Keepin it raw. Raw food recipes and lifestyle blog :)

[Scotty H]Bircher Müesli with figs, apple & almonds

2011-01-26T23:01:00.025-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Bircher Müesli with figs, apple & almonds'

This is a real power breakfast and perfect for those with stressful morning as most of the preparation is done the night before. While I prefer a steaming bowl of porridge during the colder months, this is a real treat for summer. It keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days so you can make a bigger batch and save even more time.

2 servings

To prepare the night before:

1 c rolled oats

¾ c apple juice

¾ c soymilk

2 dried figs – finely chopped

½ tsp cinnamon

pinch allspice

In the morning:

½ grated apple

roasted, unsalted almonds

natural yoghurt

honey (if a sweetener is needed)

The night before: In a bowl, mix the rolled oats, apple juice, soy milk, figs and spices. Make sure that the oats are completely covered. Cover and refrigerate over night.

In the morning: grate the apple and mix into the soaked oats. Serve with a handful of almonds and natural yoghurt. Sweeten with honey if required

Tip: It is also a great solution for days away from home. I travel a lot with work and usually bring a container of Bircher Muesli with me to the hotel.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/09/blog-post.html

[Scotty H]Deliciously Decadent Chocolate & Raspberry Tart

2011-01-26T23:01:00.024-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Deliciously Decadent Chocolate & Raspberry Tart'

Well, every now and then a simple square of dark chocolate just won’t cut it… This is a gluten-free, no-bake, chocolate bursting treat with a refreshing raspberry filling. It is the result of result of quite a bit of experimenting. (What good things aren’t?!) I have done versions of the base for a peppermint-slice before and turned it into this one night when we where just craving dessert. The dates gives the base a lovely, round flavour and it makes you wonder why you ever needed refined flours, sugar and butter in the first place!

I’ve used raspberries for the filling as I love the combination of dark chocolate and the tartness of raspberries, but you could use any type of berries. Just adjust the amount of lemon juice you use to suit. I also have this idea of a tropical version with mango..

Makes 2 (slightly outrageous) tarts, or 4 (more modest…)

For the base:
3/4 cup dates
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tbs cocoa powder
2-3 tbs water

For the filling:
1/2 cup thawed raspberries
1/2 banana
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract
5-6 shredded mint leaves
small squeeze lemon juice

For the ganache:
75g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
3 tbs soy milk
1 tbs olive oil spread
6-8 pecan nuts

Start with the base: Put all ingredients (apart from the water) in a food processor and mix until fine. It should be a dry, crumbly mix. Now add the water, a little at the time and mix. The ‘dough’ should just start to ball up. Make sure it is not too wet, if that happens just add a bit more ground almonds. Please a cup cake case inside a ramekin and press out the base mix to create a cup. Put the ramekins in the fridge while you prepare the rest.

For the filling: Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until pretty smooth. You want to retain some of the ‘crunch’ from the sunflower seeds. Divide up amongst the ramekins and flatten out on top.

For the ganache: In a small bowl, break up the chocolate pieces and add the soymilk and olive oil spread. Microwave on high until melted (about 1 min). Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Spread on top of the tarts and decorate with the pecan nuts. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr before serving.

Delicious…

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/deliciously-decadent-chocolate.html

[Scotty H]Gluten-free is trendy?

2011-01-26T23:01:00.023-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Gluten-free is trendy?'

Interesting article in the paper today on gluten free diets being in fashion, more here: Gluten-free – fabulous or furphy?

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/09/gluten-free-is-trendy.html

[Scotty H]Chickpea and Pumpkin Patties with minted yoghurt

2011-01-26T23:01:00.021-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Chickpea and Pumpkin Patties with minted yoghurt'

These ones are a real spring favorite, they are great to make a salad go a bit further or to fill the lunch box. This is a bit of a base recipe and there are many ways to vary them. Throw in a bit of garlic and chili for a spicier hit or a bit of freshly grated ginger and chopped, fresh coriander for a more Asian twist.

Serves 4

Patties:

300g peeled and chopped pumpkin

4 slices plain, gluten free bread

2x 300g cans of chickpeas

1 tsp sea salt

Spray oil (olive or avocado)

Minted Yoghurt:

½ c plain, unsweetened greek yoghurt

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 tsp fresh, chopped mint

Pre heat the oven to 400^oF. Boil or microwave the pumpkin until tender. Drain well and mash, transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Tear the bread roughly and process to crumbs in a food processor. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and process until a paste, using the food processor or a stick mixer.

Add the bread and chickpeas to the pumpkin, season with a little bit of salt and mix well. Shape into 8 even-sized patties and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spray the patties with a bit of oil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn over, spray again and bake for another 10 minutes.

To make the Minted Yoghurt; mix together all ingredients in a bowl.

Serve with a big green salad.

Tip: These patties also makes for excellent burger patties, serve between to slices of gluten free bread, with minted yogurt, lettuce, grated carrot and cucumber.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/chickpea-and-pumpkin-patties-with.html

[Scotty H]Banana Bread with Manuka honey and almonds

2011-01-26T23:01:00.019-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Banana Bread with Manuka honey and almonds'

You wouldn't believe it's gluten free! This loaf is moist and dense and has become a weekly staple in our house. It is great for morning or afternoon tea with a cup of peppermint tea. Try it with a little bit of almond butter – yum..

1 loaf

4-5 very ripe bananas

½ cup honey

¼ cup light olive oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup gluten free flour mix (2 parts brown rice flour, 1 part soy flour, 1 part tapioca flour)

1 cup buckwheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

¾ cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350^oF

Mash the bananas thoroughly and mix well with the honey, vanilla extract and olive oil

In a separate bowl, sift and mix flour & baking soda. Add the almonds.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix. Make sure not to over mix or the bread will become tough.

Line the base of a non-stick loaf pan. Pour in the batter, flatten out the top and bake for 45-60min or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and remove from pan. Let the loaf cool on a rack.

Tip: It freezes well so I usually double the recipe and make two loafs and freeze.

Gluten free flour have a tendency to stick to the loaf tin, so I recommend that you always use baking paper to save any disasters.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/banana-bread-with-manuka-honey-and.html

[Scotty H]Quick Fennel & Pumpkin Seed Bread

2011-01-26T23:01:00.017-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Quick Fennel & Pumpkin Seed Bread'

This bread is super easy and quick to make and makes a incredible soft and flavorsome gluten free bread. It keeps well in the fridge and also freezes well. It is great for lunchtime sandwiches, or as a condiment to a hot soup or simply try it toasted with a little olive oil margarine. Divine!

1 loaf

3 c gluten free flour mix

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp fennel seeds, heaped

½ c pumpkin seeds

3 tbs honey (liquefy for 30s in the microwave if needed)

1 ½ c natural yoghurt

¼ c light olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 175^oC. In a large bowl, mix the four and baking soda together thoroughly. Add the fennel and pumpkin seeds and mix.

In a separate bowl, mix the honey, yoghurt and oil to a homogenous mixture. Add the liquid to the flour mix and mix gently until even. Be careful not to overdo it as this will make the bread tough.

Line a loaf tin with baking paper and pour the bread mixture into it. Smooth out the top with a spatula.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30min until a wooden skewer stuck into the middle comes out dry.

Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/fennel-pumpkin-seed-bread.html

[Scotty H]Favorite Saturday morning breakfast..

2011-01-26T23:01:00.015-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Favorite Saturday morning breakfast..'

These little gems will help you get out of bed on a Saturday morning.. They only take a few minutes to make, fool proof even in a sleep deprived state and are sure to become an instant favourite! They are light and fluffy in the texture and provide lots of protein and energy for a long day ahead. Serve them with yoghurt, maple syrup and a fruit salad. Make sure not to be gentle with the batter and not over-mix it as this will make them tough. Enjoy..

6 pancakes – 2 servings

¾ cup light soy milk

¾ cup rolled oats

1 egg

½ tsp salt

1 tbs honey

½ cup gluten free baking mix (2 parts rice, 1 part soy flour, 1 part tapioca)

2 tsp baking powder (gluten free)

Mix soymilk, oats and egg together and beat until just mixed. Add salt and honey.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour mix and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix. Make sure not to over mix as this will make the pancakes tough.

Lightly coat a non-stick fry pan with light olive or avocado oil spray and drop in a spoonful of batter per pancake. Fry on medium heat until the top of the pancakes start to set, flip them over and fry for another 30 seconds or until done.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/favorite-saturday-morning-breakfast.html

[Scotty H]Porridge with Soy, Banana & Linseed

2011-01-26T23:01:00.013-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Porridge with Soy, Banana & Linseed'

This is a comforting start to the day and will keep you going well into the morning. The oats provide long-term energy with many heart healthy benefits and the banana provides instant energy and lots of alkalizing potassium. Try adding a couple scoops of vanilla protein powder for an extra boost!

2 servings

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup water

½ cup light soy milk

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

To serve:

½ cup soy milk

1 banana

2 tbs linseed

honey or maple syrup (if a sweetener if required)

In a small pot, mix together oats, soymilk, water and spices. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent it from burning. .

Serve with vanilla soy milk, sliced banana and a sprinkle of linseed for extra fiber. If you need a sweetener, use a teaspoon of good maple syrup or honey.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/porridge-with-soy-banana-linseed.html

[Scotty H]Eggplant - like it was supposed to be..

2011-01-26T23:01:00.011-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Eggplant - like it was supposed to be..'

Eggplant – it can be so good but also terribly bad! How many times have you not been served pale, tasteless and mushy eggplant..? I watched Kylie Kwong cock a fantastic dish on Masterchef the other day and thought I share my version of what she did. It is packed with flavour and texture and and will make your kitchen smell like an Asian market in no time…

INGREDIENTS (will make about 4 servings as a main)

Eggplant:
2 eggplants
2 tbs salt
3 tbs of light olive oil
3-5 drops of sesame oil

Chilli mix:
2 long red chillis
4 garlic cloves
3cm knob of fresh ginger
3 tbs of light olive oil
3-5 drops of sesame oil
2 tbs tamari sauce

Herbs:
4 spring onions
fresh coriander (about 3/4 of a cup, loosely packed when chopped up)

1. Start off be preparing the eggplant. Cut it up in irregular, but similar sized, pieces and spread out on an oven tray. Salt the eggplant and give it a toss to ensure that all the eggplant pieces are covered. Leave for at least 30mins. This will draw out the bitter liquids in the eggplant as well as ensure it won’t go all mushy on you when you fry it.

2. Prepare all the ingredients for the chilli mix. This probably sounds like an insane amount of spices for 4 servings, but trust me – it is just right for a medium chilli kick. Since the mix is simmered in oil for such a long time the spices become much milder than if they where eaten raw.. Chop the garlic, ginger and chilli very fine and put aside. Heat up the oils in a small fry pan or pot until just hot and then add the spices. Be careful with the heat as you don’t want the garlic and ginger to fry and go brown. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 10-15 mins.

3. Chop the spring onions and coriander finely. Use the entire coriander, leaves, stems and roots as they all add lovely flavour. Set aside.

4. Rinse all the salt off the eggplant pieces and pat dry with a paper towel. In a large wok, or frypan, heat up the oils and then add the eggplant. Make sure the oil is hot as this will create a nice surface on the eggplant. If it is too cold, all the oils will be absorbed and once again – mushy eggplant… Stirfry for about 10min until the eggplant has gone velvety soft on the inside and got a golden brown tint on the outside.

5. Add the tamiri sauce to the chili mix. Pour the chilli mix over the eggplant and add the chopped spring onin and coriander. Stirfry for another 2 minutes and serve immediately.

yum..

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/eggplant-like-it-was-supposed-to-be.html

[Scotty H]Pineapple & Avocado Superfood Salsa

2011-01-26T23:01:00.009-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Pineapple & Avocado Superfood Salsa'

Although spring is really taking it’s pretty time to set in here in NZ, the few sunny days we have had sure bring on that lovely summer feeling and with that - the desire for light, summer meals. This salsa combines two of my absolute favourites, fresh pineapple and avocado. Apart from tasting absolutely yum, they also bring a lot of health benefits. I’m a true believer in that the food we eat should nourish our bodies as well as be delicious.

Pineapple is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Its nutrients include calcium, potassium, fiber and vitamin C. They are also rich in manganese, a trace mineral that is needed for you body to build bone and connective tissues. It also contain an enzyme called bromelain that has anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits.

Avocados are not bad either, they are packed with monounsaturated fat and very nutrient dense. They top the charts among all fruits for folate, potassium, vitamin E and magnesium.

makes about 4 servings

1/2 fresh pineapple
1 medium/firm avocado
3 spring onions
1 large red chilli
1 large clove of garlic
generous pinch of sea salt
1 tbs rice wine vinegar (or just white wine vinegar is fine..)
1/2 c chopped fresh coriander

Cut the pineapple and avocado into 1/2 inch chunks and place in a bowl. Chop the spring onions and add. Chop chilli and garlic finely and add along with the rest of the ingredients. Mix gently.
This salsa only gets better with time, so if you can – make a few hours before you intend to serve it.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/pineapple-avocado-superfood-salsa.html

[Scotty H]Thriving..

2011-01-26T23:01:00.007-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Thriving..'

I tend to go through these nutrition book phases .. Just started reading The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier, very interesting. Brendan in a vegan and iron man triathlete and has many clever thoughts on nutrition and whole foods. I’ll report back once I’m a bit further through it..

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/thriving.html

[Scotty H]Instant Antioxidant Boost Icecream

2011-01-26T23:01:00.005-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Instant Antioxidant Boost Icecream'

We can finally smell the summer…! The last few days has been sunny and warm, and although we are not quite there yet – it definitely is starting to feel like summer.

This is a super-healthy dessert, or even snack. It’s full of antioxidants from the berries and protein from the yoghurt. If you want an extra protein boost, just add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to the mix.

It only takes a couple of minutes to make, so perfect when you feel like a treat but have no time.. yum!

Makes 2 servings

3/4 cup natural, un-sweetened yoghurt
1/2 cup frozen blueberries & 1/2 frozen raspberries (or 1 cup of any mix of berries)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 heaped tsp honey
1 tsp natural vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. If the mix feels to runny just add more berries.

Serve immediately.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/instant-antioxidnat-boost-icecream.html

[Scotty H]Print Recipes

2011-01-26T23:01:00.003-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Print Recipes'

I have added a Print function so that you can easily print the recipes that you are after. You’ll find a print button at the bottom of the recipe.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/10/print-recipes.html

[Scotty H]Vegetable Pakoras

2011-01-26T23:01:00.001-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Vegetable Pakoras'

Wow, what happened.. Work got the better of me and before i knew it, two weeks has gone by! Sorry about that.. That doesn’t mean that there haven’t been plenty of cooking and eating however..

I have been experimenting with different Pakora recipes for a while and here is the result. Pakoras are these Indian little vegetable patties packed with veggies and mixed in with a besan (chickpea) flour batter. The result is this crispy on the outside and crunchy, yet creamy veggie goodness on the inside.

They are also a wicked way of using up whatever is left in the fridge and make great use of the parts of the veggies that you may not (but really should, I know) always use like broccoli and cauliflower stems.

You can use whatever mix of veggies that takes your fancy as longs as they are resonably firm. Carrots, parsnips, swedes, potatoes, kumara, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, celery..

I love using chickpea flour as it provides plenty of substance and is full of protein. A great way to boost the protein in a vegetarian dish.

Serve them with a fresh, green leafy salad and a yogurt/lemon/mint/garlic dip.

Makes about 4 servings

For the batter:
1.5 cup besan (chickpea) flour
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cup water

For the veggies:
4 cups finely (about 5mm square) vegetables (I used a mix of parsnip, cauliflower, broccoli & kumara)

1/2 chopped coriander (or any green leafy herb like parsly or basil)

light olive oil to fry

Mix the ingredients for the batter in a bowl and let rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the veggies by chopping them finely and mix them all up together with the herbs in a bowl. Once the batter has rested, mix it in with the veggies. It should just coat all the veggies and become a sticky veggie and batter mix.

Cover the bottom of a frypan with 3-5 mm of oil and heat up. Now to the tricky bit, making the patties. Grab a couple of tbs of veggie/batter mix and press it in the palm on your hand. It won’t completely bind but experiment a bit and you will find the right amount of pressure required to make the keep together before they hit the pan. The batter is really sticky so it will make it much easier if you work with slightly wet hands. Form the patties and shallow fry in the oil until golden and crispy, about 5 min/side. Once done, let them drain on a papertowel before you serve them.

You may view the latest post at
http://pure-eating.blogspot.com/2010/11/vegetable-pakoras.html

[Scotty H]Leftovers at our house.... Open Face Handroll

2011-01-26T22:24:00.019-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Leftovers at our house.... Open Face Handroll'

Damon has brought on a whole new meaning to “leftovers”. You would never believe that this is what he makes our leftovers look like.

The dish was simply leftover organic brown rice with peas, a slice of bbq’d albacore, avocado, raw nori and a ball of wasabi. The red sauce is Damon’s answer to Rooster sauce aka: SRIRACHA HOT CHILI SAUCE Korean ketchup. Everything was leftovers or found in our fridge.

We called it an Open Face Handroll. Once the fish was broken down, we rolled it up and ate it like a sushi roll.

His creativity in the kitchen is amazing! Are you the creative one? I am not, but I can be on occasion. Damon continues to teach me the simple things you can do with a plate to make meals more appealing.

Looking at others blogs is a good way to learn. Keep checking back here, once I get into the swing of working at home, I need to start blogging more…..

Keep searching for the site that keeps you interested in food. Food is the one thing that isn’t going anywhere… We all need to eat, why not make it nutritious and interesting at the same time?

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2011/01/26/leftovers-at-our-home.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Homemade Fruit Leather 101

2011-01-26T22:24:00.016-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Homemade Fruit Leather 101 in 2010'

Got fruit? We recently went Blackberry picking and easily bagged 1-1/2 gallons of fresh blackberries. What a blessing it is to live in a place that there is a plentiful supply of these wonderful morsels for the taking. It’s first come first serve on the roads that house the wild brambles. We were not the first to pick the ripe fruit from the thorn riddled branches, but we still went home with plenty. It’s a wonderful year in our county for wild berry picking. We had plenty of rain early this year which has aided in berry production. We still have plenty of time to go pick more.

When I have too much fruit, my first thought is always fresh Fruit Leather! The dehydrator has been a wonderful addition to my kitchen. If you have one, have you used it lately? I try to keep mine going constantly (hopefully you have noticed from my previous posts). In fact as I sit and write this I have corn chips dehydrating right now!

This was my first try at blackberry fruit leather. Knowing the fruit can be a little tart, I did add a little sugar and stevia to the mix, I do not normally add sugar to my leather recipes. Blackberries can be a little extra work also because of the seeds. But they are worth it!

After the blackberries were picked I rinsed and soaked them in filtered water over night in the fridge. I emptied the water through a strainer, boiled to remove any contaminants and what I got was a wonderful deep purple blackberry fruit juice base that I saved for the kids tea base.

Here’s what I did with the fruit.

First I took the berries and ran them through the Vita-Mix. Then I removed the seeds by squeezing the fruit through a filter bag. (sorry I didn’t take photos, it was messy!)

Next I added 2 apples (cored) 1/2 cup organic sugar and approx 4 cups of berries back in the Vita-Mix.

Blend until smooth. Use a spatula to spread the fruit mixture evenly on Teflex sheets. As thick as you can. Make sure you don’t try to get too close to the edge, the mixture is quite thin and does tend to ooze to the side! I left approx 2 inches all the way around. The color was beautiful!

The next photo shows what it looked like when it was done. It took approx 8 hours. You know when it’s done by the fact it doesn’t stick to your finger when you touch it . This sheet was moved to a piece of parchment and is ready to roll.

The following photo shows the finished product.

I store all the fruit leather in an easy to open container to promote snacking by the kids. It’s these great snacks that I want them to choose!

Can you imagine anything easier? The fruit you use does not need to be beautiful to do this. Have any fruit that’s being passed up because it’s a little bruised or over ripe? Make Fruit Leather!!!!!

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/08/13/homemade-fruit-leather-101-in-2010.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Raw Cookie Dough Recipe

2011-01-26T22:24:00.014-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Raw Cookie Dough Recipe'

When I was a kid my Mom always had the ingredients for Nestle Toll House cookies in the house. So naturally we made them, it seemed like we always had them around. I know that can’t be true, but it sure is nice to remember it that way. As I got older my Mom let me make them with her, then of course I was trusted to make them myself. That old tried and true recipe is still on the back of the chocolate chip bag! (I think it has changed a little from what they previously taste like, could have been the butter or fat we used, or my memory). Yes, I remember tasting the cookie dough raw. There was usually some comment about “Don’t eat too much or you’ll get a belly ache” so of course while Mom was looking, I only took small bites. I remember at least once eating a little too much. Yes, a belly ache followed. And I also got scorned for the amount of cookie batter left to bake. Sorry Mom! As you can see I have fond memories of baking. While trying to adhere to our raw/living food diet, I am still trying to keep the kids happy with some sugary treats in the house while keeping them healthy and tasty. This raw cookie dough recipe is one of those recipes. They are even vegan (if you don’t use honey)!

I used a recipe from Angela Liddon’s blog “Oh she glows ” and modified it a little bit for sweetness. Thanks for the recipe Angela!

This is what was left after a couple days of samples to neighbors and snacking. I had to make the kids wait for a taste until I took a photo. They were very patient.

Raw cookie Dough recipe modified version by Toni Genaro

Dough

1 ¾ C raw cashews

¾ C raw whole oats

2 dates soaked for 30 mins to soften

¼ C agave or honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ C virgin coconut oil

½ tsp Himalayan salt

Process the cashews and oats in the food processor with the S blade until pieces are small. Place all other ingredients in processor and blend. Mix until a smooth dough forms. Make large ball and place in refrigerator in medium mixing bowl. Note: some oil will separate from the dough, wipe the excess off and discard.

Chocolate:

½ C carob powder

½ C cacao powder

4 Tbs agave or honey

3 Tbs Maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp Himalayan salt

2 Tbs Dandy Blend (optional)

2 Tbs virgin coconut oil (melted)

Place all ingredients into medium mixing bowl except coconut oil. Melt coconut oil in double boiler on stove and add to bowl, stir until smooth. Place between two sheets of parchment or teflex sheets and use rolling pin until approx ¼ inch thick. Place in freezer to harden, approx 30 minutes.

Cut chocolate into squares and mix into cookie dough by hand. Prepare 2 logs and store in refrigerator in a covered container or wrapped in parchment, cut cookies off as desired. Or roll into ¼ inch+ sheets and use cookie cutters, keep on parchment paper. Note: I used the roll method because they last longer. If you used the cookie cutter method you need to separate them with parchment paper and place in covered container in the fridge. The rolls were easier to store

The Dandy Blend adds a coffee flavor to the chocolate. If you have some fresh coffee beans on hand you could grind a couple until very fine and add to the chocolate mix as a substitute. Dandy blend is used for a coffee substitute and to break a coffee habit. It can be added to cold or hot drinks, smoothies, ice cream etc. Check it out!

The kids said they tasted like oatmeal with chocolate chips. I think I’ll try some raisins in the next batch. Of course this batch is long gone!

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/08/05/raw-cookie-dough-recipe.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Raw Chocolate Brownies ... with recipe!

2011-01-26T22:24:00.013-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Raw Chocolate Brownies ... with recipe!'

Everyone enjoys sweets. They are the delight of our taste buds. What if you could make sweet foods and desserts that didn’t contain “bad for you” ingredients. That’s what raw desserts are.

I became a vegetarian 9 years ago. Since then I have not consumed or desired sweets on a regular basis. Yes, I would eat an occasional piece of cake or tasty treat out of the Halloween candy bowl but only periodically. Baking was only for parties or gatherings with friends. So making raw desserts has not been on my list as a high priority. Be aware: by the time you price all the ingredients, raw desserts can get expensive.

In her recipe book The Raw Transformation, Wendy Rudell gives easy to read instructions for some great snacks and main dishes. Yes, some recipes are more difficult but the following Chocolate Brownie recipe was delightful and easy.

Chocolate Brownies by Wendy Rudell

2 Cups almond meal (leftover pulp from almond milk)
1 Cup dates, soaked 2 hours to soften
1 Banana
1 Cup pine nuts, soaked overnight
1/3 Cup Cacao powder or carob powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs agave syrup or honey
1 Cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Fudge Sauce (optional)
In a food processor combine nuts, dates, banana, cacao, vanilla and agave syrup. Add almond meal and process all ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Fold in chopped nuts and place on teflex sheet, forming batter into a large square not more than 1-1/2 inches thick. Score into bite-size pieces with a knife and dehydrate 4 6 hours on one side: flip over and dehydrate 4 – 6 hours on the underside. Frost with Fudge Sauce and serve.

Additional notes: The brownies themselves were not too sweet, had a slight banana flavor and needed lots more time in the dehydrator, but were excellent with the hard chocolate that I chose. After the 6 hours on each side in the dehydrator I separated the brownies at each score point into individual pieces and dehydrated for another 6 (approx) hours. This made the “creamy” center turn more like a “cake” texture. I also wanted a hard dipped chocolate coating. It was more expensive to make than the brownies! But worth every bite!!!

Hard dipping chocolate recipe posted by rawererin on Raw Freedom Community
1/2 Cup coconut oil
1/2 Cup cacao powder
1/2 Cup maple syrup (the more I use this the more I have found that it really compliments chocolate so well!)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients in Vita-Mix until smooth, take out immediately to keep warm, dip brownie bites and place on waxed paper. Place in refrigerator to harden.

Enjoy!!!! By the time I realized I hadn’t taken any photos there were only 4 left! (pictured above). This is the first time I’ve dipped anything but strawberries in chocolate, they didn’t look the greatest, but they tasted great!

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/06/09/raw-chocolate-brownies.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Quick nuts and seeds "meat" substitute recipe

2011-01-26T22:24:00.012-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Quick nuts and seeds "meat" substitute recipe'

Our new favorite quick meal. We call it nut seed meat. You use any combination of any kind of nuts and seeds, in the food processor along with some spices and you have Toni and Damon’s nut seed meat!

Our inspiration started with the seed pate recipes in the Cafe Gratitude recipe book . This nut seed meat can be combined with seasonings to mimic Italian sausage, Hamburger, taco meat, or anything else you are craving. With the addition of the lecithin you get the “greasy” feeling that is hard to imagine in a raw dish. With all of the nuts and seeds that we now keep on hand it’s a quick and easy meal. We ususally have lots of left overs also, they are always fun to toss on a couple of slices of sprouted bread, in a green salad or just on some flax chips or crackers for snacks. I posted a previous entry about the “meat” that I made from Cafe Gratitude, this time I came up with my own sausage flavored nut seed meat. It tasted just like Italian sausage!! We used some left over raw spaghetti sauce for the topping .

Raw Italian Nut Seed “Meat” Sausages by Toni Genaro
1/2 Cup pumpkin seed (soaked, sprouted and dehydrated)
1/4 Cup Brazil nuts (soaked for at least 2 hours if you have time)
1/4 Cup pine nuts
1/4 Cup sunflower seeds
1/2 Cup fresh mushrooms (button or mini crimini)
2 Tbs Bragg’s amino acid
1 tsp Sunflower Lecithin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 tsp dill seed (ground) fresh if available
1/8 tsp fennel seed (ground) fresh if available

Place all ingredients in food processor with S blade and process until mixed, chunky and not too smooth. Serve immediately or place in dehydrator to warm. Keeps in fridge for up to 5 days. The leaves we used for “casing” wraps were Radicchio that we are growing in our
garden. I will take current photos for a later (sooner than later
hopefully) post.

Note: Most seeds can be eaten raw. Most nuts should be fully soaked, sprouted and dehydrated to help in digestion and absorption. If they don’t have a hard dark skin like almonds or walnuts, soak them for at least 2 hours before adding to recipes. We do not stick by this religiously, but we do notice that soaking works. Renee Oswald is a wonderful coach for making seed stash. She recommends purchasing in quantity, soaking, sprouting and dehydrating in large batches so you always have “seed stash” available for recipes. She’s right, it takes the several days of preparation for lots of raw recipes down to only minutes.

We continue to experiment in the kitchen with all of our fresh ingredients. What have you been up to lately? I would love to hear what you do with all of the wonderful summer foods that are now available. Please share!

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/07/02/quick-nuts-and-seeds-meat-recipe.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]How to open a young thai coconut and FoodTraining U notes

2011-01-26T22:24:00.011-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'How to open a young thai coconut and FoodTraining U notes'

We had a great time at our official Class #1 of FoodTraining U. We had several people in attendance that learned all about coconuts. We also shared some great recipes (all of which had coconut as an ingredient). We are talking about fresh young Thai coconuts. There’s only one coconut, it is just sold in many different forms (young, water, milk, dried, oil, syrup, vinegar, flour, amino acids, sugar) I’m probably forgetting something else, but you get the point.

When a coconut is on the tree it looks like this.

Fresh young Thai coconuts can be purchased at most health food stores or Asian markets. Unfortunately it is expensive to ship them to yourself if they are unavailable to you. Try asking the produce manager at your local market to find them if they are not regularly stocked. Young coconuts have less meat and more water. You don’t want the older dark dry shell coconuts, unless specified in a recipe. The water and the meat in the young coconuts are much sweeter. When you purchase young coconuts they look like this:

If you want to lose weight, eat coconut! If you are fighting an illness (diabetes, infections, dry scalp, just to name a few), eat coconut! If your skin is dry, put coconut oil on it! Get the point? For years coconut was thought to be bad because it is so high in saturated fat. Research has showed that yes, coconut is high in saturated fat, BUT it is also one of the few oils that is composed of Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA’s) The longer the chain the worse the oil. All vegetable oils (Corn, canola, sunflower, safflower, etc.) are composed of Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA’s). Those are the facts in a nut (coconut) shell . If you want to look into fatty acids more, go here: Fats, Fish Oil and Omega-3-Fatty Acids . These facts make Coconut oil a much better choice for consumption. If you replace all other oils in your kitchen with this ONE oil, you will be healthier, lose weight and feel great! Use it in ALL of your recipes!!! I also use the oil as a suncreen. It is said to have an SPF of 15. The only time I burned this year was because I was out too long and didn’t reapply the oil. It makes my skin very smooth and smells good too!
Bruce Fife is an expert in Coconut nutrition and has written several books on the subject (even a cookbook). Please do your own research, but believe me, this nut is amazing!

Since eating a healthier diet we have been consuming major amounts of coconut oil. I was unaware that this IS one of the reasons I was losing weight and keeping it off. While doing my research for our FoodTraining U class, I found multiple sources that confirm that coconut oil is the best alternative. I read 3 of Bruce Fife’s books this weekend and he also confirmed, it’s true. Coconut in almost any form is a healthy addition to any diet. We purchase our coconut oil by the GALLON! Can you believe that? Who buys a gallon of oil? We’ve used almost 3 gallons in the past year. That’s a lot of oil! And we are losing weight? Not only is the oil good, but we like the water and the meat also. We have a great health food store in town that regularly carries young Thai coconuts. If we order them by the case we receive a 10% discount!

Have you ever opened a young Thai coconut? It took me along time to get comfortable. Damon is much better than I am, so I only have to open them when he is busy. Luckily.

Here’s a video of Damon opening a young Thai coconut. If you look up other videos everyone has their own style. We find the following style to be very effective.

As you can see the water went flying! We all laughed and quickly cleaned the camera. That was a raw food blooper! Luckily at our first FoodTraining U class the coconut water did not go flying, nor hit any unsuspecting cameras or persons in the audience.
Most nuts are full of wonderful water. If you are dehydrated, drink it to bring up your electrolytes. We tend to stay away from packaged coconut waters and milks. After learning that nearly all cans contain BPA, we simply don’t purchase them anymore. If you only need the water for a recipe, scrape the meat from the inside with a soft spatula and save it in the freezer for later use. Though we do not like the fact that coconuts have such a high carbon footprint being an imported product, we are currently researching what we can do to reduce that. If you are lucky enough to live on the east coast you can purchase or order coconuts from Florida, shipping rates prevent us from that so we use Thai coconuts for the time being. Does anyone have an idea for localizing the amazing coconut?

Watch our blog for recipes using coconut. We use it whenever possible!

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/09/09/official-class-1-food-training-u-coconut-research-and-great-food.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Living Light Chef Showcase

2011-01-26T22:24:00.010-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Living Light Chef Showcase'

Last year about this time was our introduction to the Living Light Institute in Fort Bragg, CA and the Expo that they held each year. Being our first year at the expo (after going raw only 4 months earlier), we enjoyed every aspect. They had several things going on at once so we could choose to watch a chef, or listen to an expert talk about any aspect of the raw food diet in several locations close to the institute. We enjoyed ourselves and gleaned knowledge and enthusiasm for our new raw food journey. Our previous blog about the conference last year can be seen here . We will always remember rubbing elbows with our peers and feeling like we belonged.

This year the Living Light Institute in Fort Bragg is holding a conference specializing in raw food chefs and recipe techniques in the kitchen and available in person or to watch by live streaming video. Today was day one of three and was very informative and inspiring.

Look it up here: Living Light Chef Showcase. You can probably still sign up for the video streaming. One ticket includes a 6 month pass to view the videos at your leisure. The video option is a wonderful way to feel like you’re there, but not have to spend all the time traveling.

If you are interested in the raw food diet or just wondering how to change to healthy eating habits check it out!!

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/08/27/living-light-chef-showcase.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Spending time away from home with a little cooking

2011-01-26T22:24:00.009-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Spending time away from home with a little cooking'

My last seven days have been spent away from home.

My Mother needs full time care and I am the back up caregiver for my older sister who lives with her full time. To give my sister some much deserved time off I have spent the last 7 days living with my Mom who lives 50 miles away from me. She is not a raw foodist. She doesn’t have much of an opinion about the food she eats, so it’s pretty easy to feed her the things that I like and not get any complaints. For me, it was a challenge to try to include items that #1 were available and #2 that she could manage. Whole nuts and seeds are out of the question for her abilities. Salads are a push. And without a good blender I could not include as much of these items into our diet as I would like. So I modified things as much as I could to keep her system (and mine) from going into shock and or detox.

For breakfast we always had fresh fruit. Without a blender I couldn’t make smoothies, so whole fresh fruit was the basis. She gets yogurt, (Yoplait is NOT yogurt) one of the brands we purchase for her is Brown Cow.

Luckily we both love seafood. And since her home is in Eureka California, there is an abundance of great seafood available. Over 7 days we had Halibut, shrimp salads, shrimp sandwiches, salmon, fish tacos, tuna sandwiches and tuna salads. Everything was always complimented with fresh vegetables and very little if any bread. For the salads I just had to modify the size of the spinach and lettuce. By cutting everything into 1/2 inch bite size pieces Mom was able to pick them up with a spoon. Fresh green beans were easy to poke with a fork. Mashed potatoes were easy to eat with a spoon.

I had planned on doing more raw items, but again, not having a blender, I had to make do with items that were easy to eat and readily available. I left feeling great, although I am excited about adding nuts and seeds back into my own diet.

I didn’t die eating more cooked food. I still tried to eat at least 70% raw, the one item that was cooked was the fish. I tried to eat most of my vegetables raw or lightly steamed. I don’t wish to continue eating that much cooked food in the future, mostly because of all the extra work. If you think raw is hard, you’ve never tried it. Cooking is WAY more work!

For the most part I would like to share with all the “newbies” trying raw that you don’t have to be a fanatic. Yes, we were when we started. Look at our blog title! We have learned over the year and a half that we have been doing this that it is almost impossible to keep 100% raw (or even 90%). Adding small amounts of cooked items can actually be good for you. We do include organic brown rice in our diet very often now and we are still feeling and looking great. Everybody…. and, every body is different. But none of us require preservatives, additives or chemicals in our food, we’re not chemically deficient! That’s the important issue to keep in mind. We need to get back to the basics, making our food at home from fresh grains and produce. We know everyone lives in a house with a kitchen (hopefully) so we would like you to use it. That’s what our food classes are about. We are not trying to make everyone go raw vegan. Although we always base our recipes on those premises. We demonstrate raw and vegan recipes to show how easy and tasty those dishes can be. We recommend that you add more fresh uncooked items into your diet. If you think about it, everything is really a salad…so add a fun raw dish to any plate and you shouldn’t get any complaints.

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/10/21/spending-time-away-from-home.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]New Year Salad recipe & Healthy holiday wishes.

2011-01-26T22:24:00.008-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'New Year Salad recipe & Healthy holiday wishes.'

Happy Healthy Holidays!!!
From Toni & Damon, aka: FoodTraining U.

We wish everyone health and happiness this coming year.

Thank you for your support in the last year, on our blog and our food classes.

Here’s a quick recipe to warm your holiday. I know it’s a little late to include it in your menu plans, but it’s good anytime of the year!

New Year Salad by Damon & Toni
     One head of napa cabbage, rough cut – massage with sesame oil, salt and agave
     1 1/2 cups kale, ribbon cut – massage with extra virgin olive oil, salt, lemon juice
     1 cup dried cranberries
     1/2 cup seaweed – soaked until soft (we used hijiki and/or sea palm)
     1/2 cup dried almonds – can be seasoned (ours were soaked in palm sugar, nama shoyu and salt then dehydrated)
     1/2 cup fresh red bell pepper, chopped
     1 Tbsp of Nama shoyu
     Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Put everything in a large mixing bowl and stir. Add extra agave if necessary. This recipe is very versatile, add what you have on hand. It’s meant to be sweet and tangy.

We called it a New Year’s Salad, but it was inspired by a local health food store, their salad is called “Cha Cha” totally raw and vegan.

We served it as a side dish, but it stands on it’s own very well. I will post the raw stuffing and gravy recipe in the future. If you have been to our class before, you have the recipe .

Stay tuned for information on our January 6th class …….

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/12/24/new-year-salad-recipe--healthy-holiday-wishes.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Got garlic? Make fresh raw garlic powder!

2011-01-26T22:24:00.007-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Got garlic? Make fresh raw garlic powder!'

Do you have an abundance of Garlic? This year I have had several people giving away garlic because they planted too much last season. I am always happy to add the garlic to our pantry, we do use a good amount in our food preparation. We use so much garlic I don’t think we have to worry about vampires!

To help preserve the garlic for later use, I decided to use it to make fresh powder. It was so easy I want to share it with everyone. It only takes five easy steps to have fresh homemade garlic powder!!

Step one: Cut off dry stalks and root end. Remove any dirt from bulb, and leave outer skins on (as long as they are clean).
Step two: Place full bulbs into Vitamix blender and blend until a mash texture (no chunks can be detected).
Step three: Spread garlic mash onto teflex sheets and dehydrate on 115 degrees for approx 24 hours (times may vary) or until dry.
Step four: Place dry garlic sheets back into Vitamix and blend into powder
Step five: Place into jars and use in all your recipes!

The color may vary, but it will always taste wonderful. It will be the best garlic powder you will ever use!
P.S. Add some salt and you have garlic salt .

Do you know the benefits of garlic (besides avoiding vampires?) Read about it here: Wiki Allicin

I am going to plant extra garlic this year so next year I will have more for processing into powder. I shared mine with friends, and now I’m out! Got Garlic?

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/09/18/too-much-garlic-make-fresh-raw-garlic-powder.aspx?ref=rss

[Scotty H]Our Organic Garden

2011-01-26T22:24:00.006-08:00

Scotty H has posted a new item, 'Our Organic Garden'

I haven’t discussed my garden much this year, but I should have. It has been a wonderful resource of food for us all summer. Yes, it has taken time to water and weed, but for the most part it has given more than it has taken! I finally took the time this weekend to catalog the final stages before most of it is torn down. Here’s a slide show so you can see how much we have packed into our small spaces.

The song is dedicated to Alison. Thanks for the inspiration! xoxoxoxo.
How does your garden grow?

Our organic garden. October 2010

You may view the latest post at
http://blog.wewantraw.com/2010/10/03/summer-garden.aspx?ref=rss