The Full Raw Meal

Main Course

Dessert

 

 

I'm posting pictures today of a meal I made for two dinner guests awhile ago. I made way too much food for three people, but I love making a themed meal so much that I often get carried away. This theme was Italian.

I started with a raw lasagna, which was layers of zucchini, cashew cheese, sun-dried tomato sauce, spinach, corn, and other assorted vegetables.

Then I made raw beet ravioli with a pine nut cheese garnished with cilantro.  I also served raw breadsticks, which were basically nut cheese rolled in sunflower seeds and then dehydrated. I made a tomato base dipping sauce that contained typical Italian herbs. The breadsticks are in the basket to the left of the upper picture

In front of the breadsticks was a Ceasar Salad with raw croutons. I'm getting a bit redundant here, but the croutons were also a nut cheese rolled in dehydrated crushed carrots. These croutons are amazing. They look real, add a bit of color, and taste great. With so many nuts in this meal, I really needed the lighter salad.

The big challenge for me was making raw calamari. I used King Oyster mushrooms to make the circles. I basically cut off the long stems of the mushrooms, then used an exacto knife to carve the inner circle of the calamari, then breaded the mushroom in a ground flax powder. I dehydrated the mushrooms to a soft, slightly chewy texture. To go with them  I made a raw tartar sauce that was flavored with lemon juice, parsley, and capers. I've never had calamari because I've been a vegetarian for so long.  I didn't know what it was supposed to taste like. I was honored when one of my guests said I hit the texture of calamari on the dot. It was her favorite part of the meal. I'm thinking next I should try the same idea with a sweet yellow onion and make onion rings.

For dessert I strayed from the theme and made a pomegranate kiwi pie. I used pistachios in the crust to give it a little more green color to tie in the kiwi. The pie filling was coconut, cashews, and pomegranate seeds. Then I layered the top in alternating circles of pomegranate seeds and kiwi.

In all, the food was a success and so much fun to make. I love to experiment. It's always risky to try new recipes on guests, but I just invite very gracious guests who will love whatever I make, even if it doesn't always look good. I know who to invite if it's an experiement. I've learned this many times, my food may not always look great, but it always tastes great, thanks to pure, organic ingredients. I think in all my years of making raw food, I've only made one thing I didn't like. It was a raw caviar. I don't think I'd like real caviar, so I don't even know why I tried it, except that it was something I'd never made before. I also have this habit of trying everything in a raw recipe book at least once before I begin to riff on the idea.  Raw cookbooks were the first cookbooks I could do this with because I could eat everything in them. For someone like me, those endless possibilities opened a whole new world. It's probably why raw food has stuck with me for so long. I always have something new to try.

I encourage you to do the same.

Jalapeno Corn Chips and Tortillas

Here are the promised pictures of the corn chips and tortillas I made. I am showing pictures of the pre-dehydrated scored chips and tortillas as well as the finished result. Earlier I said dehydrating isn't an exact science. These took about eight hours to dehydrate. I took the tortillas out a little earlier so they would be more pliable. The chips are nice and crunchy. The same recipe is used for both. How you shape them is up to you. You don't even have to shape them. Just rip them into pieces if that suits you.

Corn Chips:

3 c. fresh or frozen organic non-GMO corn
1/2 c. ground flax powder
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 large jalapeno or 1 whole small jalapeno
1/2 t. cumin
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Spread mixture on Teflex lined  dehydrator sheet(s). If you don't have Teflex sheets you can use parchment paper. Spread to about a 1/4" thickness because the chips will get thinner as they dehydrate. Score into triangles if desired. You can also cut them into triangles after they are crisp, but sometimes they break more easily at this stage.  Or shape them into approximately 7" circles and use as you would any tortilla. Fill them with guacamole, salsa, spicy lentil taco mix, or be creative. The possibilities are pretty broad. Tomorrow I plan to eat them with the hummus I made today, some salsa, and some guacamole.

A few words about corn. Corn is not easy for anyone to digest.  As my favorite Corn Sisters (Neko Case's first and maybe only duo) song says, "I always do request it even though I can't digest it." Sad but true, but it doesn't stop me from eating a fresh corn chip. Once I started making my own corn chips I didn't crave your store bought ones. The two do not compare. The freshness of these and the brightness of their color pleases me to no end. I also can no longer tolerate the taste of store bought salsa. It tastes like a can to me now, even when it comes in a glass jar. Fresh, pure food cannot be improved upon. It doesn't take a lot of effort to make a great guacamole, either. Just a few avocados, some lime juice, cilantro, and salt is delicious. Of course you can add whatever else you like, but these basic ingredients are fantastic as their own combination.

Sorry, I digress. I was talking about corn. It's digestibility is a legitimate concern for many people, and they generally know who they are. The other big issue with corn is that it is hard to find non-genetically modified corn. It's possible in natural food co-ops where bags of chips or frozen corn will identify on the label whether it is GMO-free, but even this isn't a trustworthy. Some co-op brands, like Cascadian Farms, a major producer of frozen organic fruits and vegetables,  is owned by General Mills. This corporation has given tons of money to fight the movement to label genetically modified ingredients.  This movement isn't even about prohibiting GMO's. It's just demanding that consumers be allowed to know when GMO ingredients are used so we can make an informed choice.

Now,  I trust Cascadian Farms was started by well-meaning folks who then sold their business to a corporation which later tried to get in on the profits to be had once sustainability became a major environmental issue. I know people like Wendell Barry saw it coming forty years ago, but most people are still relatively new to the impact of industrial farming. General Mills is counting on their ignorance.

Other sellers of corn products you might think wouldn't have ethics around food production have surprised me.  Trader Joe's signs contracts with their vendors to ensure that their private brand is GMO-free. They don't go so far as to test whether these ingredients are truly non-GMO, but they have taken a step in the right direction. Vendors know  the consequence of not being truthful;  they will lose Trader Joe's business. Whole Foods is also taking steps in this direction. Local food co-operatives have built their reputations on knowing their farmers' growing practices, but that these two big corporations are taking action is good news that the sustainable food movement is growing. More needs to be done, to be sure, but everyone's education starts at the same place. This kind of stand taken by big companies should be applauded. Baby steps are still steps.

We, as consumers, have to respond in kind.  It's like I've always said, we really only have power in two areas: where we vote and where we put our money. Act like Trader Joe's and all the long-standing food co-operatives who have been paving this road so elegantly for so many decades. Demand to know where and how your food is grown. Spend your money where it matters.

For more information on corporations who are fighting the GMO labeling (Prop 37 in CA) movement, please go to the Organics Consumers' Association website  at www.organicconsumers.org. On their website you can print a boycott list of corporations trying to double cross you by selling you organic ingredients while simultaneously fighting your right to know the purity of your food. ( http://organicconsumers.org/label/gmo-boycott.pdf) You can also find companies state by state who use only non-GMO ingredients.  Even if you're not politically motivated to act, I encourage you to educate yourself as to where your food is grown and how. The planet really does depend on it.

Making Food for the Week

Sunday is my favorite day to make food. I listen to great radio programs on MPR, dance in my kitchen, and make lovely food. Usually I sneak a run in there. I love to run during the radio show, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." Laughing while running is pretty fun. I get most of my cooking done during "Prairie Home Companion," but today I had to get an earlier start because I'm participating in an experimental dance project for the next few Sundays. The food I made will be posted over the next two days because some of it is dehydrating as I write.

Many people think raw food is too labor intensive to enjoy making, but I made all of this food in two hours. I don't think that's any more labor than any other way of eating, so don't let those fears of too much work keep you from trying raw recipes. The meal preparation isn't difficult, but it does take forethought. You have to think ahead to incorporate soak/sprout/dehydrating time. Other than soaking nuts/ seeds/ legumes overnight, raw cooking doesn't have to add a lot of time. You just have to remember to soak, but then you go about your day until soaking is done.

With that said, this morning I made three different fresh juices, two different kinds of hummus, an indulgent trail mix, kale chips, and corn chips.

I started with fresh orange juice because I had a lot of oranges to spare. Fresh orange juice or fresh coconut water is my favorite thing to drink right after a long run. It never tastes better than then.  After the orange juice, I juiced a cup of lime juice to use in various ways. I set some aside for later when I'll mix  it with passionfruit kombucha and some agave for a sparkly cocktail. The rest I used in the juices I intended to make for energy today. My favorite juice is a combination of apples and/or pears, kale and/or spinach, lime juice and ginger. Today I used spinach and apples because I needed kale for my chips. This juice makes my cells come alive. I never tire of it. Here is a pic:

Some people don't like the look of green juices, but how can you not love that color? It looks like life, itself. The sweetness of the apples, the tang of the lime, and the spice of the ginger makes the juice alive, indeed.  You'll feel the energy of instantly.

The next juice I made was similar but I substituted parsley for spinach. Parsley is a great chelator and pulls toxins out of your system. I think it tastes sweet, but most people consider it savory. I loved it in the juice. A new twist to my old favorite.

Next I moved onto my hummus. I made a regular hummus recipe and then took half of that and made a spicy red pepper hummus. Here is my recipe for today. It can change based on my taste at the time. Sometimes I use sprouted garbanzos, sometimes I use sesame seeds, mostly I use zucchini. I really love using zucchini in place of garbanzo beans. I've soaked and sprouted garbanzos for hummus, but I really notice that sprouted flavor. This hummus is lighter and airier and has more vegetables by sneaking that zucchini in there. A tip for those of you with children who balk at vegetables.

Hummus:

2 small zucchini chopped
1/2 c.  raw tahini (pureed sesame seeds)
1 or 2 T.  fresh lemon juice ( I like really tart, so I use 2 T. Adjust to your taste)
2 T. green onion (use 1 T. in recipe and the other is your garnish)
1 clove garlic
1 t. cumin
Sea salt ( I used a sea salt that had seaweed bits in it)

Mix ingredients using only 1 T. of the onions in a food processor. Garnish with remaining 1 T. green onion. You can stop here if you only want a regular hummus. Serve with crackers or chips or use as a sandwich spread.

To make Spicy Red Pepper Hummus: 

Take one half of the above recipe and put back in food processor. Add 1/2 chopped red bell pepper, 2 more T. of tahini, and a dried cayenne pepper. Mix ingredients. Note: the red pepper thins the hummus out and the tahini will add back some bulk. Garnish with crushed cayenne and use as above.

Tomorrow I'll post my corn chips, provided they dehydrate well. Dehydrating isn't an exact science. Sometimes I not home at the perfect moment to remove the trays, so things over-dehydrate. Or sometimes I'm asleep in those early morning hours when the time is right.  But mostly it works out.  Luckily chips need to be crisp.

Please see previous post for kale chip recipe. Today I did a jalapeno cheesy kale. You can make variations on the recipe I posted earlier. Just use the cashew base and add your favorite spices or peppers.

Until tomorrow.

Mango Coconut Cardamom Cheesecake

Ok, here is the dessert I promised. I used the recipe from www.sweetlyraw.com. I modified the coconut drizzle and used dried mulberries instead of jakfruit, which I didn't have. Mulberries and jakfruit are in the same family, so it seemed logical. This dessert is so creamy and delightful. It's actually the second pie I've made in one week. I ended up giving much of the first away because it was such a hit, so I had to make it again for me. Here is the Sweetly Raw recipe as created by the great dessert chef, Heather Pace.

My attempt at Heather's Recipe

 

My Version with Modifications

Mango Coconut Cardamom Cheesecake with Jakfruit Puree by Heather Pace

Be sure to make all parts of the cake including the puree and coconut cream. If you don't have dried jakfruit you can try it with dried mango.

Crust

1/2 cup almonds
1/3 cup shredded coconut
3 medium dates, pitted
2 teaspoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons water
pinch of salt

Grind the almonds into flour in a food processor.
Add the coconut, dates, coconut flour, and salt. Process until the dates break down.
Add the water and pulse to combine.
Press the dough into the bottom of mini spring form pans or a 6" or 7" spring form pan. Set aside.

Filling

1 1/4 cup diced mango
2/3 cup cashews
2 tablespoons coconut nectar
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla exract
3/4 -1 teaspoon cardamom
4 tablespoons mekted coconut butter
5 1/2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Blend the mango, cashews, coconut nectar, water, lemon, vanilla, and cardamom in a high speed blender until smooth.
Add the butter and oil. Blend again briefly to incorporate.
Pour over the crust(s).
Chill in the fridge at least 8 hours, or until firm. OR chill in the freezer for a few hours and then transfer to the fridge for faster chilling time.

Coconut Cream

Make the coconut cream just before serving the cake as it will harden as it sits or chills.

2 tablespoons melted coconut butter
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon hot water
3 drops vanilla medicine flower essence
1 drop stevia

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl. The water must be hot or it will seize the coconut butter.
Spoon the cream over the cheesecake.

Jakfruit Puree

1/3 cup packed dried jakfruit, soaked in 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh mango diced small
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 drops stevia
1 1/2 teaspoons chia seed.

Blend the jakfruit, soak water, mango, lemon, and stevia until smooth.

Ok, so that's her recipe and here are my modifications.

I made it her way the first time and loved it, but I wanted a smoother, softer coconut cream that would stay soft when I refrigerated the cheesecake. She's right when she says her version hardens. So I took 1/2 c. shredded coconut soaked in water and blended it (and water) with 2 T. melted coconut butter. I added 2 T. agave and 1/4 t.  ground vanilla and a dash of salt. Blend and pour over the cake. This is a soft drizzle and not a hard frosting.

For the jakfruit puree, I took 1/4 c. dried mulberries soaked in water and blended them with the mango, lemon juice, chia seed, and 1 T. agave. I really appreciate that Heather's recipe is light on the sweetener, but I generally get an aftertaste of stevia, regardless of the type I use. So I didn't mind a couple of tablespoons of agave in the cream and puree. Everything in moderation, right? Though I guess two cheesecakes in one week isn't really moderation, but that's why I share the love. And I'm really grateful to Heather for sharing her love of desserts with me because I get to share them with you. Try this one. It's a winner.

Jicama Salad and Waldorf Salad

Today I had to quickly put together a light meal for my best friend who was coming over. I made two light salads and a dessert, which I'll post tomorrow when I have more time.  I was using up stuff I had that needed to be used.  I came up with this Jicama Salad that almost looks like a potato salad but has a very satisfying crunch.

I originally got the idea for a raw Waldorf salad from Alissa Cohen's Raw Food for Everyone. I modified the idea to fit my own tastes. Waldorf salad ingredients are pretty standard, usually consisting of apples, celery, raisins, and walnuts. I was inspired to add coconut. The dressing for the Waldorf is a riff off of Cohen's recipe, though, in the end, it isn't really anything close to it.

In the end, the two salads look a lot alike, but the tastes are very different. The Jicama is a savory salad, and the Waldorf is sweet. I hardly needed dessert, but I feel no meal is complete without it. Both of these salads are great for the summer. And today it finally feels like summer is on its way. My doors are open, the windows are open, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing. It's a good day to make and share a meal.

 Jicama Salad

 Salad:
1 large jicama
1 c. corn  kernels (frozen is fine if fresh isn't available)
2 stalks celery chopped
2 small carrots chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
2 T. red onion finely chopped

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

Dressing:
1 avocado
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 T. tahini
1 T. lemon juice
1 jalapeno pepper
2 t. celery salt
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Pour over salad ingredients and toss. Serve and enjoy.

Waldorf Salad

Salad:

4 apples chopped
1 c. raisins
1/4 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. walnuts
2 stalks celery chopped
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Combine all ingredients into a bowl. Set aside.

Dressing:

1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 avocado
1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. fresh ginger
Himalayan sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Pour over salad mixture and toss. Serve and enjoy.

Spinach Dip

I recently bought a bunch of spinach because I wanted to try it in the Avocado Mint Smoothie. Now I have a lot of spinach that I must use quickly because greens don't keep well for very long. Today I made a really simple spinach dip that I ate with crackers. The color doesn't keep well, so make small batches.

Spinach Dip:

2. c. spinach
1/2 avocado
2 t. lemon juice
1 clove garlic
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Serve immediately with dehydrated crackers or chips. This can also be used as a spread for raw sandwiches. It's an easy way to get more greens into your diet. Spinach is pretty versatile. I use it in smoothies, salads, juices, and tortillas. In fact, my spinach tortilla recipe is very similar to the dip recipe.

Spinach Tortillas

4 c. spinach
1/4. c. flax powder
3 T. lemon juice or lime juice
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Spread onto two Teflex-lined dehydrator sheets in equal portions. Dehydrate for approximately six hours at 105 degrees until tortillas are pliable.  Flip the tortillas, removing the Teflex sheet as you do this. Dehydrate another hour or until underside is the same texture as the top side. These tortillas should be flexible enough to bend. Cut into desired shape. I often score the tortilla into four quarters as I spread them onto the Teflex sheets. You can either use them in this square shape or use your food scissors to cut them into circular tortilla shapes.

I like to fill the tortillas with guacamole. My favorite is a mix of avocado, mango, and cilantro. But you can use hummus, salsa, or anything else you  might put into your familiar corn tortilla. A new twist on an old favorite.  Enjoy.

Avocado Mint Smoothie Take 2

This morning I tried the avocado mint smoothie again with spinach and fresh mint. I adjusted the SweetlyRaw recipe to my taste. The color was definitely better, but the taste wasn't too different than my first recipe. The color improved because I didn't put the cacao nibs in the blender.This time I just sprinkled them on top, but I like the taste of them mixed into the smoothie. Color versus taste, I guess. The fresh mint was spearmint, and I think I prefer peppermint, but that's a personal bias.

Minnesota got another fresh snowfall on April 23. Seems every time I make this smoothie, it snows.  If I want spring to finally arrive, I might have to come up with a new recipe.

See what you think about this version. Let me know the verdict.

1 c. coconut milk
1 c. spinach 
1/4 c. shredded coconut
1 avocado
4 medjool dates
2 T. fresh  mint
2 T. chia powder
1 T. vanilla
8 ice cubes

Blend in a high powered blender. Pour into a glass and top with cacao nibs if desired.