but bravo to you. Really beautiful, really delicious, and oh, so satisfying.

Pana Chocolates made in Australia

Made in the U.K. but found in Melbourne

Also Australian made. I lived on Loving Earth's products while in Melbourne.

The amazing truffles: clockwise from top:  sea salt; coconut-goji, pistachio, and chili pepper.

Orange Cranberry Spritzer

Cranberries and orange go so well together in a relish that I thought I'd try a juice. I then used my Sodastream to make some carbonated water. Combining the two created a brightly colored spritzer.  The juice is great on its own as well. 

Orange Cranberry Spritzer:
1 1/2 c. cranberries
1 orange
1 pear
1 lime

Run all ingredients through a juicer. Combine with some carbonated water to create the spritzer. Garnish with a lime slice.

Superseed Crackers with Herb Cheese

I've been meaning to make this recipe from Natalia's Pure Pleasures cookbook. Though she calls them a bread, I'd say they are more like crackers. Full of superfoods, including sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds, they'll chock full of high nutrition in every small bite.  Flavored with caraway seeds, they taste like a hearty rye bread though they are flat and dense. I've experimented with sprouting rye to make such a bread, but these crackers came closer than any recipe I've concocted using rye. I modified Natalia's recipe slightly based on what I had in my refrigerator.  I paired the crackers with a hearty herb cheese in which I used probiotic powder to pump up the nutritional benefits as well as adding a fermented flavor. Together the combination was really satisfying. An opened face cheese sandwich on rye, if you will.

Superseed Crackers with Herb Cheese:
2 zucchini
2 granny smith apples
2 c. raw sunflower seeds soaked for 4 hours and drained
1/4 c. olive oil
1 c. filtered water
1 T. chopped shallot
1/2 c. black sesame seeds
1/4 c. chia seeds
2 T. hemp seeds
2 T. poppy seeds
2 T. caraway seeds
1 1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. ground flaxmeal

Puree the zucchini in a food processor. Add chopped apples and continue pureeing. Add sunflower seeds, olive oil, water and shallot. Mix well. Remove from food processor and put into a large bowl. Fold in the remaining seeds, salt, and flaxmeal. Mix until well incorporated.

Divide dough in half. Place each half on a Teflex lined dehydrator sheet.  Place another Teflex sheet (or parchment paper) over each ball of dough and roll out with a rolling pin into a rectangular shape. Score crackers into desired shapes. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 15 hours, flipping halfway through. Remove Teflex when you flip the crackers. Remove from dehydrator when crisp, give or take a couple of hours.

Cheese:
1 1/2 c. cashews soaked for 2 hours and drained/rinsed
1/4 c. filtered water
1/4 lemon juice
1/2 t. chickpea miso
2 t. non-dairy probiotic powder 
1/4 c. chives

Mix all ingredients except chives in the food processor until well incorporated. Fold in the chives. Refrigerate a few hours until set.

Assembly:
Place 1-2 T. of cheese on each cracker. Top with some pea sprouts. Enjoy.

Cranberry Walnut Crackers

I'm often inspired by Susan Power's recipes found at rawmazing.com.  I rarely follow a recipe but instead use them as jumping off points to make something tailored to my tastes.  I've been trying not to eat too many sweets but couldn't resist playing with some of her cracker recipes because they lean toward the sweet but don't quite feel like dessert. I'm fooling myself about the dessert part, I know, but these crackers contain protein, Omega 3's, Vitamin E and Vitamin C, manganese, biotin, and more, so sweet or not, they are good for me. And that's good enough for me.

 Cranberry Walnut Crackers:
4 c. soaked and drained walnuts
1 c. flaxmeal
2 c. fresh cranberries chopped
1 c. fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 c. coconut nectar
5 drops vanilla stevia

Chop cranberries in a food processor. Set aside. Next, chop walnuts in the food processor using the pulse button. Make sure not to process too long because walnuts can quickly make walnut butter. Add cranberries, orange juice, coconut nectar, and vanilla stevia and mix well. Fold in the flax meal by hand.

Spread dough onto Teflex lined dehydrator sheets. Score into desired shapes. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 12 hours or until crisp.

Cranberry Orange Spread:
1 orange cut into pieces
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1 c. soaked and drained cashews
1/4 c. agave
1 c. fresh cranberries

Chop cranberries in a food processor. Set aside. Blend remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour spread into a bowl. Fold in cranberries reserving 1/4 c. to use as a garnish on each cracker.

Assembly:
Spread a tablespoon of cranberry orange spread onto each cracker. Sprinkle with a few fresh cranberries.

Pear Walnut Crackers with a Fig and Pear Compote

This recipe is again inspired by Susan Powers. I basically followed the recipe with only slight alterations. Originally I was so in love with the intense flavor of the fig walnut crackers that I didn't fully appreciate the subtlety of these crackers. Then I slowed down and really tasted them. I fell in love again, so much so that I brought these home to my mother and fed them to her with her glass of white whine.  She loved them so much we made more the next day so I could leave some with her. Then I served them to one of my sisters who also loved them.  Then when another sister called and we were all raving about them, she wanted the recipe since she, too, has a big Excalibur dehydrator. I promised her I'd post the recipe, so here it is.

 

Pear Walnut Crackers:

2 pears chopped 

2 c. walnuts soaked and drained

1 c. almonds soaked and drained

2 c. raw groats ground into flour

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. fresh sage

1/2 t. papaya seed peppercorns*

1/2 t. sea salt

First grind oat groats into flour using a Vitamix or grain mill. Set aside. Next puree pears in a food processor. Add walnuts and incorporate well. Then add almonds and incorporate well again. Add oat groats and other remaining ingredients and blend well until a dough-like consistency has formed.  Spread mixture onto two Teflex lined dehydrator sheets. Press each ball of dough into a large square. Score the crackers into desired shapes. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about 10 hours, flipping halfway and removing Teflex liners at this point. Crackers should be crisp when finished dehydrating.

*Instead of peppercorns, I dehydrate papaya seeds until they are the size of peppercorns and then put them in my peppermill. 

Pear Fig Compote:

1 pear chopped and seeded

12 dried Black Mission Figs with stems removed

1 t. cinnamon

Process ingredients in a food processor until you have a jelly consistency.

Assembly:

Place a tablespoon of compote on each cracker. Top with a thin slice of pear and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cinnamon Fudge Cake

Yesterday was my birthday, and I believe in birthday cake! So I made this one for a party I had. A raw cake is a pretty intense thing. It involves a lot of nuts ground into flour, which makes for a pretty heavy, dense cake. A small sliver of a piece is pretty filling, so one cake serves a lot of people. I mean a lot. We made a pretty good dent in this thing by the end of the night, but I'll have a few slices in my freezer for awhile. I may have to have friends over again to finish it off.  Last night, however, was a great time with great friends eating great food and then enjoying some great dancing. Thanks to those who celebrated with me. You know how to make a girl feel special.

Cinnamon Fudge Cake:
Wet Ingredients:
7 medjool dates blended with 1/4 c. water
1 c. coconut milk
1 t.  sea salt
1 T. vanilla
1 c. coconut oil in liquid state

Mix all ingredients together, adding coconut oil last.

Dry Ingredients:
5 c. ground almonds
3 c. ground cashews
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. cacao powder
2 T. cinnamon
2 t. sea salt
1/4 c. agave

Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until well incorporated. Add agave and mix again.

Next, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix with hands or pulse gently in a food processor on the dough setting. (Note: a hand mixer would have kept this cake lighter and not so dense, but I don't have one. I used the food processor and pulsed as little as was necessary. The cake was quite dense in texture, but the flavor isn't compromised. A fluffier cake would be nicer but is sometimes hard to achieve with nuts as the base.)

Cashew Crumble Filling:
2 c. cashews chopped
1/4 c. agave
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss until well coated.

Cinnamon Frosting:
2 c. soaked and drained cashews
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. agave
1 t. lemon juice
2 T. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. sea salt
2/3 c. coconut oil in liquid state
1/3 c. coconut butter in softened state

Blend all ingredients in the Vitamix, adding coconut oil and coconut butter last. Pour frosting into a shallow pan and chill until set. This may take about an hour or two. Frosting should still be spreadable when applied to cake.

Assembly:
Press cake batter evenly into two springform pans. Spread crumble onto the top of one of the cakes. Chill for at least one hour before layering the second cake onto the crumbled topped layer. Lastly, frost the cake with the frosting.

Optional: cacao nibs for the spiral garnish.

Dehydrated Apple Chips

Ah, the simple beauty of dehydrated fruit. Recently when I went home to visit my mother, she had these apple slices in the dehydrator. They were so lovely in their flower-like petal shapes that I had to take a picture.  Thanks to my mom for making something so innately gorgeous and inspiring.  Sometimes it really is the simple things....

Lemon Scones with Mixed Berry Jam

These scones are pretty convincing to me since I haven't had a baked scone in about twenty years. I love the doughy consistency, the tangy lemon flavor, and the scone texture. Paired with a mixed berry jam, these are perfect for breakfast warmed in the dehydrator and served with a hot cup of tea.

Lemon Scones:
3 c. oat groats ground into flour
1/2 c. chia seeds
2 c. cashews soaked and drained
5 dates blended with 1/4 c. water
1 T. agave
1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 c. hazelnut milk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt

Process cashews in the food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until a doughy consistency forms.  Roll out onto a Teflex lined dehydrator sheet. Press into a large circle shape with your hands. Pressing with your hands leaves some texture to the scones.  Cut into wedges. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about ten to fifteen hours, flipping about halfway through.

Mixed Berry Jam:
1 c. mixed berries (I used frozen)
1 1/2 T. chia seeds
1/2 t. fresh sage
2 T. maple syrup

Process ingredients in a blender. Refrigerate until set.

Serving:
Place one scone on a plate. Spoon a large tablespoon of jam onto the plate next to the scone. Serve with hot tea.

Fig Sage Crackers

I absolutely love this recipe inspired by Susan Powers. I used a few different ingredients in this modification, but it is essentially her idea. The savory and sweet flavors melded so well I used it as a dessert.

Figs are high in potassium as well as a good source of calcium. I often make an evening drink mixing figs and magnesium powder to help me sleep. This combination is a great meld of all these minerals and maximizes the body's ability to absorb them in the evening.

Fig Sage Crackers:
1 c. hazelnuts ground
2 c. almonds ground
1 c. oat groats ground
1/2 c. flaxmeal
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. fresh sage
3/4 c. filtered water
2 c. dried black mission figs chopped in the food processor
Himalayan salt and papaya pepper to taste

Stir together all ingredients by hand except dried figs. Knead figs into dough until well incorporated. Press onto a Teflex lined dehydrator sheet. Place another Teflex sheet over the dough and roll out with a rolling pin into a large rectangle. Score into desired shapes. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 24 hours, flipping halfway through. Remove dehydrator sheet after flipping. 

Rosemary Cheese :
1 1/2 c. pinenuts soaked for a few hours and drained
3/4 c. filtered water
2 t. non-dairy probiotic powder
juice from 1 lemon
2 T. rosemary
2 T. chopped shallot
2 T. raw agave
2 T. nutritional yeast
Himalayan salt and papaya pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Allow to culture for 24 hours.

Assembly:
Place 1 T. of rosemary cheese on each cracker. Pour a few drops of an aged balsamic vinegar* on the cheese. Place one half of a dried fig on the cracker with cheese.

*Not raw. I used an 18 year aged balsamic that was thick like a syrup.

Cheesy Kale Crackers

This recipe was inspired by Susan Powers. I made a mistake while combining ingredients, so this recipe is my modified version. Turned out my happy accident added a roasted, hearty flavor to the crackers that I ended up liking. Next time I'll try her pure version to see which I like better, but I'm pretty happy with these.

Cheesy Kale Crackers:
1 c. flaxmeal
1 c. filtered water
 2 c. almond ground into flour
1 bunch lucinato kale chopped into small pieces ( I used the food processor to do this)
3/4 c. raw coconut flour
3-4 T. maca powder
6 T. nutritional yeast
1 chipotle pepper chopped/cut into pieces
1 t. paprika
Himalayan sea salt

Mix flax meal and water. Set aside. Mix the rest of the ingredients except kale in a food processor until a dough-like ball forms. Add flaxmeal and water to the almond mixture and mix by hand. Fold in kale by hand. Mix by hand until evenly distributed. Roll out onto two Teflex lined dehydrator sheets into rectangular shapes. Score into desired shapes. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 8-10 hours or until crisp.

I used half the dough to make a pizza crust. It held together very well. Feel free to try it.

Chocolate Glazed Pecan Bars

I needed to make a quick dessert for a lunch I was serving that didn't require a lot of time or effort. These bars were perfect. I was improvising with what I had on hand. Glazed with chocolate, the mix of pecans with coconut butter layered on top of a cashew shortbread crust was easy, tasty, and decadent.  Once assembled they only require a little refrigeration time to set. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

chocolate glazed pecan bars and raw chocolate candies

Chocolate Glazed Pecan Bars:
Crust:
1 c. cashews ground into flour
3 T. coconut oil in liquid form
1 T. agave

Mix all ingredients together. Press into a Pyrex or silicone pan. I used an 8 x8" silicone pan.

Filling:
3/4 raw agave
3/4 coconut butter softened
3 T. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. pecan pieces

Whisk together all ingredients except pecans. Spread pecan pieces over the crust. Pour the whisked ingredients over the crust and pecans.

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 c. Navitas Naturals Cacao Power (white cacao butter in a block) softened to liquid
1/2 c. Navitas Naturals Cacao Paste softened
1 T. coconut oil in liquid form
1 1/2  T. raw agave

Whisk together all ingredients. Pour over nut bars.

Refrigerate until firm. This took less than an hour. Cut into squares or break into pieces.