Raw Delights

Chockie drops, Ice-cream, Cookies and Fudge

2010-03-06T19:39:00.000-08:00

Russell James's chockie chip cookie are as good as they look - rich and chewy, without any nasties like flour, dairy or sugar. These are the first batch of dehydrated cookies I've tried and I can happily say they won't be my last.

It was an experience making these chocolate drops, using a piping bag to carefully pipe each drop. I placed them into the freezer for a few minutes to set as I prepared the dough, then the race was on to form each cookies before the drops melted. Once dehydrated though, they were dry and crunchy....like an SAD cookie, but much better for your body.

You can find this and other insanely good raw chocolate recipes by clicking here.

I also enjoyed trying out some of Heathy's raw chocolate and maple and ginger ice-cream. I really like ginger so I added twice as much - not recommended! The chocolate ice-cream is my favourite (in fact, chocolate anything is my favourite!) so that didn't last long in my freezer. Heathy's chocolate fudge sauce is so divine you simply must try it.You can find these recipes in her e-book, Just Desserts at her blog, Sweetly Raw

Raw Chocolate Mousse Cake with Strawberry Sauce

2009-11-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

One word: YUMMMM!

I found out from a doctor that Aboriginal people process refined sugars differently than white Australians. He told me that the body of an aboriginal person will hold onto EVERY ounce of refined sugar, leading to inflammation and immobility whereas other body types tend to digest it more quickly. That seems to explain the onslaught of disease once we hit the early 40s or so. I'm so thankful for the discovery of AGAVE NECTAR. Now I can (still) have my cake and eat it too!

This is another raw and deliciously healthy dessert I've been wanting to make for a while and decided to do it as a weekend treat (ya know how we NEED our weekend treats). This cake is even MORE delicious than it looks. True! The mousse filling is extremely smooth and melt-in-your-mouth. What I love about this cake is that it holds its shape beautifully without having to be kept in the freezer; the fridge will do. That means you can serve and eat straight from the fridge without delay.

The creamy texture has to be experienced. It's SO creamy and SO melt-in-you-mouth (did I say that already?) that your eyes will be rolling back inside your head with every delectable bite. The cacao butter added to this recipe gives it the creamy, mousse-ey texture and it's worth scouting out your local stores for the ingredient (because, if you come from Western Australia - like me - you will have to scout). I bought it from Manna Wholefoods in Fremantle or Alive Organics in Bayswater will also have it.

The original recipe called for raspberry sauce but being in the midst of strawberry season, I used strawberries. O la la! So good.

Here's the recipe from the you-can-always-count-on-gliving-for-a-great-raw-recipe GLIVING. Make sure you use a small cheesecake tin for this and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

Roar Vanilla Chocolate Party

2009-10-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

AGAVE SYRUP to the chocolate cravers rescue!
Today I attended a raw chocolate making class with my good friend Jas. We drove an hour to Fremantle to learn all about what makes raw chocolate SOOO nutritious and delicious. The team from Roar Vanilla filled us in with all the history and science behind the cacao bean. Wow, what alot of interesting facts!

The class began with a sampling of a cacao bean. Hmmm, the words that came to mind were woody, waxy, bitter-chocolatey, crunchy and ...browny. We then sampled chocolate almond mylk. That was sure yummmm! Then we sampled and watched a demonstration of four different types of raw chocolate: plain, goji, spirulina and (my favourite) almond chocolate. The chocolate was AMAZING! The first sensation you notice is the intense flavour of cacao. You also notice that it quickly dissolves in your mouth and doesn't leave a sticky residue like Cadbury chocolate does. The third thing you notice is that you don't need much to feel satisfied.

I'm sold! Yep, I think I can quite easily enjoy a couple pieces a day, given these benefits. I'm a happy girl!

Some really facts about raw cacao:

"Raw Chocolate is an incredible food for wellbeing! It is wonderful for balancing brain chemistry, is a natural aphrodisiac and elevates your mood and energy. It is a great source of serotonin, dopamine, anandamide (“bliss" neurochemical) and phenylethylamine (PEA) which are all neurotransmitters associated with feelings of wellbeing and used for alleviating depression. Cacao also contains MAO inhibitors which keep these wellbeing neurotransmitters in our system for longer!

It is also the number one source of magnesium – which assists in brain functioning, heart heath and bone strength, and aids in stress reduction as well as muscle relaxation. When the brain has enough magnesium, it acts with clarity and focus. Cacao is high in chromium, which assists pancreatic health and helps to regulate blood sugar levels and iron." (http://www.roarvanilla.com/chocolatetherapy.htm)

RAW ICE-CREAM MUDD PIE!!

2009-09-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

OK, so...while we were in Canada I made sure to stop by my favourite restaurant, Red Robin, and have my favourite non-raw dessert, Mile High Mudd Pie. This is the ultimate in decadent desserts, complete with whipped cream, chocolate fudge sauce, nuts, ice-cream and peanut butter. This little picture to the right shows you the real thing.

Of course, I HAD to embrace the challenge of coming home and putting together a raw version, to make this pleasure GUILT FREE! This was my first attempt at making raw ice-cream so I'm sure there's room for improvement.

So basically, you choose your two favourite raw ice cream flavours...and make them. I used chocolate, from a recipe I found at gliving - click here for a video of the recipe, and mint, from Russell James (be sure to add raw chocolate chips - see below for chocolate sauce, chill and then chop). Grab a round metal bowl, line it with plastic wrap and fill half way with the first of the two ice creams. Freeze. Pour and smooth down the second of the ice creams on top. Freeze. Apply a layer of raw peanut, almond or cashew butter onto frozen ice cream. Lastly, add a layer of raw choc olate cookies or cookie crumbs. Freeze. Turn out onto a serving dish and pipe raw whipped cream on top (1 cup young coconut meat, 1 cup almond or cashew cream, 1 tea vanilla extract, 1/2 cup coconut butter, agave to taste. Blend til smooth and place in freezer til firm enough to pipe). Sprinkle with crushed cashews and drizzle with raw melted chocolate (1/4 cup melted cacao butter, 1/8 cup raw cacao powder, 1 tb maple syrup, 1 tb raw agave. Mix in bowl with spoon).

This is a fun recipe to try and like all ice-cream cakes, you make yours to suit your own style. Personally, I think anything with chocolate, ice cream and nuts is a sure thing.

Raw Chef Certificate, Vancouver

2009-09-18T01:12:00.000-07:00

While we were in Vancouver, Canada I visited the Raw Foundation Culinary Arts Institute and completed Alissa Cohen's Living on Live Foods Raw Food Chef - Level 1 certificate. Yes people, I am now a qualified raw food chef!

Our instructor - Miss Janice - was the perfect host chef. I learned SO MUCH and used every square inch of paper to write everything down.

We made green smoothies, chocolate brownies, date torte, mock salmon pate, stuffed mushrooms, collard wraps, broccoli soup, fettucine and raw spaghetti. We received valuable teaching about how to put foods together according to the five tastes (sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter), how to use herbs and spices to create ethnic flavours, superfoods that balance hormones....and too much more to mention. It was all GREAT!

Thanks Miss Janice for a fabulous time!

Cafe Bliss, Victoria CANADA

2009-09-13T22:10:00.001-07:00

On our travels through Canada we visited raw cafe C af e Bliss , one rainy day in downtown Victoria. Victoria is a beautiful city located on Vancouver Island, Canada. This was my very first encounter with a raw food restaurant and, you guessed it, I made a beeline to the dessert display. I was pleasantly surprised by the chocolate desserts on show screaming BITE ME!.

As eager as I was to obey, we made sure to do the right thing (as an example to our children!) and order salads first. I ordered a huckleberry raw pizza (the picture was overexposed) which was simple yet delicious, Nate ordered the house salad with orange dressing and the Ethan and Tali had a children's meal (almonds, strawberries, raisins, raw crackers) then we dove into dessert tastings!

Here are a few pictures of the raw desserts Cafe Bliss serve. I don't remember the names of them but we ordered the caramel slice-looking-square, the mint chocolate square and a few of the heart shape d raw chocolates. They were very kind to give us some complimentary chocolates as well. They were all incredible and it was difficult to choose my favourite. Tali's favourite was the mint squares!

They assured me a Cafe Bliss raw recipe book will be released by Christmas 2009. You could probably order that by clicking the link to their website at the top of this post.

Apple Pie at Grandma's House

2009-09-13T21:27:00.001-07:00

Here begins the tale of my adventures with visiting family and eating raw (well, trying to) in Canada. My family and I caught the midnight flight and flew from Perth, Australia to Vancouver, Canada and spent 5 weeks visiting with family and friends. We drove from Vancouver to Kelowna and towns in between. Even though it was a challenge eating raw (on holiday!!) there were a few raw highlights worth sharing. One of our first visits was with Nate's Grandma Braun and Aunt Sandy. They live in a house surrounded by fruit trees and vegetable gardens.

Hmmmm, what to do with fresh, ripe apples?? Raw Apple Pie, of course!

My mother-in-law Gwen and Aunt Sandy were both enthusiastic helpers in project apple pie. We gathered all our ingredients and put together two killer pies. Aunt Sandy got busy preparing the crust by blending almonds, coconut, vanilla extract,dates and stevia in a food processor, Mum picked, peeled and sliced the apples, and I made up the sauce by blending wild raspberries, dates, apples and water then tossed the sliced apples through the sauce and poured them on the crust in the pie dishes. They were sprinkled with remaining crust crumbs and placed in the freezer to set for half an hour.

Like I said, everyone enjoyed two killer raw apple pies.

RAWSAGNE

2009-07-21T03:19:00.001-07:00

This raw lasagne recipe is much easier than the one I previously posted. Click here to see previous post. There is no dehydrating and takes only about half an hour to prepare. It's fast becoming one of my favourite raw meals that is quick and easy. This was one of the delightful recipes passed on by Perth raw food teacher Kate Quinn at her raw food class. Kate's blog is called Raw & Vegan. I have slightly altered the recipe and remember to halve if preparing for 2.

RAWSAGNE

Ingredients

Pasta
3 large zucchinis
fresh oregano, thyme, basil
olive oil
sea salt

Using a potato peeler, peel long strips until you reach the core. Discard the core. Make the strips as wide as possible. Pull leaves off herbs and squash between fingers. Toss into a bowl with zucchini, dash of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Cheese
2 cups soaked cashews
juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves garlic
black pepper
pinch sea salt
nutritional yeast flakes (to taste)

Blend all ingredients until smooth. You may need to add water. Add more lemon or yeast to taste.

Sauce
Half a small onion
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups
semi-dried tomatoes
1 T olive oil
2 T agave syrup
pinch salt
enough water to give smooth consistent

Blend altogether.

METHOD:

Place a layer of zucchini pasta, making sure to overlap pieces. Spread some pasta sauce, and top with chopped tomato pieces. Place another layer of pasta, sauce and fresh tomato. Top with a layer of pasta. Spread cheese as a top layer.

Garnish with a drizzle olive oil, fresh ground black pepper and some squashed herbs.

NOTE: Make spaghetti by spiralizing the zucchini instead of slicing it. Toss through sauce and herbs and serve with a dollop of cashew cheese.

SPAGHETTI

Make spaghetti by spiralizing the zucchini (using a spiralizer) instead of peeling it. Toss through the pasta sauce with fresh herbs, serve with a spoonful of extra sauce (if desired) and a dollop of cashew cheese.

Raw Chocolate Fudge

2009-07-06T20:10:00.001-07:00

Let me just say, these have to be tasted to be believed. O my word - insanely delicious! I had the inspiration after a recent visit to Alive Organics in Bayswater. They stock yummy treats - as one needs to reward oneself for being a good raw foodie. I played with ingredients I had in the cupboard and here's what I came up with:

Raw Chocolate Fudge
1 1/2 c ground raw cashews
1 c raw unprocessed honey
3/4 c tahini or nut butter (like almond, cashew or macadamia nut butter)
4 T chocolate coconut butter (or cacao butter, but it's very expensive)
2 T carob powder or raw cacao powder
dash vanilla extract

Blend together in a food processor (don't try using a blender, like I did. Doh!). Pour into a lined dish and freeze til firm enough to slice. Slice into squares and store in a lined container in freezer. You must line the container or else the fudge will stick.
Another yummy fudge recipe can be found at the coolest green website, G Living. Click he re. I do need to note though, I melt butters and oils by placing them in hot water instead of in a saucepan over the stove. I'm eager to try this recipe.

FUDGE COOKIES
What do ya do with a batch of fudge that didn't turn out the way you like it?? Make Fudge Cookies!

I tried a fudge recipe from the Raw Food Real World recipe book but I added WAYYY more maple syrup than required. Yuppp! I also didn't like the salt crystals so I decided to turn them into Raw Fudge Cookies. You could make these with any fudge recipe. I've had raving reviews and people are eager for the recipe...so here it is.

1 c cashew or macadamia flour (hand crushed nuts)
1 c fine oatmeal
1 or 2 T cacao or carob powder
1/4 c coconut
1/4 c agave or maple syrup
2 teas vanilla extract
1 or 2 T chocolate coconut butter (much cheaper than cacao butter)
4 or 5 slices soft raw fudge (as much or as little as you like)

Blend all together in a food processor. Roll tablespoon sized mixture into balls and flatten slightly with the back of a fork. Store in a container lined with baking paper and keep in freezer. Note - they will stick to the container if it is not lined. Be sure to place baking paper in between each
layer of cookies.

Strawberry Heaven

2009-07-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

I came across a large box of ripe strawberries at my local fruit and veg store for only $3. I couldn't believe my eyes. What a bargain! I came home and quickly did a search for raw strawberry desserts and settled on this Strawberry Pie. Here's the recipe:

Raw Strawberry Pie
First, make the Pie Shell:

1 cup raw almonds (or 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup cashews)
1/2 cup soft pitted dates
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

It is very important to first grind the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Then, add the dates and vanilla, and blend well. Press thinly into a pie plate to form the shell. Set in fridge.

Filling:

3 cups fresh strawberries
2 bananas
1/2 c medjool dates
1/4 c agave syrup
squeeze lemon juice

Slice 2 cups of fresh strawberries and place in a large bowl. Set aside. Blend the remaining strawberries, dates, bananas, agave and lemon juice til smooth. Pour over the sliced strawberries in large bowl. Gently fold the puree through sliced strawberries. Place strawberry slices into pie dish. Decorate with fresh strawberry pieces. Set in fridge for a few hours.

I found an incredible looking Raw Strawberry Coconut Cream Pie at the Rawmazing website. Check it out. That's definitely on the to-do-list

Raw Strawberry Cereal
I had just run out of my raw cereal supply so thought a strawberry batch would be a nice replacement. Here's the recipe:

Fill blender with washed and hulled strawberries, 1 cup almond pulp, a handful of soaked almonds, 1/4 cup agave (or to taste) and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend altogether and pour onto dehydrator sheets. Smooth over the surface of the sheets. Dehydrate for 12 hours and then break up into cereal sized pieces and freeze.

I like to have it in the morning sprinkled over fresh fruit and cashew milk. Delicious!

Apricot Biscotti

2009-07-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

The best biscotti I've ever tasted was made by my Aunt in Canada. It was so dangerously good that I've been determined to find a good raw counterpart. I found an amazing raw version of biscotti at Rawmazing. I didn't have all the correct ingredients so I substituted a bit. This is incredibly delicious, particularly with the cocao nibs. Here's my recipe:

Apricot Biscotti
1 1/2 c almond pulp
1 c ground almonds or finely ground oatmeal
1 c coconut
1/2 c agave syrup
1 c chopped apricots
1/2 c sweet cacao nibs
1 large orange (juice and zest)

Roughly chop apricots. Set aside.
In a food processor place almond pulp, coconut and oatmeal. Blend till thoroughly combined. Add agave and pulse til combined. Place in a bowl and add orange juice and zest. Mix by hand. Add apricots and cacao nibs. Form into biscotti shaped loaves and dehydrate 8 hours. Cut into biscotti slices and return to the dehydrator for 12 hours or so.

Double Chocolate Maca Cake

2009-06-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

I had been eyeing this cake recipe for a few months but because it had Maca Powder in it I had to hold off til I could hunt some down. I DID find some at Alive Organics in Bayswater (they just have everything!) so this was the first thing I pumped out when I got home with the goods.

This recipe is one of the many insanely good recipes from Heathy's Just Desserts raw un-cook book. I encourage you to download it if you're a dessert lover like moi! You can download the e-book from Heathy's blog by clicking he re. The only change I made to the original recipe is I added a layer of cashew cream on top. I made the cream by taking about 1 cup of almond milk and blend in enough soaked cashews till creamy, then throw in a date and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.... and maybe a pinch of cinnamon. Blend well.

This cake is unbelievably delicious. The young coconut meat base is a flavour that I will have no trouble getting use to. The maca base mixed with pecan and brazil nuts is a taste sensation and the chocolate, well..chocloate just makes everything wonderful.

MACA: An energising and revitalising superfood of the Incas. Jam packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and all the essential amino acids.

Grown at 4,000m above sea level in the Andean district of Junin by the Pumpush people who have been cultivating and consuming maca as a staple food for thousansds of years.

Maca contains unique alkaloids, which help stimulate the master glands that in turn may help optimise and balance the entire endocrine system. (http://www.biodistributors.com.au/ProdInfFiles/maca.php)

SPONGEBOB

2009-06-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

He's NOT raw but he was fun to make for little Josiah's 1st birthday!!

This weekend has been party party party! In the last 24 hours we've had 4 parties to attend. That's certainly not a usual weekend for us ...but we sure love to celebrate with our friends, the day they came into the world. I enjoyed a challenge to be EXTRA creative this morning and made my good friend's 1 year old a SPONGEBOB birthday cake. It sure was a challenge and required all my creative energies to be flowing simultaneously...but I embraced the little guy with enthusiam.

That's me, relieved that it turned out - but running half hour late for the party - yikes!

This is my good friend Estelle and her 1 year old son, Josiah. Happy Birthday Josiah!

There goes SPONGEBOB up in flames. It was nice knowin' ya pal.

Creamy Coconut Carrot Soup

2009-06-10T01:14:00.000-07:00

This soup has a lovely rich colour and the coconut makes this a filling dish. You'll experience different levels of flavour sensations; this is delicious! It's a variation from Raw Food Real World's Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup with Lime. I didn't have 3 cups worth of carrot juice so used half carrot and half celery juice. I also didn't have fresh ginger so I used ginger powder. I decided to use more coconut meat than the recipe to make it chunkier and more filling.

CREAMY COCONUT AND CARROT SOUP
1-2 cups carrot juice
1 cup celery juice (or omit celery and have 3 cups carrot juice)
1 avocado
handful of coconut meat (I like the flavour of a mature coconut - crack open and remove white flesh. Just be sure you slice all the brown shell off leaving only white flesh)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 T agave syrup
1 T ginger powder
sprinkle cayenne
sprinkle sea salt

Blend on high speed blender till creamy (mine's a bit chunky). Garnish with lemon oil (lemon juice and olive oil mixed) and coriander leaves. Serve immediately at room temperature or gently warm by heating in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir til warmed through (use your finger as a warmth measure).

Persimmon Pie

2009-06-08T06:07:00.000-07:00

I attended an amazing raw and living un-cooking class last Saturday. It was conducted by the lovely Raw and Vegan, Kate Quinn. Kate is a raw food teacher and coach. Kate will conduct raw food classes in the comfort of your own home.

We made the most delicious nori rolls, raw lasagna, blueberry cheesecake and persimmon pie. Although every dish was a taste sensation I was eager to first try out the persimmon pie. Who knew that a raw, fresh, nutritious and quick-to-prepare dessert could taste SOOO GOOOD??

I made up a simple cashew and macadamia cream to go with it.

PERSIMMON PIE
Base-
1 cup pecan nuts
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 medjool dates, de-seeded

Filling-
8 fuyu persimmons
1 cup medjool dates, de-seeded (I used half)
water
vanilla extract

Method:
Base-
Process all ingredients and spread into the base of a pie or flan dish and set aside in the fridge to set.

Filling-
Blend dates, vanilla and enough water till it is thick syrup. If you have any over ripe persimmons you can blend them in also. Peel and slice the persimmons and toss them through the syrup, then place onto the pie base. Pour any remaining syrup over the pie.

Cream-
Handful of soaked cashews
half a handful macadamias
spoonful almond butter
1 or 2 medjool dates
1 cup of water (or enough to make it creamy)
sprinkle cinnamon
dash vanilla essence
pinch sea salt

Blend till creamy.

For other raw persimmon recipes with "cream" click here and here and for an Almond Cashew "Cream" recipe click here.

"Nutritionally, persimmons rate better than many fruits. They are a great source of dietary fibre, contain high levels of vitamins A and C, potassium and beta carotene as well as some calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. They are also fat free, making them a guilt-free pleasure you can enjoy as often as you like!" (Persimmons Australia)

Soft Corn Tortillas

2009-06-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had fun making corn tortillas, from scratch. Yes, it was a bit of work but they were a treat. Great for a special night. I followed the recipe from the book Raw Food Real World. You can, however, download an e-book Mexican Style by Russell James and get the recipe from there.The tortillas were made mostly from fresh corn (or frozen) with some fresh herbs and seasoning mixed through then dehydrated. The filling included refried "beans" made from sunflower seeds. I was surprised at how much they resembled the real thing and tasted just as good.
The guacamole was simple and made mostly from avocado and corn with fresh herbs and spices.
They were finished off with a sprinkling of tomato and lime salsa and a dollop of raw sour "cream" made from coconut meat and cashews. A very different experience from it's cooked counterpart but the flavours were fresh and strong and once again I'm left feeling full and satisfied with no bloating or heaviness.

Chili and Corn Bread and Stuffed Spinach Leaves

2009-06-06T04:27:00.001-07:00

It's been so easy for me to fall off the raw track lately and I've decided I've GOT to continue making this a real priority. I'm finding, more than ever, that what goes into my mouth has a major effect on every other area of my life. When I'm eating the SAD (Standard Australian Diet) way my health, my positive outlook, my energy, my desire to embrace the day goes down that slippery slope. Sticking to the Raw and Living Diet is so important, for me, on so many levels. I long to stay in front each day feeling positive and strong instead of trailing behind and playing catch-up. I'm at my best when I stay true to Raw.

To help me stay on track I've collected 14 easy-to-prepare raw dinner dishes. My goal will be to have 2 weeks worth of dinner recipes up-my-sleeve, that can be prepared with little effort. I started my list off with a recipe I found at the Sunny Raw Kitchen blogspot - Chili and Cornbread. The Chili is not hot or spicy at all, actually. It is full of fresh goodness and pretty substantial as an evening meal. The Corn Bread is yummo! I love the sesame seeds and the sunflower seeds in it.

You can find the recipe by clicking here.

The second dinner recipe on my list was a lovely little recipe by The Raw Chef, Russell James - Stuffed Vine Leaves with Mint Cashew Aioli. Vine leaves aren't easy to come by, not that I looked very hard mind you, so I used spinach leaves instead. They certainly weren't as flat and smooth as vine leaves would be but delicious none-the-less, just a bit knobby. You can find the recipe by clicking here.

Coconut Cream Pie and Pumpkin Muffins

2009-05-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

RAW BANANA COCONUT CREAM PIE
This cake is a dream! No, it's NOT chocolate but it's still very dreamy. It tastes like coconut ice-cream with bananas. This was the second time I've made it. I included a small handful of cashews to the crust and the filling this time. I think it tasted even better with the cashews. I found the recipe at gliving.

Keep it in the freezer as it will lose its shape as it comes to room temperature. I decorated it quite simply with whipped coconut cream, shredded coconut, bananas and a drizzle of rice syrup.

I was just about to throw out the left over coconut pulp from juicing the mature coconut (for whipped cream) and decided to make something out of it instead. Here's what I made:

SWEET COCONUT BREAD

3 cups coconut pulp
1 cup almond pulp
4 tbs maple syrup
2 tbs powdered ginger
1/2 cup flax meal (or more)
2 tbs vanilla essence
2 tbs lemon juice
pinch salt

Blend together in a food processor as much as possible, then mix by hand in a bowl until doughy. Spread on teflex sheet (I cover the dough with baking paper and then roll over the top with rolling pin) and dehydrate 8 hours at 110 degrees F.

Not sure yet what I'll use it for but I'll be sure to let you know when I do!

RAW PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS

To finish my day of un-cooking I tried a recipe I've been gazing at for a few weeks (that's alot of gazing!!). It's yet another fabulous recipe from Sunny Raw Kitchen and it's scrumptious (if ya like pumpkin pie). Click here for the recipe. I have altered the recipe slightly by using grated pumpkin, not pulp and 1 cup pecans and 1 cup of cashews (maybe just a little less) as I don't like walnuts.

Raw Cookies!!

2009-05-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I have a sweet tooth! I was so excited when I discovered I could keep having sweet treats yet do away with the weight gain, bloated and congested feelings in and around my abdomen (which places pressure on my lower back).

I have a new favourite! Raw Cookies. I was instantly inspired when I saw a recipe for chocolate chip cookies on The Sunny Raw Kitchen blogspot. It was posted as their Recipe of the Week and let me simply say, these are srum-diddle-i-umptious! I varied the recipe slightly and have been having a few everyday. I store them in the freezer so they get a "baked" texture about them.

I made three versions from the same base recipe - chocolate chip, chocolate and vanilla.

RAW VANILLA COOKIES

Cookie Batter
1 3/4 cups raw cashews
1 cup ground oat groats or oat meal
1/8 cup - 1/4 cup agave nectar (to taste)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Method
Place all ingredients into a processor and blend til dough-like. Place cookie dough in the fridge to firm up for an hour. Roll into balls and gently press with a fork. Store in freezer.

RAW CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Cookie Batter
1 3/4 cups raw cashews
1 cup ground oat groats or oat meal
1/8 cup - 1/4 cup agave nectar (to taste)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup melted coconut butter
1/4 cup cacao
1 tbs agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
(chopped pecans mixed through to make it really nice!)

Blend until smooth and spread mixture on a pan lined with baking paper. Add pecans if you so desire. Set in freezer. Once set break into pieces. You can make make a double portion and leave in freezer. They'll keep forever. NB You can leave out the agave and vanilla for a less sweet cookie.

Method
Place all cookie batter ingredients into a processor and blend til dough-like. Place cookie dough in the fridge to firm up for an hour. Quickly mix in the chocolate chip pieces by hand. Roll into balls and gently press with a fork. Store in freezer.

RAW CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Cookie Batter
1 3/4 cups raw cashews
1 cup ground oat groats or oat meal
1/8 cup - 1/4 cup agave nectar(to taste)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 T cacoa powder

Method
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend til dough-like. Place cookie dough in the fridge to firm up for an hour. Roll into balls and gently press with a fork. Store in freezer.

Zucchini Pasta

2009-05-12T03:39:00.000-07:00

CREAMY ALFREDO WITH MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS
Yet another fabulous recipe from The Sunny Raw Kitchen. I cooked a very tempting red wine lamb stew with herbed dumplings last night for the family so I knew I had to make myself something equally as delicious, to ease the temptation. This turned out great. I had 2 full servings! You can find the recipe by clicking here.

I have to be honest and confess that I haven't been diligent with eating raw lately. Yes, I fell off the wagon!

During the last two weeks I returned to the SAD diet (Standard Australian Diet) out of convenience and boy, do I feel it. Cooking delicious looking nightly meals for my family of five (and enjoying baked meals and desserts with weekly visitors) got the better of me....and down down down the slippery slope I went. Chronic back pain, general down-in-the-dumps, bloating, heaviness and tired, tired, tired feelings returned!

Today, I was determined to claw my way back into the saddle. I got busy housecleaning (so I could feel good about "my world") and in my nice clean kitchen got to work making raw chocolate cookies, a fresh batch of dehydrated grape cereal and almond milk. For dinner I made something easy enough to get back on track:

ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH SPINACH AND AVOCADO SAUCE
Pasta:
1 zucchini
Make spaghetti style noodles with the vegetable spiralizer.

Sauce:
1 clove garlic
1 green onion
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper
small handful basil leaves
bunch of baby spinach leaves
1/2 avocado
splash of agave syrup
sprinkle of oregano

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Pour over noodles in a dish. Serve.

ZUCCHINI FETTUCCINE WITH SPINACH SAUCE
I used a mandolin slicer to get thin zucchini strips then slices into fettuccine strips by hand. Leaving the skin on makes it look more vegetable-ish whereas peeling the skin off gives a pure white pasta finish. It's always good to let it soften and rest in a bowl with a splash of olive oil, for at least half an hour before eating.

I used the spinach sauce recipe from Sunny Raw Kitchen, which you can see by clicking here. All I can say is, yum-yum-bubblegum!

Noodles Noodles Noodles

2009-04-29T03:36:00.000-07:00

I had a craving for satay vegetable noodles today so began formulating a recipe. My vegetable spiralizer (purchased from A live Organics, Bayswater) has opened the door to the exciting world of raw "noodles". I'm always amazed at the thin angel hair strands that fall out from the machine as I rotate the handle. What I think is MORE amazing is that I can get this far in life and not know I can have noodles that are completely life giving - and that won't clog up my digestive system and leave me feeling bloated.

SATAY VEGETABLE NOODLES

Satay Sauce
1 young coconut - meat and 1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup agave syrup
2 Tbsp almond butter
3 tsp Shoya Namu
4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
sea salt and pepper

Blend altogether until smooth and refrigerate. Spread onto a dehyrator sheet and dehydrate 30 mintues before serving.

Vegetable Noodles
1 zucchini spiralized (with a splash of lemon juice and olive oil tossed through)

Finely slice:
broccoli
carrots
red capsicum
green onion

Toss all vegetable ingredients in a bowl with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and spread out onto a dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 2 or 3 hours. Place in a bowl and toss in satay sauce. Dinner is served.

Lunchtime Nibbles

2009-04-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

BUCKWHEAT BREAD

Being a bread lover trying out raw bread has been quite the experience. I enjoy a good chunky sandwich at lunch time so was eager to dive into some dehydrated bread recipes. The Raw Chef has some yummy breads to try - Mediterranean Almond Bread and Buckwheat Bread.
I'll see what's in the cupboard first then make my own version according to what's available. This picture shows my Buckwheat Bread with added sprouted quinoa. I loved that it had avocado in the recipe. It gives the bread a creamy texture.

You can find the recipe here, The Raw Chef

NORI ROLLS

Raw Nori Rolls are a favourite. They last only a day in the fridge (at most) so you want to be sure you eat them the day you make them. I did notice though, they are easier to slice and handle when left in the fidge for a couple of hours first.

Rice

2c Peeled fresh parsnips
3T mac nuts
3T pine nuts
1T olive oil
2t agave nectar
1t lemon juice
2 pinches salt
1T white miso

Pulse in the food processor until rice-like. Refrigerate til ready.

Filling

grated carrot
diced avocado
thinly sliced red capsicum
finely chopped green onion
(grated beetroot) - this will bleed and make it quite red, so you could leave it out

Simply spread rice mixture over 3/4 of the Nori sheet and layer the filling in a thin line over the rice, in the first 1/4. Wet the top and bottom edges of the nori sheet with water. Roll tightly til firm. Refrigerate for an hour or two (if you can wait that long!) then slice and serve with Nama Shoyu if desired.

NUT NUGGETS

1/2 cup soaked almonds
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup brazil nuts
1 tbl lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tsp celtic salt
1/2 tbl rosemary
1 tbl fresh sage
1/4 tsp black peppercorn
1/2 tbl dried sage

Blend in food processor and then roll into small patties and roll in finely ground almond meal, although it would be better to roll in yellow flax meal. Then place on dehydrator tray for 2 hours at 145 and 3 more hours at 115. Instead of the sage and rosemary you could put spinach and a bit of basil.

I liked them best served as a base for savoury nibbles. Use them in place of crackers with avocado, cherry tomatoes, fresh dill and drizzled with raw honey mustard sauce.

Lunch is served!

Luscious Raw Lasagna

2009-04-17T03:48:00.000-07:00

Lasagna is one of my all-time favourites!

As a growing girl, my mum would ask me each year what I would like for dinner for my birthday. Well, I can't recall a birthday where I DIDN'T ask for lasagna. It's one of those meals I have always really really loved, quite frankly.

As with all heavily cooked foods, however, there IS a price to pay - bloating, draining of your energy, stomach cramps, bad gas, weight gain and heaviness. As we know, cooking food destroys 100% of the enzymes which aid in digestion. Your body must therefore produce the enzymes required.

Dr. Edward Howel, a physician, biochemist, and author of "Enzyme Nutrition" & "Food Enzymes for health and Longevity" says, "When we eat cooked, live enzyme deficient food, the body is forced to produce enzymes needed for digestion. This stealing of enzymes from other parts of the body sets up a competition for enzymes among various organ systems and tissues of the body. The resulting metabolic dislocations may be the direct cause of many chronic incurable diseases such a obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative problems.

You can imagine my excitement when I discovered there was a raw version and I didn't have to give up my beloved favourite.

I finally got around to trying out a recipe I've been googling for a few weeks. I was captured by the picture on The Raw Chef and knew I had to give it a go. I initially kept putting it off because I thought it sounded too complicated. After making it, I realised it's actually quite easy and well worth the effort. There are several small dishes to prepare and then you assemble them together, just like a real lasagna, just slightly different.

Just click on the link Sunny Raw Kitchen for the recipe. All I can say is: DELICIOUS!

I would have tried it earlier if someone had walked me through the stages, so I'll show you how each small dish looks before assembling, to entice you.

Firstly, the Zucchini Pasta is sliced as thinly as possible and left for a short time to marinate. If left too long, the pasta will begin to brown. While marinating, the other dishes are prepared. I loved the Cheesy Nut Cream! So smooth and the nutritional yeast gives it a real cheese flavour. I make cooked lasagna with spinach so loved that this recipe included a spinach layer. I added three times as much basil as this recipe, though. The Tomato Sauce is also great. I needed to add a little water to the recipe to ensure it would blend well. The Almond Ricotta is processed till ricotta-like. Mine wasn't as smooth as I would have liked. I could have processed it longer to get a smoother consistency.

When you're ready to assemble the lasagna line up the small dishes and layer on separate plates or in a lasagna dish. It looks stunning!
Before eating, place in the dehydrator (be sure to remove the racks) for 2 hours on 105F.

Bon Appetit!

Greens Glorious Greens

2009-04-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

Amongst all my thinking about Easter (see previous post) I DID try out some delicious new raw recipes. Yup, you guessed it, I'm about to share them with you!

I have discovered the world's best salad! (see picture at the top). It's so good I could eat it every day. There is so much darn goodness crammed into this mix your body will be thanking you as your cells sing Zip-A-De-Doo-Da.

It's called SUDO- BURMESE SALAD (don't know why - kinda weird name). I have adapted the recipe found on The Sunny Raw Kitchen blogspot.

Sudo-Burmese Salad

Dressing
1 tbsp raw almond butter
1 tbsp nama shoyu
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tea. water
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 inch ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon agave syrup (or to taste)

Salad:
1/4 cup sunflower sprouts
1/4 cup sprouted mung beans
1/4 cup finely chopped baby spinach
1/4 cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of green onions, thinly sliced
1 portobello mushroom, sliced thinly
1/4 cup matchstick chopped zucchini
1 whole avocado, diced

Procedure:
Combine all wet ingredients for dressing into bowl and stir vigorously to incorporate the almond butter.

Combine all greens, zucchini, and mushrooms in large bowl. Toss with hands. Toss the marinade with the greens. Carefully mix in avocado cubes.

Enjoy!

I liked it so much I tried a couple of variations that were suggested by Sunny Raw Kitchen. The first was adding diced tomatoes and the second was serving it on top of zucchini "noodles". Yes, noodles made from zucchini! You can make angel hair "pasta" with a vegetable spiralizer. These manual machines are available from Alive Organics, Bayswater for about $66. Way cool!!

I must admit that I like the salad better without the tomatoes and with the zucchini matchsticks stirred INTO the salad ( see picture at the top). The matchsticks can be made by thinly slicing your zucchini by hand or with a Mandoline, which you can purchase from kitchen outlet stores, then slicing fettucini-style.

Season of Resurrection

2009-04-09T04:10:00.000-07:00

As Easter rapidly approaches, I've been asking God for a fresh revelation of the cross (er, while trying out new salads and raw chockie recipes..). It would seem lately that challenges and testings have been so much a part of my daily life. I've "reminded" God of His promise, through Abraham - I Will Bless You! Not that He's ever forgotten, mind you, but more of a reminder and a declaration over my family and myself when times get tough. Declaring every promise that still lay ahead and asking for fresh vision of what God has in store.

So, what does Easter mean this year?

It's a season to remember that Jesus was crucified and shed His blood for our redemption. Yet He didn't remain in the grave. He rose again three days later with resurrection power! He reminds us this Easter that we are protected at every turn by His blood shed on the cross and through His resurrection power.

He hears the cries of our heart, even when we don't say a word. When we direct our cries toward Him for help, He's ready with what we need and more.

The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that can heal your body, heal your emotions, resurrect your dreams, restore your finances, mend broken relationships and give you a vision for an exciting future. A future of living in the very purpose for your life. Imagine that!

THIS is the power of THE CROSS. Life and life abundantly! Jesus said:

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

I'm shaking off the shackles that would keep me from having an abundant life and pressing in for the resurrection power of Jesus. This is the season to stand and declare I AM BLESSED.

Raw Plum and Red Grape Cereal

2009-04-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I spotted a large box of ripe plums at my local fruit and veggie store for $2.
Even though I had never before considered making raw cereal out of plums, I thought for that price, I'd give it a go. I had soaked almonds already stored in the fridge - perfect!

I filled the blender with the pitted plums and blended them with 1/2 cup agave syrup and a few medjool dates for sweetness, then added about a cup of soaked almonds. A deliciously deep magenta colour emerged! I felt like I was mixing colours for a painting.
Once poured onto the teflex sheets and placed into the dehydrator, they were left for 10 hours to dehydrate at 105 degrees F.

To fill the fifth and last tray I made a red grape and almond mixture (my favourite!). The blended mixture was a lovely baby pink tone (can you tell I'm an artist?). After the dehydration process the sheet was a very pretty speckled pink.

The plum sheets dried quite dark (as expected I suppose - but honestly... I'd hoped they would stay the rich magenta!). It was then simply a matter of peeling the dried sheets away and tearing into small pieces.

The plum cereal is great on top of fresh fruit and cashew cream for breakfast.

The red grape cereal is soooooo good you'll be rolling your eyes with delight! I love it with cashew cream or almond milk and fruit.

A great way to start the day!

"Health Benefits of Plum:
A very important health benefit of eating Plum is that, it acts as a laxative and improves performance of the digestive system. Further, the presence of phenols and Vitamin C ensures good antioxidant protection. Prevents your eyesight from any deterioration and enhances immunity against cancer related diseases. Iron absorption in the body is increased by eating Plums and heart related risks are minimised." (Organic Facts)

Almond Milk and Chocolate Balls

2009-03-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

The first time I tasted raw almond milk my taste buds did back flips! I wasn't sure what to expect but the taste far exceeded any other milks I've tried. It's simply delicious!

Fortunately, it's quite easy to make your own almond milk with all-natural ingredients, and for a fraction of the cost of store-bought varieties. Here's a simple recipe for all-natural almond milk:

Ingredients:

1 cup of raw almonds
3 cups of filtered water
2 dates (optional) or 2 tbs agave syrup

Directions:

1. Soak almonds in water for at least six hours.

2. Drain soaked almonds, and blend with 3 cups of fresh water until you get a milk-like consistency. Blend with dates or agave syrup if you like your milk with a hint of sweetness. Add a pinch of sea salt.

3. Strain once with muslin cloth or a strainer to remove almond granules.

You can purchase cheap muslin cloth from a fabric store like Spotlight.

The result is a delicious, creamy milk that's free of added oils, concentrated sugars, and synthetic nutrients. This all-natural almond milk keeps for 3-4 days in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator.

You will have almond pulp left over. This is good for making dehydrated raw breads, cakes, cookies etc. This time, I decided to use the leftover pulp to make raw chocolate balls (did I mention I'm a lover of all things chocolate?). Yum! I was inspired by a delicious raw chocolate ball I bought at Alive Organics yesterday - you know, something for the long journey home. It was so delicious I HAD to make my own.

RAW CHOCOLATE BALLS

I made three versions: Raw Chocolate Apricot, Raw Chocolate Date and Raw Chocolate Almond.

RAW CHOCOLATE APRICOT BALLS

1 cup soaked and rinsed almonds
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
3/4 cup dried apricots
5 medjool dates
2 tbs agave syrup
1 tbs virgin coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch cinnamon
pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend thoroughly. Place mixture in the fridge for half an hour and roll into balls. Roll balls in coconut. Store in freezer.

RAW CHOCOLATE ALMOND BALLS

2 cups soaked and rinsed almonds
OR 1 cup almonds and 1 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup agave syrup
4 tbs raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup currants
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend thoroughly. Place mixture in the fridge for half an hour and roll into balls. Store in freezer.

RAW CHOCOLATE DATE BALLS

1 1/2 cups almond pulp
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup currants
5 medjool dates
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbs virgin coconut oil
pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend thoroughly. Place mixture in the fridge for half an hour and roll into balls. Roll balls in cacao powder. Store in freezer.

A Little Bit About Raw Cacao

"Raw chocolate is one of the most powerful sources of magnesium on the planet. Not only does magnesium help with alertness and activity, it also helps elevate your mood.

Magnesium is one of the most deficient minerals in the human body. Depending on where you find your studies 60-80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. No wonder we're sluggish, agitated and stressed!

Raw chocolate is the same reason you've heard that chocolate is good for you... except that the cooked and processed form that you get in your Cadbury's bar does not have the same composition as it does when it's raw.

Raw chocolate also contains tryptophan--an essential amino acid--which helps naturally produce serotonin in your body. This is great news for those who need an emotional boost."(LiveAwesome.com)

Raw cacao comes in different forms - powder, beans, nibs, butter and paste. In Perth, you can find it at Manna Wholefoods in Fremantle or Alive Organics in Bayswater (or ask at your local health food store).

What is A Raw Food Diet?

2009-03-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

"What is a Raw Food Diet?

A raw food diet is primarily comprised of uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic and sustainably raised plant-based foods. Most raw foodists do not consumeanimal products of any kind, nor foods containing chemically processed or pasteurized ingredients. While some raw foodists include raw (unpasterized) dairy products, raw meat, raw eggs, and sushi into their diets, the majority of those who self-identify as “raw foodists” are vegan. While the exact definition of raw food varies, a basic guideline for raw food is that it can not have been heated above 118° F (48° C)." (rawwashington.org)

Why eat a raw and Living Food Diet?

There are many reasons why a raw food diet is beneficial, including giving your body the best tools to heal itself from illness, looking and feeling younger, and losing unwanted kilos.

Enzymes

Raw foods are not heated above 118 degrees F, therefore the enzymes are not destroyed in the cooking process. These foods retain an enormously higher nutrient value than foods that are cooked. Enzymes aid in digestion and absorption of food and will not cause toxicity in the body as most cooked foods do.

Raw foods also have an alkaline PH, which is ideal for optimal health.

Dehydrating

There are a few kitchen appliances that can be very helpful when starting out: a blender, a food processor, a juicer and a dehydrator. The first three are easy enough to come by but you may have to hunt for a good dehydrator. I found mine in the Quokka (used appliances).One year old and barely used. It was half the price of a brand new one. In Perth, Alive Organics in Bayswater stock them. I have the Excalibur model and have heard it is the best model to get.

With a dehydrator you can make healthy, cheap, raw (when temperatures are kept below 118F), and long-lasting snacks and treats (like these delicious raw granola bars).It's an excellent way to ensure there is always nutrient-dense, raw food readily available so that you do not snack on junk!

Raw Cereal

For breakfast I look forward to raw cereal made from grapes or apples (whatever is in season and cheap) blended with almond pulp and dehydrated. I have this with almond milk and fresh fruit. Yum!!!!

Once you have blended the grapes with almond pulp pour onto your dehydrator sheets and carefully slide into the dehydrator. Then set the temperature to about 110 degrees F and dehydrate for about 12 hours. You will need to remove the teflex sheets after about 8 hours to ensure even drying. Once dry, break each sheet into cereal sized pieces and store in a container in the freezer (that's what I do, anyway). Enjoy them each morning with almond milk and fresh fruit.

A delicious way to start your day!

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

2009-03-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

Three months ago I would never have dreamed of changing my diet to eating only raw and living foods. Roasted, fried or BBQ meats with creamy baked veggies and gravy were a staple meal. Being a lover of all things chocolate, giving in to cravings came all too easily. I knew my body wasn't coping well with these foods as I always experienced abdominal bloating and back pain.

The back pain would become so intense at times I would spend days in bed, unable to walk. It was draining me of health, energy and life. That's when the mental battle to stay positive really begins. I knew living like this wasn't God's intention for me so I was determined to find a solution. Having previously tried all medical (except for pharmaceutical drugs) possibilities available, I came to understand that I was either going to have to manage the pain myself, or go to God for healing and a plan of action.

On January 9, 2009 I woke up to severe back pain and was unable to get out of bed and walk. I had a feeling I wasn't going anywhere for a few days. Determination emerged and I threw myself into a time of fasting and praying for answers.

Day 8 I visited my local library (Koorong was too far to drive!) hoping for some books on juice fasting (with no success) but instead found a book about the benefits of eating and drinking living foods. I reluctantly began reading as the last thing I wanted was just another diet and nutrition book. About half way through I knew the information in this book just HAD to be an answer. Even though I was hesitant at first I spent the next few weeks researching raw and living foods. I was simply amazed at what I saw! The delicious possibilities excited me as I knew this was something even I could do - and enjoy.

I've enjoyed eating raw and living foods for 5 weeks now. The new taste sensations have been exciting and my body is enjoying the benefits. The pain levels have significantly diminished and one of the many side benefits is that I've lost unwanted kilos whilst enjoying delicious desserts (see image of raw chocolate brownie) and live, colourful meals.

I invite you to journey with me.