Who would have thought

Too busy to post! I promised myself and you that this blog would never be personal, and it won't. So I will I spare and not share the details of my busy artist life. But lets just say as the art is booming the blog is not. So I apologize and will get my ass in gear to report my raw recipe adventures. Lately with my uber busy schedule I have not been eating much at home or totally raw therefore. What I have manged to do is impact one of my friends to try a Raw Diva Detox. There is one starting this Saturday, and although I wasn't planning on doing it she convinced me to do it with her! Just what I needed, a friends support to keep me grounded and raw. So keep blogging because I will keep you posted on the culinary delights of the the detox.

Sincerely,

Pea

Moroccan Apple Milk

1 tart apple
1 cup of Almond or dairy free milk of choice
3 ice cubes
1 t of liquid sweetener (honey, agave, maple syrup etc.)
A few leaves of mint (as garnish or blended)

Chop the apple into small easy to blend pieces. Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth, frothy, but not as thick as a smoothie consistency. Pour and serve.

Banana Cardamon Lassi

Cardamon is my favorite spice of this month. This recipe is adapted from the Lord Krishna's The Art of Vegetarian Indian Cuisine. This is not a book, it is a volume and a must for those who LOVE Indian food.




2 Frozen Bananas or unfrozen bananas with 3 or 4 ice cubes
1 cup of Almond Milk or dairy free milk of choice.
1/4 t of ground cardamon or the seeds from 2 green cardamon pods

Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Pour into a glass and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg (optional). Serves and enjoy.

Jicama Fries

It seems that a lot of raw food cookbooks all have their own version of this fast comfort food like dish. This is my version. The sesame oil is what makes it nutty and reminiscent of Fried Fries. (Pic coming soon!)




Tools: Knife or Mandoline or French Fry cutting tool
Serves: 4

1 Jicama
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
1/4-1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
Sprinkle of Paprika (optional)

Cut Jicama into French Fry Like sticks. Coat with sesame oil and toss with salt. Sprinkle with paprika serve and enjoy!

Pizza Topping Salad

I've always hated American Italian food. Never fresh, always over cooked, and pasta pasta pasta. But the fresh ingredients associated with Italian food is an endless source of yummy inspiration for raw cuisine.

Think of an ultimate supreme pizza and use what you have on hand
My favorite combination is:

Topping Ingredients:
Sun dried Tomatoes
Olives
Artichoke Hearts
Green Peppers
Onion
Cherry Tomatoes

Greens:
Spinach Leaves

Dressing:
Pesto and Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette
1 Tablespoon Pesto
1 Lemon
1 Garlic Clove

Chop, dice, toss, as you wish all these ingredients together to make a salad. For the dressing mix together 1 tablespoon of pesto (A pesto recipe is posted in June for the Zucchini Pasta and Pesto) add 1 clove of minced garlic and the juice of 1 lemon. Pour on salad and enjoy. This is better than pizza..yum.

Ginger Fruit Salsa

You can use any fruit or a combo of fruits in this spicy yet refreshing salsa. Try peaches, plums, pears, mangoes, papaya, pineapple, and much more.

Serves: A lot

2 diced pieces of fruit (use more is fruit are small)
2 diced and de-seeded Large Tomatoes
2 diced spicy hot peppers
1/2 diced green pepper
1 diced scallion
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
1 tablespoon of liquid sweetner (agave or maple syrup)
1 lime juiced
1/8th teaspoon of salt
A handful of minced cilantro

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss. Allow the salsa to sit for and hour or more so the flavors and spices can blend together.

Raw Rolls

Chilled Tom Kha Soup

Serving Size: Serves Two

I made this dish because the constant aroma coming from the quality Thai resturant across the block from me produces crazy cravings for Thai. Pittsburghers this recipe is for Thai Cuisine.



2 Cups of Coconut Milk
1 Cup of Water
1 Cup of Mung Bean Sprouts
2 Julienne Carrots
1/2 Juliene Red Pepper or Green
1 or 2 Diced Scallions
1 Tablespoon of red curry paste or equal parts garlic/ginger/lemongrass/hot pepper
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
A Handful of Basil leaves

Mix Lemon Juice, curry spice combination, Water, and Coconut Milk. Add the cut vegetables, Mung Bean Sprouts, and Basil Leaves. Allow soup to chill for 15-30 minutes. If coconut milk thickens beyond desired consistancy while chilling, slowly stir in a bit more water to thin.

Vegan Mango Lassi

Tools: Blender
Serving Size: 1 person

1 Mango
1 Cup of Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
1 Banana
a pinch of Cinnamon or Cardamon or 1 teaspoon of rosewater

Blend all ingredients.

Zenith Green Bean Salad

My boyfriend and I eat this as a meal instead of a side or picnic salad

Serving Size : 2 or 4 people

1 pound of Green beans washed and cut
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 Tablespoons of Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 Teaspoon of Chili Flakes
1 Teaspoon of Liquid Sweetner (agave, maple syrup, etc.)
1 Teaspoon of Sesame Seeds


Essentially you are making a sesame soy vinegrette and tossing the washed and cut green beans in it. Let this mixture sit and marinate for a few hours in the fridge the extra time it takes to sit is worth it. When I am too hungry to wait I have been know to eat it right away, still yummy.

Ethiopian Lentil Salad

Jamican Jerk Veggies

This recipe is posted by Green Chef Vanessa of gliving.com
*Really Spicey, really good, real jerk.

Chocolate Avocado Mouse

I made this moose into a pie with walnut crust for July 4th.

Tools: Food Processor

2 Avocados
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup chocolate
1/4 cup coconut oil

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy, try not to overprocess. Scrap chocolate avocado mixture into a container and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour then serve.

Dandedlion Salad

So good for your liver!

Tools: Blender (optional)

1 bunch of Dandelion Greens
1 Red Pepper
1/4 cup Tahini
1/4 cup Coconut milk or water




Tear dandelion leaves from the stem. Dice red pepper. Combine danedlion leaves and red pepper in a bowl. Mix together (or blend in a blender) tahini and coconut milk/water. Pour dressing over greens and toss.

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie

I wish I had cherries!

Tools: Blender
Serving Size: 2 people or 1 really indulgent person

1 cup of strawberries frozen
1/2 a banana frozen
1 Tablespoon of Cocoa
1 Tablespoon of Agave or Sweetner of choice
2 cups of vanilla almond milk

Put all ingredients and just 1 cup of the almond milk in a blender. Blend and slowly add the additional cup of almond milk to desired consistency. This is remarkable, I am so proud of this simple combination.

Sarma's Cilantro Shake Variation

I saw this drink that Sarma posted on www.welikeitraw.com. I have been craving it since I saw it. I had most of the ingredients earlier in the week but no Cilantro. This morning I had the Cilantro but ran out of the other ingredients so I blended this up instead. Yum!


Tools: Blender
Serving Size: 1 person



1 apple: my favorite is Fuji (always crisp, firm, not overly sweet or mealy).
One bad apple ruins the bunch. I would not suggest Gala or Red Delicious.
1/2 a cucumber
1/4 cup of Lemon Juice
3/4 cup of Water (Use a Grapefruit or Oranges if you have it.)
A big Handful of Fresh Cilantro
1 teaspoon of grated ginger or 1/2 inch ginger chunk.
Sweetener to taste (optional)

Cut up the apple and cucumber if your blender is weak like mine. Add all the ingredients and blend. I did not add sweetener because the apple was sweet enough for me and I did not have to sweeten tart citrus fruit in addition to the bit of Lemon Juice used.

Carmelized Onions

Tools: Knife
Serving Size: Many
Ingredients:
1 Onion
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons of Tamari or Bragg's
1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt

Slice onions as thin as you can. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and marinate for 2-4 hours. Toss occasionally to marinate onions evenly. Cover and store in the fridge for up to week. Use regularly to garnish and top dishes.

Kale With Tomato Masala

Tools: Blender
Serving Size: 2 people or 1 really hungry person.






1 bunch of Kale
1 teaspoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
1 Tomato
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tablespoon of Gram Masala
1/4 cup of olive oil.
Caramelized Onions to taste

Tear kale into pieces and place in a large bowl. Add salt and massage kale till it starts to wilt. Add lemon juice and continue to massage until kale has reduced in size by half. Blend the tomatoes, garlic, gram masala, and olive oil in a blender to create the dressing. Pour on wilted kale and top with Caramelized Onions. I like a lot of onions with this.

Squash Pasta with Pesto

I'm constantly amazed how satisfying this dish is. Considering I was never crazy about traditional pasta.

Tools: Vegetable Julienne Tool or Spiral Tool, Food Prosscesor
Serving Size: 2 people
Ingredients:
Pasta:
1 large summer squash (zucchini or yellow crookneck)

Basic Pesto:
1/2 cup nuts: I like either walnut, pine nut, or almond.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh herb: basil, cilantro, I use spinach leaves in a pinch.
1 teaspoon of Salt


Pumpkin Seed Sage Pesto:
This pesto use to accompany boiled pumpkin/tofu ravioli's, still working on the ravioli.
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh sage
1 teaspoon of salt

Julienne or spiral squash into long strands and set aside. Add all Pesto ingredients to the food processor and blend into a chunky paste (store leftover pesto for up to a week). Toss squash pasta with pesto and enjoy. Add extras to the dish like tomatoes, olives, red peppers, mushrooms, etc.

Zucchini Hummus

Hummus is always a staple for me. I am so pleased with this raw version. I eat it with raw veggies and apples or on raw bread and in sandwiches or salads.

Tools: Food Processor with S blade, Vegetable Peeler
Serving Size: About 1 cup


1 large zucchini in summer or 2 small zucchini in winter (at least in PA)
1/2 cup Tahini
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Large Garlic Clove
Sprinkle of Paprika

Peel the zucchini until all the green skin is removed. This is very important! Not peeling the zucchini will make it chunky and green, not like hummus at all. Slice peeled zucchini into smaller pieces. Combine all ingredients except Paprika into food processor and blend until creamy and thick. If not desired consistency add a little bit of water while blending. Serve in a bowl or store Zucchini Hummus in a plastic container (I re-use a plastic store bought large hummus container) and sprinkle with paprika. Great garnishes or hummus variations can include other fresh or dried herbs, sun dried tomatoes, red peppers, a drizzle of olive oil, olives, or pine nuts.

Nuts About Granola Base

Tools: Food Processor and Dehydrator or Oven (not raw)
Serving Size: Many
Ingredients:





1 Cup Nuts: Almond, Walnut or try 1/2 cup of both
1 Cup Seeds: Pumpkin, Sunflower Seeds, I definitely use 1/2 cup of both
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup or preferred liquid sweetner
1 Tablespoon of Spice or Spice Combo: Pumpkin Pie Spice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, etc.
2 Wax Paper or Teflex Sheets

Process 1 cup of Nuts in food processor until chunky. Pour chopped nuts into a large mixing bowl. Add rest of ingredients and mix until spice and syrup coat the nuts and seeds. Use Teflex sheets on dehydrator so nuts won't fall through or cut wax paper into round sheets with a hold in the middle to fit your dehydrator tray. Place nut mixture on sheets and dry until crispy, about 2 hours. Rotate trays and periodically (every 30 minutes) stir mixture to ensure even drying. Or, spread on a baking sheet and bake for an hour on the lowest setting. Stir the mixture every 15 minutes to toast evenly. Store this mixture in an air tight container. When ready to use as a granola cereal cut up some fresh fruit, add dry fruit, even some sprouted grains, oats, with almond milk. I sometimes sprinkle this mix on top of my Ice Fruit Cream and Smoothies.

Raw Chocolate Bar

Tools: Food Processor
Serving Size: one large candy bar
Ingredients:





1 Cup Powdered Cocoa or Carob
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Nut or Seed: like Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Sunflower, Pine Nut
Sweetener to Taste: Stevia, Maple Syrup, Agave, Honey, Dried then Soaked Fruit.
1/4 Cup Coconut Milk or Almond Milk to make Milk Chocolate
Optional: Wax Paper Liner, this really helps keep your chocolate in bar form.

Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend until a smooth gooey batter. Line a small shallow lipped container/glass dish or bowl with wax paper. Scrap batter with a spatula and pour in the wax lined container, the batter should fill the container a 1/4"-1/2" high. Smooth and spread the batter evenly with the spatula. Set in the fridge and allow to chill until completely firm. It should be able to break off in chunks, flakes, or shaved. Store in the fridge, it will keep about a week or so if you don't eat it all first.

Raw Frozen Fruit Cream

Tools: Food Processor
Serving Size: 2 people
Ingredients:
2 frozen Bananas
1or 2 Tablespoons of Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
Variations: Vanilla Beans, Cocoa, Frozen Berries, Nuts, Nut Butters, and your creativity.

Cut or break frozen bananas into small pieces. Combine banana pieces, milk, and variation ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth and thick, the consistency of frozen yogurt. Enjoy immediately, this dessert does not store as well. If needed store in freezer and allow to thaw a bit before serving.

Make a Sundae with toppings such as: Nuts About Granola base, shredded coconut, raw syrups, fresh fruit.