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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Bliss Balls

Here is a popular dessert that is easy to make with a food processor (blender will not do it, sorry Annie). It is based on a recipe from the book  "Fresh, The Ultimate Live-Food Cookbook" By Sergei and Valya Boutenko, a brother and sister who were able to reverse their diabetes by going to a raw food diet. I highly recommend this cookbook for its easy and delicious raw food ideas.

1 cup of Macadamia nuts
1 cup Cashews
8 Menonjol Dates (Pitted)
4 cacao beans
2 tbs Agave Nectar

Grind the cacao beans in a spice grinder or in a mortar and pestle till not quite a powder. Cut the dates into as small a pieces as you have time for, as the bigger the piece the longer the mixing takes. Put everything in a food processor and mix on high for about 40 sec. You should then be able to form them into balls of any size you want. I prefer golf ball size. If it is not holding together into balls then put back into food processor, add more dates and mix again. 

 Bliss Balls are designed to take the place of Power bars or Cliff Bars or any energy bars so although the ingredients for this are expensive, they are cheaper and healthier than any store bought energy bar.

Macadamia nuts are very expensive so in weeks I have no money, I use cheaper nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts. Cheaper dates such as baking dates work but you will notice they are not as tasty as Menonjol dates. If you cannot afford Cacao beans then cacao powder or chocolate powder works fine. I use 100% organic fair trade cacao beans as these are OK for a diabetic. This dessert does not raise my glucose even if I eat 8 in a row!! More agave nectar makes it sweeter. If you are not diabetic you can add some sugar. I add things like dried fruit, honey,  nutritional yeast, hemp hearts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, tequila, etc. Experiment. Enjoy. Comment. Salud!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Mushroom and Mashed Rosemary Cauliflower


Mushroom and Mashed Rosemary Cauliflower

I am sorry it is such a long time between posts. Graduate school keeps me busy; I see why only the young attempt it. Rest assured my raw experimenting goes on at every meal. One day I will remember to take a picture of one of the meals and post it. Here is another fast and easy crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
Portobello Mushrooms (As many as you like)
1 head cauliflower
1/3 cup Pine nuts (or cashews)
Fresh Rosemary (1/4 cup or more if you like)
Olive oil
Braggs (Tamari sauce or Nama Shoyu)
2 tbs Agave Nectar
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the Portobello mushrooms into bite size pieces. Put in a bowl with enough Braggs and olive oil (each chef will have a different feel for the mixture here) and 2 tbs of Agave Nectar to thoroughly coat the mushrooms. Let it marinade (covered so you can occasionally shake it all) for 12-24 hours in refrigerator. Next day cut up cauliflower into smaller pieces and blend in blender or food processor with pine nuts, salt and pepper and fresh Rosemary (dried will work). This can take a few minutes of blending. Blend until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Add however much olive oil you like and blend again briefly. Olive oil is easily bruised with to much blending so always add at last moment or stir it in with a spoon. Be kind to your olive oil and it will love you back!

Put mashed rosemary cauliflower in a bowl and pour the mushrooms on top (If there is marinade left you can add some or all of it to the mashed cauliflower depending on your taste). Serve and enjoy! As always your comments and suggestions are welcome. Salud.