Squash Soup

Obviously I am doing a lot of soups this fall. We are lucky here in Victoria, Canada that the farmers markets are still supplying lots of great fresh vegetables and fruits even into December. If this does not convince you of the wonderful flavor of fresh dishes then nothing will.

Ingredients:

• Squash (2 cups)(any kind, Spaghetti, Acorn or Butternut work great)
• Coconut milk (1 can or meat and milk from a young coconut)
• Nuts (1 cup, walnuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts etc)
• Onion (1 smallish, ¼ cup, any kind)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 fresh squeezed medium or 1/6 cup Verjus)
• Garlic (2 big bulbs)
• Cinnamon (grated 2 tbs)
• Olive oil (1/4 cup, use a good one)(Can be omitted)
• Water (for desired thickness)
• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

The nuts do not have to be soaked for this one. Coconut milk in a can is not raw. This works best using the milk and meat from a young coconut but these can be hard to find. Young coconuts are easy to open once you know how. There are good Youtube videos to show you. Coconuts are another food that cannot be grown locally in North America. Fair trade coconuts are very hard to find. Canned coconut milk is probably not very healthy but is easy to find. My locavoreism is not 100% yet.

Grate the cinnamon from dried cinnamon sticks. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor except the oil. Add oil for the last 4 seconds. Blend to desired thickness. I often do not add water and stop blending while still slightly chunky. Sometimes I like a thinner soup and so blend for up to 3 minutes. Always remember to stop the blending from time to time to scrap down the walls of the food processor or blender. Any kind of onion works including green onion or leek. I do ginger instead of garlic sometimes. It is fun to experiment with different squashes; each expresses its own taste. Of course I often add turnips, carrots, golden beets, etc. (any vegetables lying around). The ingredients above make one large bowel. I often quadruple the amount and have lunches ready for the next few days. This dish keeps covered in the fridge quite well and tasty for up to 5 days. When making this dish, concentrate on the flavor of the squash and coconut interacting with hints of garlic, salt lemon, cinnamon and onion. This should be a celebration of fresh local grown squash. No photo as you know what soup looks like. Salud!

Arugula Soup

I have been doing a lot of experimenting with soups. Unfortunately I keep forgetting to take pictures so have not been posting much this fall. This Arugala Soup is a fast and very tasty winner. I still have mixed feelings about avocados. They cannot be grown this far north so must be brought from Mexico. I have tried replacements for avocados in this dish without success. I am hoping one of you comes up with a local substitute for avocados.

Ingredients:

• Arugala (2 cups)
• Avocado (1 medium)
• Onion (1 medium any kind, shallots red etc)
• Nuts (1/2 cup cashews or any kind of nut or seed)
• Lemon Juice (half a fresh squeezed)
• Olive Oil (4 tps)
• Water (1 cup)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend everything together in a blender or food processor except the olive oil. Add the olive oil and blend for 3 seconds more. The nuts do not have to be soaked but if they are almonds, cashews, macadamias, hazelnut, Brazilnuts or sunflower seeds then soaking one to 8 hour helps but is not necessary, it just makes it creamier. The amount of each ingredient will vary, especially the water. I like thick so I use less water. This makes enough for one bowl of soup. I will triple or quadruple the amounts to make enough to last a few nights. Also anything can be added to the leftovers the next night to make something new. I like to add sprouts (any kind), nuts and any vegetables like turnips, squash, Jerusalem artichoke hearts, parsnips etc. that I have lying around this time of year for the second nights bowl. Also other greens will work such as Kale or Swiss Chard. Adding hot sauce or curry powder is fun too. Salud!

Raw Tzatziki

This is the famous Greek dip made with goat milk yogurt. It is a popular raw dish because it is fast and easy. Use this to dip dolmades, raw chips etc. This is very good as a dip for veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli, radishes, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, peppers, diakon, zucchini, tomatoes, etc.

Ingredients:

• Cashews (2 cups soaked 24 hours)
• Cucumber (1 cup shredded)
• Lemon juice (1/2-1 whole lemon, squeezed, Verjus works great in this dish!!)
• Garlic (4 cloves crushed)
• Dill (fresh ¼ cup if you have it) or Mint (fresh leaves, chopped 1/4 cup)
• Olive Oil (1/4 cup, can omit, but an olive oil from a Crete farm, stone pressed is very healthy)
• Salt to taste

This works best if the cashews are soaked for 24 hours, changing the water after 12 hours. This recipe will work with unsoaked cashews but is not as creamy. Blend the cashews, lemon juice, garlic, dill and salt in a food processor. If you are using a cheap blender you made need to add 1/4 cup of water and keep stiring to get it to blend. When it is the consistency you like pour it into a bowl and put in the shredded cucumbers and oil. Then stir. This tastes best after an hour in the refrigerator. I often substitute mint in place of dill for a different take. I chop the mint and add it at the end with the oil. With this dish you want to taste the cucumber, lemon, garlic and the herb. If it has been on the table for a while, pop it back in the fridge for 30 minutes to bring it back to life. Unused portions can be put in a sealed container and used for up to 4 days later. If this is for dipping dolmades or a similarly sourish thing then I use ½ a lemon. If I am veggie dipping I use a whole lemon. Salud

Dolmas or Dolmades (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

This is a dish with a 1000 possibilities. Here is one variation. When I am on Cortes Island I get grape leaves from a neighbour’s vineyards. I then blanch the leaves in hot water. You can buy grape leaves in a jar at some specialty stores. They too have been blanched so this is not a raw dish. You can substitute any lettuce leaf if you want it raw.

Ingredients:
 
Rice:

• Parsnips or Cauliflower (2 cups)
• Pine nuts (Cashews or any nuts ½ cup soaked 8 hours)
• Parsley
• Raisins (currants, 10+)
• Lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
• Olive Oil (4 tbs)
• Salt to taste

Sauce for pouring over:

• Sprouts (1 cup, can omit)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon)
• Garlic (4 cloves, crushed)
• Tahini (2 tbs)
• Braggs or any type of Tamari sauce (1 tbs)
• Cumin (1 heaping tbs)
• Cayanne (1 tbs or any hotish spice)

Assembling Grape Leaves

For the rice, put all the ingredients in a food processor except the oil. Blend until the parsnips are Rice size. Put in a bowl, pour in the Olive Oil and stir. Some recipes call for the raisins to be whole so you can add them at the end with the oil if you prefer. In place of parsnips you can use cauliflower, rutabaga or jicama (chop and drain jicama first as it is watery). This recipe when seen in other recipe books or on the web calls for currants and pine nuts. I can afford neither so I use other cheaper nuts and raisins.

For the sauce, blend all the items in a food processor. Lay a grape leaf on a plate. Add a spoon full of sauce and a spoonful of rice. Then fold the leaves. I learned how to fold the leaves by looking at Youtube videos. It just takes practice to know how much to put in the leaves and where to fold. I like these very lemony tasting so I add more lemon juice to the above recipes. You may be different. These are great alone or you can make a dip to dip these in.

The above makes enough for 6-7 people to have 4-5 each. The actual amount of Dolmas you can produce with the amount listed above varies greatly depending on the size of the grape leaves and the amount you stuff each leaf with. I stuff thin but others may like to stuff thick. So it is good to make these a little ahead of time and have other things waiting in the wings as you may end up not making as many as you thought you were. You can increase the amount of stuffing and if you have leftover dolmas, they keep great in a covered dish for 3 days in the fridge.

Raw tzatziki is a great dip for these but so is raw hummus or even just raw nut butters.

Different fillings for Dolmas:

Many variations are available. Grape leaves will take almost anything. It does not have to be a rice like mixture.

Ingredients:

• Pistachios (2 cups, soaked 8 hours)
• Sundried tomatoes (1/2 cup)
• Celery (2 med stalks)
• Red Bell pepper (1/2 medium)
• Green Onions (3 stalks)
• Parsley (or cilantro or basil)
• Salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix thoroughly. Put in grape leaves with or without the parsnips rice from above.

Ingredients:

• Quinoa (sprouted 2 cups)
• Raisins (1/2 cup)
• Lemon Juice (juice from one medium lemon)  
   Parsley (1/2 cup chopped up)

   Mint (fresh chopped up to small, as much as you like)

• Salt to taste

Quinoa is easy to sprout. Rinse thoroughly and soak in water for 20 minutes. Then use sprouting tray, sprouting jar of a colander to allow the quinoa to drain and sprout. Leave out in a spot not in direct sunlight and wait 16-24 hours. The quinoa should have little tails and be softish tasting. They will not taste as good as cooked quinoa but are excellent in dishes like this. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and put in grape leaves. Salud! The photos below were taken by Jenna Cragg!

Carrot Hazelnut Soup

Sorry to be so long between posts. I am experimenting with raw every day but i am writing 4 papers and teaching 3 labs so I am falling behind on my recipe posting. My glucose stays at 5.5 or below if I make my own meals. Soon I will post my raw Worcestershire sauce recipe. Below is a simple, fast and very healthy soup with a twist.

Ingredients:

• Hazelnuts (1-2 cups)
• Carrots (4 medium with skins on)
• Apple (1 small any variety)
• Honey (1 tbs)
• Ginger (2 tbs grated)
• Cinnamon (1 tbs)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Water (1/3 cup or more)

Do not peel the carrots but scrub well. Cut the carrots and apples into small pieces and put in a strong blender or food processor with the hazelnuts, honey, ginger, cinnamon, salt, pepper and water. Blend to desired thickness. I like slightly chunky but most people probably like smooth so depending on the strength of your machine you may need to blend for up to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to your liking. The amount of water will determine the thinness. Water is mainly added just to get everything to blend. This soup has more of a dessert pudding taste. I find it is very filling. It will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator but tends to get runny. Obviously you can vary the ingredients. By leaving out the apple, honey and ginger and adding chile peppers you get a spicy soup or put in miso and some sesame seeds and sesame oil for an oriental flavor. Any nut works here. I use hazelnuts because I can buy hazelnuts from a farm on Vancouver Island. Stir before eating. Salud!

Pebre (Chilean style salsa)

This is Chile’s most ubiquitous condiment. It is on every kitchen and restaurant table. They make it raw and fresh every day.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes (2 large any kind)
• Hot peppers (1 or more to taste any kind)
• Onion (1/4 cup any kind)
• Cilantro (1/4 cup fresh)
• Parsley (1/4 cup fresh)
• Oregano ( 2 tbs)
• Lemon juice or Verjus or Red Wine Vinegar (¼ cup)
• Garlic ( 3 cloves)
• Olive Oil (2 tbs)

Chop everything into as small a pieces as you can and mix together in a bowl. Add in the oil last. Chileans put this on meat. It sits on the kitchen table all day and Chileans will spoon it on eggs, empanadas, bread or crackers for a snack. Each Chilean has his own recipe. Most recipes on the net do not list tomatoes but when I was in Chile, homemade Pebre often had tomatoes. Chilean restaurants sometimes had store bought Pebre. I learned those were restaurants to avoid. Some people omit tomatoes and use red bell peppers instead. I make a big batch as it lasts 4 days covered in the fridge and I like to spoon it out as a side dish or put it on top of chopped vegetables and salads. This dish is my workhorse and I use excellent olive oil, fresh herbs and local garden tomatoes, peppers and onions. My version is more chunky and less soupy then most Pebres, with lots of tomatoes. Don’t let the simplicity of this dish fool you, if you make it with fresh local organic ingredients it will warm your cockles. Pebre always gives me a taste like I am back in the Lake District of Chile. Salud!

Olive Tapenade with Sun-dried Tomatoes

This is from foodnetwork.ca. There are many variations. Most olives are not raw. Some health food stores have raw olives that are sun dried and these are expensive but very tasty so when I am poor i use any kind even canned olives. Lifestyles Market in Victoria sells a fair trade Sun-dried Bojita Olive from Peru that is quite nice. Capers are raw but it is nearly impossible to find capers that were not preserved with a somewhat nasty vinegar. Most plain vinegars are just Acetic Acid and not that good for you (hard on stomachs). Apple Cider Vinegars (usually raw) and Balsamic Vinegars (not raw as grapes are first boiled) are nutritious, but 3 tbs of capers will not hurt you much and capers are what makes the taste in this dish.

Ingredients:

• Olives, pitted (1 cup any kind)
• Sun-dried Tomatoes (2/3 cup)
• Capers (3 tbs)
• Basil leaves (1/2 cup)
• Olive Oil (6 tbs)

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Most tapenade fans like it chunky. I lean toward smooth so I blend longer. Also I add more capers then most people do. You should start with 1-2 tbs as capers have a very strong flavor. You can use this spread as a veggie dip or in lettuce and nori wraps. I sometimes add it to the top of a salad or as a nice little side dish. Other ingredients for this dish can be nuts such as walnuts, cashews or pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, tomatoes etc. Experiment. This keeps a week covered in the fridge. Salud!

Rau Song (Vietnamese Vegetable Platter) with Pineapple Dipping Sauce

This is so easy and tasty you might just move to Vietnam. This is a traditional Vietnamese dish that can be an appetizer or often the whole meal. It is as healthy a dish as there can be and it takes about 10 minutes to prepare. When more vegetables, herbs and fruits are added to the plate it becomes “Dia Rau Song”.

 

Ingredients:

• Greens (any kind in leaves for stuffing) 
• Bean Sprouts (Mung usually used but any kind works)
• Cucumbers (any kind peeled or unpeeled)
• Mint (must be fresh)

Pineapple Dipping Sauce:

• Pineapple (2 cups fresh, skin and core removed)
• Hot Chiles (1 or two depending on hotness desired)
• Braggs (2 tbs or any tamari sauce)
• Dry Sherry (2 tbs, can be omitted)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (3 tbs)
• Salt to taste

 

The picture below explains this dish better than words can. For the sauce, blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Taste and add more vinegar, Braggs or chiles to get a taste you want. You can add a sweetener like honey or maple syrup if you fancy. Put the sauce in a bowl in the center of a big plate or just in a bowl on the table. Chop the cucumbers to the size you like. Place the greens, sprouts, cucumbers and mint around the plate. People will take a lettuce leaf and put some sprouts, cucumbers and mint inside a leaf and roll. Then dip it in the sauce and eat. That’s it. If you have fresh from the garden ingredients then this will be a meal by itself. Perfect for hot summer days. I sprout my own beans and in the photo below you see both sprouted mung and lentils. I find store bought sprouts to be a little too dish overpowering in taste. Fresh and tasty ingredients are the key to this one. You can whip this up in a few minutes if surprise guests arrive or it is an easy one for a pot luck. Plus if it all gets eaten up fast you can quickly make more. “Chia Can chén (Vietnam)” “Salud!”

 

Fajita Salad

I have never had real fajitas. This tastes so good I think it makes a nice centerpiece to a meal. Especially when there will be meat eaters who will not notice the replacement of cow by the mushrooms (or at least will enjoy the dish). This is the type of dish that will cause people to propose marriage to you on the spot, so be careful to whom you serve it to. I spied this on that great web page: http://rawepicurean.net/2008/09/15/fajita-salad. This web site has many great raw ideas.

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms (1 cup any kind white, portabello’s, crimini etc)
• Bell pepper (1 medium, any color)
• Hot peppers (any kind and amount for heat if you are so inclinded)
• Onion (1/4-1/2 cup any kind)
• Zucchini (1 medium)
• Garlic (3-4 cloves or less)
• Braggs (¼ cup or Tamari or Nama Shoyu or soy sauce)
• Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
• Chili powder (3 heaping tps)
• Cumin (2 heaping tbs)
• Cayenne (1-2 tbs)
• Greens (Any kind)

Cut up the mushrooms, pepper, onion and zucchini into bit size pieces. I like big pieces you may like small. Certainly any number of vegetables would work great in this dish like asparagus, snap peas, broccoli, carrots, corn, kohlrabi, radishes, tomatoes. etc., although it then starts sliding away from being a "Fajita". Also adding hot peppers obviously spices up the dish. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Let marinate covered or uncovered in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Longer is better. When ready, put on plates over a bed of greens. I like this dish warmed back up to room temperature which can take 30 minutes. This produces enough of a main dish for 4 people depending on the amount of greens below it. Salud!

Zucchini Rolls with Basil Pesto and Red Bell Pepper Coulis

This is from the wonderful web page: rawepicurean.net. Please check them out for many raw ideas. I made 8 of these Zucchini rolls and had them for lunch. These make great appetizers for a party. Use fresh local ingredients and you will wonder how you ever survived without this beauty. It's the dish that will make you scream "Where have you been all my life sweet cheeks?"

Basil Pesto:

• Basil (1 cup, I used rosemary, thyme, savory and oregano as that's what I had fresh)
• Parsley (1 cup)
• Pine Nuts (1/2 cup, I used cheaper walnuts)
• Garlic (3-4 cloves)
• Olive oil (1/2 a cup, use a good one!)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Add the basil (or whatever garden herbs you have (experiment)), parsley, pine nuts and garlic to a food processor and mix. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula, if necessary. Add the salt, pepper, and the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is running. Makes about 1 cup.

Red Bell Pepper Coulis:
(Coulis is any sauce made from pureed vegetables or fruits, I had to look it up)

• Red Bell Pepper (1 large, Yellow works too)
• Onion (1/4 cup any kind) 
• Apple Cider Vinegar or fresh lemon juice (2 tbs)
• Garlic (1 large clove)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until well mixed and chopped. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the red pepper mixture in the strainer. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to press the mixture against the strainer to push the juice through. Reserve the red pepper pulp for another use – keep refrigerated (lasts up to 4 days). This pulp is great for a fast soup (just add water) or a fast dressing (add oil and vinegar). Makes about ½ cup

Zucchini Rolls

Zucchini (1 large fat)

Using a mandoline cut the zucchini lengthwise into as thin as you can slices. Good chefs could do this with a knife. You need very thin so it rolls and does not break. Practice and have an extra zucchini handy just in case.

Assembly

Using a teaspoon, spread each zucchini slice with basil pesto. Roll up each slice – starting from one end roll to the other. Place a roll, seam side down, in a small curved plate and pour 3-4 tbs of the red bell pepper coulis over it. Then say hello to your new BFF. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Salud!

Rhubarb and Cucumber Mint Salad

It is the height of Rhubarb season and my neighbour Izzy has given me stalks so I have been experimenting and came up with this healthy and wasy recipe. There are variations of this dish on the net. Mine is a little different as I like to tone down the tartness of the rhubarb.

Ingredients:

• Rhubarb (1-2 stalks enough for 2/3 cup)
• Cucumber (One medium (1 cup), I prefer English but any kind works)
• Raisins (20+ or any dried fuit)
• Rosemary (Fresh 2 heaping tbs of leaves)
• Agave Nectar or Honey or real Maple Syrup (6 tbs)
• Mint leaves (10 or more chopped in thirds)
• Salt to taste
• Greens of any kind and combination

Slice the rhubarb and cucumber almost paper thin with a Mandoline slicer or with a knife. Combine the rhubarb, cucumber, raisins, rosemary and agave nectar in a covered dish and refrigerate overnight. This cuts way down on the tartness. When you are ready to serve, stir in salt and mint leaves. Place over any greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach, kale etc.). This makes a nice side dish for 4 people. It does not have to be put over greens as it can dance by itself.

Here is a dish that will turn out fine no matter what the combinations. Instead of raisins you can use chopped figs or dates, also cranberries, blueberries etc. The more cucumber and less rhubarb you use, then the less tartness. Recipes on the net call for honey. I have only experimented with agave nectar and maple syrup. Here is where you use trial and error to see how much sweetener to add. In the end the amount of each ingredient will vary depending on how you want the dish to taste. In the photo below I used dried cranberries instead of raisins. Salud!

Wild Rice and Tarragon Pilaf

I have not posted many recipes with sprouts as most of you are not yet sprouters. But this one is so good and so stunningly vivacious that I hope you will give it a try. This is a great one to take to potlucks and be the Bon Vivant of the party. No need for cuff links or a tiara, this baby does it for you.
 
Ingredients

• Wild Rice (2 cups soaked 48 hours)
• Celery (1/2 cup)
• Onion (1/4 cup any kind, red is best here)
• Apple (1/2 medium any kind)
• Olive Oil ( ¼ cup)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (4 tbs)
• Tarragon (1/4 cup mashed in mortar or chopped)(or Savory, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano etc.)
• Dry Mustard (2 tbs)
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

This recipe comes from the excellent web page meameoba.com. I have modified it a little. When selecting wild rice, look for rice that is harvested by hand in the wild and therefore more environmentally friendly. Much so called Wild Rice nowadays is artificially grown in ponds with chemicals. Also seek out Fair Trade rice harvested by First Nations Peoples. As to whether or not cooking alters the nutritional content is another matter. If you wash the rice and then soak them in a covered jar in a dark place for 48 hours you have a very tasty and nutritious grain. Be sure to change the water every 12 hours.

Cut the celery, onion and apple into small pieces. Combine everything in a bowl. I have never been able to save any to see if it tastes even better after it has marinated. I suspect you could make a big bowl of this and it would keep covered in the fridge for a few days to be used as each nights side supper dish. Any herb will work including also basil, oregano, cilantro etc. I have yet to do it without dry mustard powder so i am not sure how important that ingredient is. This makes enough for a side dish for four people. Do not be put off by the crunchness of the rice, savor its lingering flavor on you taste buds. This dish will really open your eyes to the power of fresh, raw, fair trade, natural, organic food. Salud!

Sweet and Sour Ginger Dressing

Here is a fast and flavorful dressing for when you are in a hurry.

Ingredients:

• Sesame Oil (4 tbs) (Hard to find in raw form)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (3 tbs)
• Soy Sauce (2 tbs, Braggs, Nama Shoyu, Tamari etc)
• Agave Nectar (2 tbs)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon squeezed))
• Ginger (2 tbs grated)

Combine all ingredients in a cup and stir. Pour over salad and toss. A Chopin "Prelude" playing in the background helps. This can cover 4 side salads. A little of this goes a long way. You do not want too much. The secret is a light coating of the greens and vegetables. This works very well in a salad that has cubes of rutabaga, beets, carrots, cauliflower, brocolli and other crunchy vegetables. You want to be able to taste the flavor of each fresh vegetable and green leaf while it has a slight ginger tang to it. I have seen variations of this on the net with much more lemon juice, also with lime or orange or pineapple juice. This is also a “fit the ingredient amount to your taste “ dressing. Play around. If you have a great fresh local Apple Cider Vinegar (“Sea Cider” cider vinegar from Saanich, BC for example!) then you may want to add a few more tablespoons of it. Also vary the amount of agave and lemon juice to suit the mood you want to achieve for your salad.

I find a ginger grater to be indispensable. It is not easy to chop ginger. For years I baulked at buying a gadget that only grated ginger, lemon rind and nutmeg. Now that I have partaken in hand grating and learned how healthy and tasty these three foods are when prepared fresh, I cannot live without my grater.

Tarragon Nut Dressing

This is dedicated to my Cortes neighbor Izzy who gives me many wonderful herbs and vegetables from her beautiful Garden

When fresh herbs become available in late spring you can make all kinds of healthy dressings to put over any salad or vegetable medley. This dressing works great over a lone beet, yam or turnip that you want to use up. I was given some fresh tarragon by neighbour Izzy and found this recipe on the net by typing "tarragon dressing" and then playing around with all the wonderful recipes that appeared.

Ingredients:

• Nuts (almond, pine, cashew etc 1/2 cup)
• Onion (any kind including green onion, ¼ cup)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 squeezed)
• Garlic (2 cloves)
• Tarragon (1/2 cup)
• Olive Oil (3 tbs to one cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste.

The secret to this one is not to let the nuts over power the dressing. Tarragon can be rather strong but you want it to be the flag carrier here. Mix all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Add 3 tbs of olive oil for the last 5 seconds. Put the mix in a jar and add as much oil as you like, at least enough to cover it and stir thoroughly. The amount above makes enough to put lots over 4 salads. You may want to make enough to last a week or more so just be sure to put the rest in a covered container with enough oil to cover the mix. If you want a tradition dressing then you may add a cup or more of the Olive Oil to the mix so that it pours. I add a lot less oil and spoon it over the salad and then mix it into the salad. I like a chunky dressing  (Almost pestolike) and want to taste lots of tarragon in every bite. You may have a different preference so play around with this. Of course any herb will do in place of the Tarragon. Oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, cilantro even sage makes a nice dressing. I would like suggestions on other herbs to use here especially local wild herbs from the forest. The addition of onion and much more nuts and oil separate this from a pesto. Salud!

Texas Chili

Dedicated to that great Texan Jim Hightower

 

This dish is rather different. It neither looks nor tastes like Texas Chili (Chili with meat and no beans) very much but is a fine substitute. It is a modification and addition to the Chili recipe in Sergei and Valya Boutenko’s book “Fresh. The Ultimate Live-food Cookbook” 2008. North Atlantic Books, Berkeley. My favorite raw foods recipe book.

 

Ingredients:

  

Meat:

• Walnuts (1/4 cup)
• Cumin (Heaping tbs)
• Braggs (5 tbs)
• Olive oil (3 tbs)
• Sea Salt (If you like)

 Chili:

 

• Fresh Tomatoes (3 medium)
• Sundried Tomatoes (1 cup if you can afford it or less)
• Basil (1/4 cup fresh or any dried Italian seasoning)
• Raisins (10-12)
• Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
• Lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
• Cumin (2 heaping tbs)
• Garlic (3 cloves)
• Hot pepper (any kind, any size depending on heat wanted)
• Water (0-1/4 cup depending on thickness desired)

 

To make the meat, put all the ingredients in a food processor except the oil and blend. Add the olive oil for the last 3 seconds of blending. Form into grape size balls and put in a bowl. For the chilli, blend all the ingredients except the oil. I do not soak the sundried tomatoes first. This leaves them chucky. You can soak for an hour if you like a smoother chilli. I add no water which makes it paste like. You can add water to thin it out. Fresh basil is not available this time of year so i just use a spoonful of Italian seasoning. Most raw Chili recipes call for more raisins. I like about 8-10 or it overpowers the dish. You may like more. Olive oil is added for the last 3 seconds of blending. Pour the chili in the bowl with the meat and stir. This makes enough for only one person so if you are making it for 4 then it can get expensive as a first course. You can make less meat or omit the meat all together. As always when you are poor, cut back on the amount of sundried tomatoes and add more regular tomatoes. Any kind of tomatoes will work, especially heirlooms. Roma’s are usually recommended but not always available at the market. I prefer very very ripe tomatoes for this. Salud.

 

Indian Cabbage

Dedicated to the new Chief Minister of West Bengal state Mamata Banerjee. She is West Bengals first woman Chief Minister (Governor).

There are lots of raw cabbage recipes on the net. Cabbage is inexpensive and keeps a long time.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage (1/ head)
• Garam Masala (3 heaping tbs or more to taste)
• Agave Nectar (2 tbs)
• Braggs (3 tbs, can use just soy sauce or tamari)
• Lime (1/2 squeezed)
• Cilantro (1/2 cup or more)

Shred cabbage. Chop up the cilantro. Mix everything together in a bowl and there it is. This is enough for 4 people as a side dish. This is good for 2 days covered in the refrigerator. I have eaten it as my main meal. You can add nuts, dried fruit, nutritional yeast, hemp or sunflower seed, shredded carrots etc. Remember the three rules of meal preparation: Experiment. Experiment. Experiment. No photo as it's just cabbage. Salud!

Orange Salad Dressing (Free yourself)

Dedicated to last week’s Pink Floyd reunion

I was given 3 bags of oranges from the marina grocery store where I am painting. So I made a salad dressing with them. This recipe was all over the internet but sounded to easy to be true and I had ignored it. I tested this on others and we all agree that not only is this fast and easy but also extraordinarily tasty. Why has this secret been hidden from the world? Think about it. This is a healthy, fast and beautiful food item. You can make it cheaply whenever you want. Yet the rulers insist we buy poison in a bottle for $4 to put on our garden salad and we do it. Free yourself. Do not be another just another brick in the wall!

Ingredients:

• Oranges (2 organic)
• Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
• Red Wine Vinegar (3 tbs or more to taste)
• Mint (3 tbs or more, preferably fresh)

Blend oranges and mint in a blender or food processor. In a bottle or bowl combine the orange/mint with the oil and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate. This keeps for 2 days covered in fridge. It can be put over any salad or vegetable combination. I hope you find this dressing as inspiring as I do. I am now off to write poetry and free the masses. Salud!

Mushroom gravy

I finally got this to work. I think the secret is the hour soaking of the mushrooms and using pulled from the garden Thyme and Rosemary.

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms (3 cups, any kind)
• Cashews (1 cup)
• Lemon Juice (from ½ lemon)
• Thyme (fresh best but dried ok, 2 tbs)
• Rosemary (fresh best but dried ok, 2 tbs)
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• Water from mushroom soaking

This recipe and the Mediterranean Carrot recipe comes from the excellent web site “rawepicurean.net”. They recommend Shitake mushrooms. I use white, brown, Crimini or Portobello mushrooms as they are cheaper. Soak the mushrooms in a bowl of water for about an hour. Some will float so occasionally push them all down in the water. The original recipe calls for cashew flour which is hard to find on the remote island I am on so I make my own. Put the cashews and rosemary (if it is fresh leaves) in a food processor and blend until it is a powder. Add the other ingredients and blend. The amount of water you add depends on how thick or thin you want the gravy. It is hard to get thick. It will be watery but taste it. This goes on everything and keeps in the refrigerator for only 2 days covered. The original recipe recommended sage. I did not have this so substituted rosemary. It does not look great but the taste will win you over. Salud!

Mediteranean Carrots

This is quick and easy.
Ingredients:

• Carrots (4 large)
• Nuts (1/2 cup of Cashews, Pine, Almond, Hazelnut etc.)
• Raisins (1 cup) (or any dried fruit)
• Olive Oil (¼ cup)
• Dill (3 heaping tbs, fresh chopped if available or dried)
• Lemon Juice (from half a lemon)
• Onion (small, any kind or a shallot)
• Garlic (4 or more cloves)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and shred the carrots. Chop the onion into small pieces. The nuts can be cut down to a small size in a food processor or blender. Crush garlic in a garlic press. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. This amount makes a nice side dish for 4 people. It is best after an hour of refrigeration. It keeps for 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator. This is a fast and inexpensive dish for potlucks. You can experiment with other vegetables instead of carrots. Also as an alternative to raisins you can use chopped dates or figs, dried cherries ect. Salud!

 

Bok Choy and Corn Salad

This one is a real surprise. It is fast and very distinctive. Soon farmers markets should have fresh local Bok Choy, Corn and Cilantro.

Ingredients:

Bok Choy (4 heads for each person)
Corn (1 cob for every 4 heads of Bok Choy)
Cilantro (a half a bunch or more, I like much more)
Cumin (2 tbs)
Oregano (2 tbs)
Garlic Powder (2 tbs or more or 2 crushed cloves)
1 Lime (squeezed for juice. I use Verjus)
Salt (To taste)

In a food processor blend the bok choy (already cut up into pieces) with the cilantro thoroughly. Cut the corn off the cob. Mix everything together in a bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. This keeps well covered for 3 days. It is a great side dish that tastes much richer than the work involved in making it. Go crazy with the cilantro. It’s the secret ingredient to this one. The above amounts of ingredients are enough for one person to have as a side dish so double the amounts for 2, quadruple for 4 etc. In the summer bok choy and corn can be inexpensive. This is a fun side dish that is easy to make and is very tasty and nutritious. Great for potlucks but bring the recipe as everyone will want to know what it is. Salud!

Dill and Root Vegetable Medley

Here is a flexible side dish that can be made many ways


Ingredients:

• Squash (any kind, one)
• Sun dried tomatoes (preferably soft but you can soak hard ones)
• Olives (10-15, pitted)
• Corn (two cobs)
• Spinach (Or any leaves, kale, romaine etc.)


Sauce:

• Carrots (two)
• Red bell pepper (one)
• Tahini (1 heaping spoonful)
• Dates (2-4 soaked 15 minutes)
• Onion (1/4)
• Lemon Juice (1/4 cup or whatever you have, Verjus works best)
• Water (half a cup)
• Salt to taste
• Dill Weed (1-2 tbs or more)

Combine all the sauce ingredients in food processor or blender and mix. The squash is peeled and the seeds are removed. (Bake seeds in oven with olive oil until crunchy for a snack). The squash can be spiralized, diced, thinly sliced or cubed. Cut Sun dried tomatoes into smallish pieces. Olives can be sliced into thirds. The corn is cut off the cob. Mix everything together and it is ready. Does not have to be put over any greens but is very good over any type of greens. Best if refrigerated 3-12 hours. The vegetables you put this sauce over are very flexible. Instead of, or with the squash add rutabaga, beet, parsnips, carrots etc. You can do more olives or corn. You can add lots more dill weed, fresh is best. Salud

Vegan Ceviche

Raw Vegan Ceviche

• Coconut meat (2 coconuts young, equals about a cup of meat)
• Lime Juice (1-2 limes squeezed)
• Cucumber (1 whole big English, better peeled)
• Red (or Yellow) Bell Pepper (1)
• Cherry tomatoes (2 cup full’s)
• Red Onion (1 whole small)
• Avocado (If available, 1)
• Jalapeno (1) only if you like hot
• Garlic (4 cloves)
• Dulse Flakes (kelp flakes or just sea salt) (3 tbs full heaping)
• Cilantro (as much fresh as you can, ¾ cup or more)
• Oregano (2 tbs full)
• Coconut water (or plain water) enough to cover everything in a bowl
• Salt and pepper to taste

If you cannot find fresh young coconut, go to a store or market that has an Asian section. Here (Victoria, BC) you can often find frozen coconut meat and it is usually already cut into strips. Thaw before use. If using fresh coconut then slice the meat in to thin strips around 4 cm or 1.5 inches long. Also slice the cucumber, bell pepper tomato and onion the same way. The avocado can be sliced to any sized chucks. Put all in a bowl. Squeeze the limes (you can also use lemon or bottled juice) over the vegetables. Crush the garlic and add. Cut the jalepeno (Can be any hot pepper) into as small of pieces as you can cut them and add. Add the dulse flakes (sea salt), cilantro, oregano and coconutwater (or regular water) into the bowl. Stir with a spoon. Refrigerate for one hour. Even better if it is refrigerated for 24 hours. Only bring the bowl out of the refrigerator when ready to serve. Eat on crackers, as a side dish or on a warm summer day it can be the full meal.

My version is a Mexican style ceviche that I modified from web recipes. I think you could substitute bamboo shoots, cauliflower, hearts of palm or something similar in place of the coconut. I never had real ceviche before. I made this and served it at a potluck with a number of ceviche lovers present. It was next to a shrimp ceviche and a tuna ceviche. Everyone seemed to enjoy mine. I certainly did. Comments and suggestions encouraged. Salud.

Raw Vegan Brownies

This recipe comes from the internet and then my experimenting to make it simple and fast.

Raw Vegan Brownies

Ingredients:

• Walnuts (1 cup, raw)
• Medjool Dates, dried (6-8 pitted)
• Carob powder (2 heaping tbs or more)
• Water (2 tsp, for a moister brownie; optional)
• Dried fruit (any kind, any amount or none at all)
• Salt (to taste)

1. Process the walnuts (you can add pecans and other nuts) and salt (if desired) in a food processor until finely ground. Add the dates until the mixture sticks together. If this does not go well it could be because you do not have a strong food processor. If that is the case then cop the dates into as small a pieces as you can before you add to food processor. Add Carob powder (or cocoa powder or chocolate chips) to the processor and mix briefly. Also add water at this time if you want moister brownies

2. If you are adding any dried fruit (diced into small pieces) then transfer the fruit and the batter to a mixing bowl. Mix well using hands. Pack mixture firmly into a square container to whatever thickness you like. If they are too thin they fall apart, too thick and they taste doughy, I prefer about the height of my flattened thumb. Use a potato masher to make the batter flat. Stored in a sealed container, these brownies will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer. If they fall apart when you try to eat them then next time make them thicker and add more dates and even agave nectar or honey. Salud and share!

Mexican Style Rice

Here is a basic raw side dish you can make and keep in the refrigerator for the rest of the week. This is especially good in the fall and winter as you can get fresh parships all over the northern hemisphere.

Mexican Style Rice

Ingredients:

• Parsnips (4 medium sized)
• Sun dried tomatoes (1 cup, soaked 2-6 hours)
• Onion (one half medium) (any kind)
• Pepper (one half red, orange or yellow)
• Garlic (4 cloves crushed)
• Cumin (heaping tbs)
• Chili Powder (tea spoon or less or more, its hot!)
• Salt (to taste)
• Water from Soaked sun dried tomatoes (quarter cup or less)
• Olive Oil (quarter of a cup or more)

Peel and cut the parsnips into thumb sized pieces of the same size. Place the parsnips in a food processor and pulse until the parsnips are the size of rice (practice). Cut the sun dried tomatoes into rather small pieces (M&M size). In a blender or food processor mix the onion, red pepper, garlic, cumin chili powder, salt, water and Olive Oil. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Experiment with the amount of water and oil. Start with less and add more if it seems not all the parsnips are getting coated. This recipe takes a little practice to decide how much sun dried tomatoes, spices, oil etc you prefer. Do not be shy, coat that baby. This keeps for up to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It is ready to sit beside any raw dish you make as your main meal. Salud!

Raw Nori Rolls

Sorry its been so long between posts. My diet goes very well and my glucose stays below 6. I even took a 3 day train trip. I brought a bag full of raw food on the train and did great.

Raw Nori Rolls

Ingredients:
Nori sheets (as many as you want to make)
Rice:
Parsnips (or Cauliflower)
Garlic (3 cloves)
Sesame oil (2 tbls)
Sauce:
Cashews (One coffee cup full)
Celery (3 six inch stalks)
Onion (One small yellow or white)
Garlic (Four gloves)
Pickle (Kerkens or any kind you like)
Dill (One fourth of a coffee cup, fresh)
Braggs Soy sauce (3 tbls)
Apple cider Vinegar (5 tbls)
Horseradish (spoon full of fresh, more if you like hot)

Addition vegetables:
Cucumber
Carrot
Sprouts
Avocado
Sun dried tomato
Anything really

Nori: You can buy raw nori seaweed sheets on the internet for a dollar a sheet or buy toasted (not raw) nori sheets at any health food store.

Rice: Because I am diabetic, I cannot use the usual sticky white rice found in normal nori rolls. I use either Parsnips or Cauliflower. (If you are using parsnips peel and cut into small chunks). Put either or both (parsnips and cauliflower) with garlic together in a food processor blend until all pieces are the size of long grained rice. Do not over blend or you get mush. Watch for big pieces and reblend them. Add the Sesame oil and stir by hand. You can also add salt, pepper, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic or anything you want to try. The idea is to taste the vegetable with a touch of sesame flavouring. This is the meat of the roll and requires experimentation to get the flavour you want. If you can afford a half a cup of pine nuts to blend in with the parsnips, this adds a nutty taste. How much do you make? Start with 3 large parsnips. If you need more then make more. It is good to always have fresh parsnips in your kitchen.

Sauce: Blend all the sauce ingredients until creamy

Additional vegetables: Slice to desired thinness and crunchiness.

Make these rolls like you would regular nori rolls. Spoon the rice (parsnips) first, then the sauce on top and then any vegetables. Roll. Each chef will create their own style so experiment, experiment and experiment to get what you like. Below is a completely different type of sauce that i often use. I also mix sauces and make rolls of each. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Serve with Braggs or Nami Shoyu or Tamari sauce and wasabi (I just blend fresh horseradish, white vinegar and salt in a blender until creamy for my own wasabi sauce) for dipping.

Additional type of sauce:
Sunflower seeds (two cups)
Garlic (4 cloves)
Lemon juice (half a squeezed lemon)
Ginger (as much as you like)
Braggs (3 tbls)
Red pepper (Half a medium size)
Blend all the above ingredients together until creamy.