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!

Until yesterday, I had never created a raw food recipe for kale chips. I couldn’t bring myself to take a veggie that I consider a bit bitter and try to turn it into something yummy. My friend, Joanna kept insisting that they were fab so I decided to give it a whirl. They turned out better than I could have hoped for. Which is great because Kale is incredibly healthy.

Kale, which is actually a form of cabbage, is loaded with fiber. One cup of kale provides you with twice your daily requirement of vitamin A, tons of vitamin C and has over a thousand times the RDA for vitamin K! Kale helps keep your body strong and also helps prevent damage from other forces that are constantly attacking our bodies.

Kale is full of fiber and phytonutrients. It produces sulforaphane which is a natural cancer-fighter that signals the liver to produce cancer fighting enzymes. Kale has high amounts of carotenoids that protect your eyes from ultraviolet light and other major issues. It even helps prevent cataracts.

There are many different kinds of kale out there. I wanted to know how each one tasted, and how it adapted to different recipes. I bought dinosaur kale, purple kale and green kale. Then I came up with three different recipes. So, we have 9 different outcomes.

For the first batch I simply used olive oil and salt. For the second batch, I added garlic and thyme. The third batch, one of my favorites, is a spicy combination of chipotle and smoked paprika combined with some brewers yeast, cashews and garlic. I think this hot version is my favorite.

The difference between the kale, after all was said and done was negligible. The dinosaur kale has a flatter shape and kept that through dehydration but the curly kale was fine and actually held a little more of the flavor mixture.The taste was pretty much the same for all. You can go very easy on the olive oil. They dehydrate very quickly (4-5 hours) so, start them early in the day and you will have a great snack for later. My biggest challenge with these was to not eat them all before I got the picture taken! Make a lot as they dehydrate down quite a bit.

There are two raw food recipe questions that come up often. One is, what do I do with the left over pulp when I make nut milks, and the second, do you have any raw food recipes for kid’s snacks. I thought I would tackle both of them with the same recipe! Using the dehydrated pulp from my almond milk, and also a combination of strawberries and bananas (always a favorite of my girls) I threw together these quick little snack “cookies”. They are tasty, super healthy and your kids will love them. No artificial colors, flavors or white stuff!

You can read all about raw flaked oats here: Raw Flaked Oats

I remember when I first started experimenting with raw food recipes, I came across a raw food recipe for “doughnut holes”. That was a few years ago. Today, I decided to revisit the concept and wanting something that really reminded me of a cinnamon doughnut hole, threw together this quick version. Made with Brazil nuts for a base, some oat flour, flaked oats and coconut oil, a quick roll in cinnamon and sucanant gives a great tasting treat.

Brazil nuts are nutrient dense. They are full of protein, copper, niacin, magnesium, fiber, vitamin E and selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that works to neutralize dangerous free radicals. Sucanant is a unrefined sugar cane juice. It is made by heating, so not considered raw, but like maple syrup, is not processed.

Related Posts: Flaked Oats

I love when information about food, raw food and the relationship between food and health is highlighted in mainstream media. I was watching “Good Morning America” on Friday. Dr. David Servan-Schreiber was talking about his new book, “Anti Cancer, A New Way of Life”. One of the first things that he mentioned was how important it was to make your diet comprised mostly of plants. We already know that here, but what caught my attention was his reference to Turmeric. I have hear that turmeric is a healthy addition to your diet but after listening to Dr. Servan-Schreiber, I was inspired to do some more research and develop a recipe that is based on this “super food”.

Turmeric has been called one of nature’s most powerful healers. It has great anti-inflammatory properties which can address symptoms of arthritis. It is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It is said to be a digestive aid that will settle the stomach. Turmeric contains a rich source of antioxidants that help fight against free radicals. It also is said to have anti-platelet properties that help protect against strokes and heart attacks. Studies have also shown that it has a beneficial effect on the liver.

Since I am in a major snacking mode, I decided to make a raw food turmeric dip. It is quick, easy and contains great healthy properties from the turmeric along with the other ingredients.

Need some quick raw food energy to get moving in the morning? Or a fast raw food afternoon pick me up? These bars are the perfect thing for that. Tasty, sweet and made with super healthy ingredients, they not only satisfy your hunger, they provide easily accessible, high nutrient energy to get or keep you going.

Almonds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds make up the bulk of the recipe. With added goji berries, and cacao nibs, these bars really pack a punch.

We know about the benefits of almonds. They are high in protein, zinc and calcium. Almonds are also a great source of vitamin E magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. But did you know that pumpkin seeds are nutritional power houses? Considered a super food, Pumpkin seeds are full of magnesium, which keeps bones strong, promotes healthy heart function and supports your nervous system’s function, B vitamins, and are packed with protein! They are also a good source of iron, zinc and fiber!

Golden flax seeds contain 27 cancer preventing substances while also giving you a good dose of omega 3′s, which are great in the battle against heart disease. Goji berries are high in protein, amino acids and are packed with antioxidants. Cacao nibs are partially ground cacao beans, which are the beans that chocolate comes from. Cacao is full of antioxidants and trace minerals and will give you a little pick me up, too!