Rawmazing Raw Food » Recipes

Zuccini Cacao Cookies

Susan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:28:10 +0000

We are right in the height of zucchini season and I have pounds of zucchini sitting on my kitchen counter. My farmer friend, Gray, put in quite a few plants and they have been prolific. Inspired by an old, non-raw recipe for zucchini chocolate cake, I put together a raw food recipe for these little zucchini cacao bites. You, and your family will love them. They have a wonderful chocolate flavor and a moist, chewy texture. Feel free to add nuts!

Zucchini Cacao Cookies

3 cups grated zucchini
2 cups oat flour (raw)*
3/4 cup cacao
2 apples, cored and quartered
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil (cold pressed)

1. Grate zucchini and set aside.

2. Mix together cacao and oat flour. Set aside.

3. Place apples in food processor with agave, water and olive oil. Process until smooth.

4. Stir together flour mixture and apple mixture.

5. Add to grated zucchini and stir until well combined.

6. Drop by spoonful onto non-stick dehydrator sheets. Flatten slightly. Dehydrate at 145 for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 115 and dry for 4 hours. Remove from non-stick sheets and continue to dry until done. (aprox 4 more hours)

Makes 3 dozen.

*You can order raw flour here: Sunrise Flour Mills

Basil Zucchini Wraps

Susan — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:19:26 +0000

I love wraps. They are a quick, easy way to throw together a tasty, healthy lunch or dinner. These wraps have a zucchini-basil base with a little coconut thrown in. Black sesame seeds add a little color and nutrients. For the filling, a quick dice of some veggies combined with spinach cream is perfect. These are quick, easy and bursting with flavor. The wraps will keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks, properly wrapped.

Zucchini Basil Wraps

3 cups chopped zucchini
1 young coconut, flesh from
3/4 cup ground flax
12 leaves fresh basil
pinch Himalayan Salt
pinch ground pepper
black sesame seeds

Place all ingredients except black sesame seeds in blender.
Blend until smooth.
Spread in a thin layer on non-stick sheets. Don’t spread too thin or you will have holes.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Dehydrate at 115 for 3 hours. When tops are dry, peel off of sheet and dry until bottoms are dry to the touch but still pliable.
Cut into 5″ squares. Makes 12.

Spinach Cream Dressing

1 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup water
1 cup young Thai coconut flesh
1 clove garlic
2 cups spinach, raw
1/2 lemon, juice
pinch Himalayan Salt
pinch pepper

1. Place all ingredients in high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

Assembly:

2 carrots, cubed
2 cucumbers, cubed
2 avocados, cubed
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 cup jicama, cubed

Mix all vegetables together.
Add spinach cream to the mixture by spoonful. (to taste). Combine.
Place a layer of lettuce on the wrap. Spoon filling on lettuce and wrap up.

Makes enough filling for 4 to 6 wraps.

Raw Food and Cravings

Susan — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:32:56 +0000

I love eating a raw food diet. I especially love eating a raw food diet in the summer. Many of you know that I frequent our farmer’s markets. Not only do I get great prices on produce, but I get fresh, just picked veggies and fruit. I also get to support local growers and see produce that I normally don’t have access to year round.

Right now, lettuce is beautiful and plentiful. I have been buying a lot of romaine and eating a lot of salads, not to mention putting it in green drinks. I have to tell you, I have never been a big salad eater. I love my raw food diet but salads can seem like a lot of work, not only to prepare but to eat. With all of these beautiful greens around, I couldn’t resist and have been making quite a few.

Here’s where it get’s interesting. As I eat more salads, I find that my cravings (normally for potato chips) have shifted. Now I am craving salads! It is quite amazing how you can retrain your taste-buds. As you eat healthier, your cravings for not-so-healthy food will eventually be replaced by cravings for healthy food!

I love mixing fruit with my greens. Don’t worry food combiners, greens are different than veggies. They are considered a leaf and closer to fruit than vegetables. Still, listen to your body as we are all different.

This is my current favorite salad. Mangoes, strawberries, jicama, and avocado, over romaine topped with a beautiful little blueberry vinaigrette and pumpkin seeds for that extra little boost. This is a hearty salad that works great for any meal.

Strawberry Mango Salad

1 head romaine lettuce
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup mango, diced
1 cup jicama, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 cup pumpkin seeds

1.Tear romaine and place on plate.

2. Mix together fruit and jicama. Place a handful on the lettuce bed.

3. Top with blueberry vinaigrette and pumpkin seeds

Blueberry Vinaigrette

1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or sweetener of your choice)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil, cold pressed

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.

2. Pour over top of salad.

For more recipes like this see: Salads

White Chocolate Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Susan — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:58:23 +0000

Years ago, one of my family’s favorite desserts was a white chocolate, raspberry, chocolate tart. I have been thinking about it lately and decided that I was going to make a raw version to bring to the 4th of July celebration at my friend Kim’s house. I was the only raw food person there but I sure wasn’t the only person who loved the dessert. It was a huge success.

If you want a light crust, like in the picture, you will have to peel the almonds. This is actually very easy once they have been soaked. The skins pop right off. This beautiful dessert looks like you spent hours in the kitchen but actually comes together very quickly. You can find raw cacao butter in the Rawmazing Store here: Rawmazing Store.

White Chocolate Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Crust:

1 cup almonds, soaked 6 hours
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1. Process almonds in food processor until finely ground.

2. Add coconut oil and pulse until well combined.

3. Press mixture in the bottom of a 8-inch tart pan.

4. Place in refrigerator.

Filling:

2 cups soaked cashews
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup cacao butter, melted
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pints raspberries

1. Blend cashews, agave nectar, cacao butter, coconut oil and vanilla in food processor.

2. Process until very smooth. You can also use a Vitamix.

3. Spread a thin layer of the filling on the crust.

4. Place a layer of raspberries over the filling. Pack them tightly.

5. Pour the rest of the filling mixture over raspberries.

6. Refrigerate.

Top with layer of Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache recipe here: Chocolate Ganache

Other similar recipes can be found here: Desserts

Raw Food “BLT’s”

Susan — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:28:19 +0000

I used to love it when my mom made BLT’s for dinner. My mom was quite the cook and dinner was usually a fully cooked, pretty elaborate meal. Having a sandwich for dinner was not the norm and signified a more relaxed dinner.

I have been wanting to make a raw BLT for quite some time. Having tried many different recipes for a raw bread, I finally came up with one that reminds me of the wheat bread I miss. No, it is not gluten free, as I am using wheat berries and I don’t have a substitution yet. But I will work on it. Eggplant bacon, tomato and a avocado “butter” round out this sandwich. You can certainly substitute plain avocados for the avocado butter if you choose.

Raw “BLT’s”

Honey Wheat Bread:

2 cups wheat berries, sprouted and ground into flour
1 cup zucchini puree
1 apple
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup ground flax

1. To make flour: Soak wheat berries for 24 hours, then rinse 2 x a day until small tails sprout. Dehydrate at 116 degrees until dry. Grind into flour.
2. In food processor, place apple, zucchini puree and honey. Process until a puree is achieved.
3. Mix together flour and ground flax.
4. Stir puree mixture into flour mixture.
5. Spread 1/4 inch thick on non-stick dehydrator sheets. Score mixture into bread sized squares. Dehydrate at 140 degrees for 1 hour, turn down heat and dehydrate at 116 degrees until tops are dry.
6. Flip over, remove non-stick sheet and continue to dry. You want to make sure the bread dries but stays soft so, check and don’t over dehydrate.

Avocado Butter

2 avocados
1/2 cup cashews, soaked until soft
pinch Himalayan salt
pinch black pepper
pinch ground chipotle

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until well blended.

Eggplant Bacon See Recipe: Eggplant Bacon

Assembly

Raw Honey Wheat Bread
Cashew Butter
Tomato
Lettuce
Eggplant Bacon

Layer ingredients on bread to create sandwich!

Cinnamon and Fruit Chia Pudding

Susan — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:11:04 +0000

I was always a big fan of tapioca pudding. Loved the texture, the taste, the richness. I still love contrasts. And this pudding is full of them. I wanted an extra rich pudding so I used cashew cream instead of milk. Topped off with fruit and a dash of cinnamon, it hits the spot! Experiment with different fruit, I know I will be!

Chia is packed with nutrients. To read more about the amazing health benefits of chia click here: Chia

Cinnamon and Fruit Chia Pudding

Cashew Cream:

2 cups cashews, soaked overnight in the refrigerator
2 cups water, filtered

1. Drain and rinse cashews.

2. Combine with filtered water in blender (I used a high speed blender) and blend until smooth.

3. Refrigerate

Pudding

1 3/4 cups cashew cream
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup agave
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries

1. Mix together cashew cream, chia seeds, agave, vanilla and cinnamon. Set aside.

2. Slice strawberries.

3. When chia pudding has thickened up (about 5-10 minutes) stir in sliced strawberries and blueberries.

4. Keep refrigerated.

Makes 4 servings.

Raw Halvah

Susan — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:36:26 +0000

My dear friend, Amy Oscar, who by the way is editing the Rawmazing Dessert Cookbook, sent me a raw food recipe for raw Halvah that she created. I was thrilled with the idea as sesame seeds, the main ingredient are extremely loaded with nutrients. I put a little Rawmazing twist on the recipe, including a chocolate ganache topping.

Sesame seeds are loaded with calcium. One quarter cup provides over 1/3 of the RDA for calcium. They are also rich in magnesium and copper. The oil in sesame seeds is resistant to rancidity. They are also high in fiber, and contain lingans, which are fibers that are thought to lower cholesterol.

Amy also has a wonderful website, AmyOscar.com. She writes amazing uplifting stories and has a deep and beautiful insight into life.

Raw Halvah

1 1/2 cups sesame seeds
3 tablespoons coconut butter, softened
1/2 cup coconut, dried, unsweetened
1/3 cup honey

Ganache recipe here: Chocolate Ganache

1. Mix together all ingredients except ganache.

2. Pat into 8″ square pan.

3. Refrigerate to set.

4. Top with chocolate ganache, return to refrigerator to set chocolate.

5. Cut into squares.

For more dessert recipes click here: Desserts

Raw Apple Pie

Susan — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:51:07 +0000

I have had quite a few requests by friends and readers to create a raw food recipe for an apple pie. One friend in particular has been very insistent, mentioning it almost every time I see her…for months.

I don’t know about other raw food chefs, but my creative process is fickle. I need to be inspired. Something I see or read will trigger my creative flow and I go to work in the kitchen. Without that inspiration, that feeling that I need to make this now, I could sit for hours just staring into space having no idea what I should do.

Yesterday, I was finally inspired to create a recipe for a raw apple pie. I bought some beautiful, organic apples and set to work. I love walnuts with apples, so I had to make a walnut crust. Wanting soft apples, and also the juicy feel of a “baked” apple pie, a little oat flour was combined with the apple mixture creating a filling that is like a traditional recipe. I am very pleased with the results and hope you will be, too! This recipe takes a little more preparation than my normal recipes but it is worth it.

Raw Apple Pie with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

Crust:

2 cups walnuts, soaked until soft
2 tablespoons coconut butter
1 tablespoon agave nectar

1. Drain walnuts. Place in food processor and process until a coarse meal is achieved.

2. Add coconut butter and agave nectar. Mix until well combined.

2. Press 1/4 in thick into tart shells or 9″ pie plate.

3. Dehydrate for 3 hours at 116. You can start at at 140 for 45 minutes and then lower the temp.

Filling:

4 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup raw oat flour

1. Place apple slices in bowl.

2. Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss.

3.Mix together maple syrup, agave and cinnamon.

4. Stir into apple mixture

5. Add oat flour and toss to coat.

6. Place filling in two separate glass pie plates.

7. Place in dehydrator and dehydrate for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water if mixture starts to dry out.

Maple Cinnamon Glaze

1 tablespoon coconut butter, softened
3 tablespoons maple syrup*
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Whisk all ingredients together to combine.

Assembly:

1. Place filling in four, 4″ tart shells or one 9″ pie plate that you have already prepared with the crust.

2. Place back into dehydrator for 2 hours.

3. Remove and top with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

*maple syrup is not raw but used in raw food recipes.

Zucchini Corn Cakes with Cilantro “Cream”

Susan — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:51:45 +0000

As the summer begins, eating a raw food diet gets easier. Fresh produce is starting to appear and inspiration abounds. I found some beautiful looking sweet corn at the market yesterday. Creating a raw food recipe for zucchini corn cakes has been on my mind for quite a while so I bought the corn and dug in.

Remembering a zucchini tart that I used to make (a family favorite) that had Dijon mustard and white pepper in it, I set out to try to recreate some of these flavors. The zucchini tart also had a crust made from crescent rolls and was loaded with eggs and cream. Not exactly healthy. This version combines the flavors that I remember from that tart, plus tasty fresh corn! I topped it with a cilantro cream. Heaven! The taste of these is amazing. Even your non-raw friends and family will be impressed.

Zucchini Corn Cakes with Cilantro “Cream”

2 cups shredded zucchini (approx 2 medium zucchini)
4 ears fresh corn
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
pinch salt (I use Himalayan salt)
1/2 cup flax seeds, ground fine

1. Place grated zucchini in bowl, set aside.

2. With a sharp knife, cut kernels off of the ears of corn. Set 2 cups aside. Place remaining 2 cups in food processor.

3. Add to the food processor: garlic, dried mustard, white pepper and pinch of salt. Process until corn turns to a liquid mash.

4. Add ground flax seeds and pulse until combined. Do not over mix.

5. Add to zucchini along with the remaining 2 cups of corn.

6 Shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches across.Place on non-stick sheets.

7. Dehydrate for 1 hour at 140, transfer to screens and reduce heat to 115 and dehydrate for 5-6 hours. The outside should be crispy but the insides still a little moist.

8. Top with cilantro cream.

Cilantro Cream

1 cup cashews, soaked until soft
1/2 cup young coconut flesh
2-3 tablespoons coconut water (from young coconut)
1 small garlic clove
pinch himalyan salt
pinch pepper
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped fine

1. Combine cashews, coconut, coconut water, garlic salt and pepper in vitamix.

2. Blend until very smooth.

3. Stir in chopped cilantro by hand. (do not do this in the vitamix)

Stuffed Avocados with Chipotle Mayo

Susan — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:26:45 +0000

We had record breaking heat in Minneapolis yesterday. 95 degrees and humid. But I hear it snowed in Salt Lake City? I know there are a lot of you that love the heat, but for this Minnesotan, it was almost unbearable, especially at this time of year.

When it heats up, I have no desire for heavy, dense food. Very unlike the middle of the winter when it is -30 below! I have never made stuffed avocados and decided that a nice, substantial salad would be perfect for a hot evening. I kept it refreshing and light with the addition of jicama and celery. The chipotle “mayo” was the perfect binder, adding a lot of flavor and a little kick!

Stuffed Avocados with Chipotle “Mayo”

Chipolte Mayo (recipe: HERE)

3 Avocados

1 cup Jicama, diced
1/2 cup Celery, diced
1 1/2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Sweet Onion, diced

Make chiptole mayo and set aside.

Slice avocados in half, remove pit and set aside. Combine diced jicama, celery, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds and chopped onion. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of the chipotle mayo. Spoon into avocado halves.