Squash Blossoms stuffed with Sprouted Sunflower Purée and Tomato Coulis

It takes you longer to say the name of this dish than it does to make it. If you are growing your own squash or are going to farmers markets then you have access to squash blossoms. Once you have made this dish I will guarantee that you will never vote democrat or republican again. Your eyes will be open and your chains will be broken. You are welcome comrade.

Ingredients:

Squash Blossoms (10, or as many as you want to make) (See photo below)

Sprouted Sunflower Purée:

• Spouted Sunflower Seeds (1/2 cup, if alone) (other recipes suggest Pistachios or Pine Nuts)
• Sprouted Rye (if combining with sunflowers then use ¼ cup of each)
• Lemon juice (1/2 fresh squeezed)
• Olive Oil (5 tbs)

Tomato Coulis:

• 1 small Heirloom Tomato
• Sage (4 fresh leaves, experiment with any fresh picked herb)
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil (2 tbs)

My recipe is an adaptation from the book “Entertaining in the Raw” by Matthew Kenney. He suggests pistachios for the purée. The most common ingredient on the net is pine nuts for the puree base. I soak sunflower seeds and rye seeds in water for 8 hours then sprout for around 8 more hours. I think this is a nutritious inexpensive type of filling and it tastes great too. You may only want to use ½ cup of sprouted sunflower seeds. You can use tahini, babab ganoush, hummus, nut pate, etc etc etc. Anything will work as the purée base. Use a food processor to mix the seeds and lemon juice for about 80 seconds adding the oil for the last 5 seconds. I like this thick but you can thin it with water if you prefer.

For the tomato coulis chop up the tomatoes and put in blender with salt and sage leaves. Blend until smooth about 60 seconds adding the oil for the last 5 seconds. Select a very ripe heirloom tomato of any color or variety. You want to really taste the tomato in this dish.Most Coulis recipes say to strain but I like it chunkyish.

Stuff each blossom with the puree, place on a plate and cover with the tomato coulis. This makes enough as a main dish for 2 people. I get my squash blossoms at the Tower Grove (St. Louis USA) farmers market. Get there at 7am or they will be gone!! When you put one of these in your mouth you want to taste the blossom, sunflower seed and tomato. This dish is for you from Mother Earth and your local farmer.  Salud!

Saffron Avgolemono Soup, Mushroom Meatballs and Oregano Cream

This is modified slightly from a recipe in the book “Entertaining in the Raw” by Matthew Kenney. This book was a wonderful gift from Annie and Ray. Many of the recipes in this book are expensive and time consuming to make, but I have found the recipes to be very inspiring and I have adopted many of them to my budget.

Avogolemono soup is a Mediterranean dish meaning “Ègg-lemon”. I have never had it so I am not sure how closely this raw dish tastes like the real thing.

Ingredients:

Avgolemono:

Jicama (1/2 cup)
Cashews (1/4 cup soaked 4 hours)
Lemon Juice (1 large squeezed)
Olive oil (4 tbs)
Saffron (1/2-1 teaspoon dissolved in warm water)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Mushroom Meatballs:

Mushroom, Portobello or Shitake works best (1 cup)

Peanuts Raw (1/4cup ) (Any nuts work, walnuts are the best)
Tahini (3 tbs)
Olive Oil (2 tbs)
Zucchini (1 8 inch chopped into small pieces)
Oregano (1/5 cup fresh)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Cream:

Cashews (1/6 cup soaked 4 hours)

Agave nector (4 tbs)
Oregano (1/4 cup fresh)
Nutritional Yeast (5 tbs)
Salt to taste
Soak water from cashew to desired thickness

For the Avgolemono, mix all the ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes. This one is easy to mess up and ruin your day as real saffron is expensive and if not prepared properly can either be tasteless or can overpower a dish. So go ahead, research what real saffron is so you do not get ripped off, then experiment. Warm water for the saffron for me is water too cool for tea but above room temperature. I soak the saffron threads for 2+ hours. I dissolve the threads in a cup of water and then use that water to thin the Avgolemono. Don't worry if some threads do not dissolve, after 2 hours in water they are ready. I like it gruel thickness but others like it soup like consistency.

For the meatballs you can use button mushrooms but portabellas or shitakes add flavor. I use raw peanuts as they are cheaper. This tastes best with walnuts. Raw tahini does not taste as creamy as roasted tahini. Raw tahini takes some getting used to so in the beginning you can use roasted tahini (especially if you live in cities like St. Louis where raw anything is hard to find). Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 30 seconds. The roll them into any size meatballs you like.

For the cream, mix all together in a food processor for 2 minutes. Add cashew soak water slowly to thin if you want thinner.

Put the Avgolemono in a bowl, add a few mushroom meatballs and put some of the cream on top. The above makes enough for one person as their main dish with a little left over. This dish makes a nice appetiser also. It seems like a lot of work. I can put all three together in 30 minutes. Double the ingredients for 2 people.

The key to this dish is getting the saffron taste correct and using very fresh oregano leaves.  Feel free to up the amount or oregano if you have it. This dish will pretty much convince you that raw and fresh can beat any cooked fatty, cheesy, creamy thing out there. Please comment with your opinion. This one is worth the work. You will not be disappointed. (Sorry the photo below is blurry) Salud!

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Raw Mexican Torte

This one takes time but is well worth it as you can make large numbers and freeze them.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• Almonds (2 cups)
• Walnuts (1 cup)
• Menjool Dates (1/2 cup, any type dried dates or raisins works)

Filling:

• Corn (2 cobs)
• Red Bell pepper (1 large, any kind of pepper works)
• Raw Cashews (1 cup, soaked in fridge, 2-24 hours)
• Nutritional Yeast Flakes (1/2 cup)
• Onion (1/4 cup any kind)
• Cilantro (1/2 a cup fresh)
• Garlic (4-6 gloves)
• Lime juice (1-2 limes depending on your taste)
• Salt to taste

For the crust you can use any combination of nuts and include things like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, honey, agave nectar, coconut etc. Adding more dates or raisins or other dried fruits like cherries, mulberry or goji berries makes the crust stand up better when it is finished but adds to the price. So depending on what you want your final torte to do, you can vary the amount of dried fruits to achieve the right type of crust. Blend all crust ingredients in a blender for about 1.5 minutes. Use a cupcake or biscuit baking tray and line each cupcake holder with a baking cup. Any size baking cup works. You can even make this as one pie size torte. I find using a metal cupcake tray is easiest but you can just use baking cups. Line each holder with the crust, making them as thin or as thick as you want. If you are serving them in the baking cup then you can make them very thin.

Chop the bell pepper into small pieces. Cut the corn off the cob. Blend the last seven ingredients for about 2 minutes. I use some of the cashew soak water to make the mixture the consistency of peanut butter. You can make it as thick or as thin as you like. Mix the blended ingredients in a bowl with the red pepper and corn. Spoon this mixture into the baking cups with the crust. Put the finished tortes in the freezer. When you are ready to serve them let them thaw for about 30 minutes.

This dish will surprise you. The key is fresh corn and red peppers from a farmers market. The interesting taste comes from fresh local cilantro (not from Mexico), lime and nutritional yeast. You can make as many as you can and they will keep in the freezer in a sealed container for 2 months.

You can also vary the filling. I cannot always afford cashews so I often substitute sunflower seeds, soaked 6-12 hours. Any raw pate can be a filling. If I have left over crust, I will sometimes add fruit or Baba Ganoush or raw hummus etc etc etc. I have given this version of the recipe as I think it has the most wow taste for newcomers to raw foods, but experimentation will give you wonders to amaze your friends. Salud

 

Raw Baba Ganoush

 

I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. The University of Victoria no longer hires foreign teachers so I had to leave Canada. I moved to St. Louis in May to take care of my 88 year old parents and to teach the Midwest US about the health benefits of eating just real food. 76% of all adult St. Louisians are overweight to the point of health problems so I am here to get that number down to less than 0.1%

 

This Baba Ganoush recipe took 2 years to make work. Most recipes say to peel and put the raw eggplant into a food processor with the other ingredients. I could never get the bitterness out of this dish until one online blog suggested to first freeze the eggplant. Voila!

 

Ingredients:

• Eggplant (medium, peeled and diced into small chunks then frozen)
• Cashews (1/2 cup soaked 12-24 hours)
• Garlic (3 cloves or more if you like)
• Lemon Juice (1 medium lemon squeezed or more)
• Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
• Sea Salt (1 tps)
• Water (to desired consistency)

When I made cooked Baba Ganoush in the past I always left the eggplant peel on. This makes the dish bitterer but adds nutrients. When I make raw Baba Ganoush I still leave the peel on but for those new to the dish I highly recommend peeling the eggplant. This is another dish that benefits from buying fresh local eggplant at a farmers market. The thing called “eggplant” that you see in chain grocery stores does not have nearly the taste or nutrition of a locally grown, picked yesterday eggplant.

  

Peel the eggplant and cut into small cubes (sugar cube size if you have time but bigger is OK). Freeze these in a bag over night or longer. Soak the cashews for at least 6 but preferably 24 hours in a container in the refrigerator (closer to 24 hours if you are soaking whole cashews). If you soak for 18 to 24 hours then change the water at the half way point. I throw the frozen eggplant into my food processor but if you do not have a good strong food processor then thaw the eggplant first. By putting the eggplant in frozen, I find I do not have to add much water. The blending melts the eggplant and contributes water.

 

Editorial and product endorsement: When I moved to St. Louis, I was unable to bring my old $40 food processor with me. So I splurged (my brother chipped in half) and bought at $200 Cuisinart food processor. It is well worth the price. I can make soups, bliss balls etc in under a minute.

Drain the cashews (use the soak water to thin the mix). Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to desired consistency. This one takes practice to get the taste to where you like it. I like a garlicky taste so I add lots more garlic. I also like it hot so I add jalapenos, cayenne pepper, chili powder etc. You can add paprika or lime or cilantro leaves or honey or whatever to give it your unique twist. This is great for using as a dip, or spread on breads and crackers. I will sometimes make it thick and dip raw vegetables in it. Cooked Baba Ganoush is  usually made with Tahini. My version above is the least expensive way to make it. It certainly tastes creamier and richer with the addition of 1/4-1/2 cup of raw or toasted Tahini or any nut butter. Also you can just add Sesame seeds to your blender when you make this to get the taste more authuentic.

 

Raw Baba Ganoush keeps covered in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. This as an inexpensive, easy to make, nutritious dish that can brought out to enhance any meal. Salud!

 

Raw Dijon Mustard

This is great on crackers, sandwiches, as a dip for vegi’s and I often make it a tangy dressing by adding some water. This fresh taste will amaze you and you will never by a bottled Dijon again.

Ingredients:

• Sprouted Brown Mustard (1/2 cup)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (2 tbs)
• Sesame Oil (4 tbs, not raw can substitute a cold pressed oil)
• Ginger (2 tbs, grated)
• Garlic (1 medium clove, grated)
• Black pepper (1 tbs)
• Water (to desired thickness, 1/4 cup)

It is hard to find Brown mustard seeds suitable for sprouting. Only a few health food stores sell them. Mustard seeds are also one of the hardest to sprout as they need to be soaked for just the right amount of time (8 hours). I usually only get about 25% to sprout, however for a Dijon this is fine. I sprout for about 5 days with days 3-5 I give them sunlight. When the green stalks are about 1-1 ½ inches (2cm) they are ready. Put all ingredients including seeds that did not sprout, in a blender except the water.  Blend for about 1 minute. You end up with a thick Dijon. As I always say you want to experiment to get the flavor you like. This makes only about ¼ cup, enough for 2 sandwiches or if you want a dressing then double it by adding water.  I sometimes add either a hot pepper or Braggs (tamari sauce) to give it more heat. This is quite easy to make fresh as long as you started the mustards sprouting 5 days early. To simple to be worth the effort? Give it a try. I love this mother. Salud!

Below is a photo of sprouted mustard

Raw Hot Sweet Potato Soup

One criticism of a raw food meal is that in the winter people like a hot dish. A way around this is to simply heat the raw dish. Another way is to add hot spices. This soup will warm your cockles and taste darn good.

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato (2 medium (2-3 cups) with skins on)
• Carrots (1 cup, skins on)
• Sprouts (1 cup, any kind, radish or alfalfa are nice)
• Tahini (2 heaping tbs, any nut butter works)
• Garlic (1-2 large cloves depending on your taste)
• Engevita Yeast (4 heaping tbs or more, any yeast works. Unless you grow it it’s not raw)
• Olive or Hemp Oil (3 tbs, can omit)
• Cayenne Pepper (1level tbs or more, any hot pepper works, fresh better)
• Water (3 cups, this depends on thickness you want)

Sprinkle on top of the soup any of the following:

• Onion bits (any kind, yellow through green)
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Nuts
• Sprouts
• Avocado slices
• Diakon radish slices
• Celery slices

Cut the ends and bad spots out of the carrots and sweet potatoes then wash. Cut them  into the same thumb size pieces. Put all the ingredients into a food processor except the oil. Blend to desired consistency, up to 3 minutes if you like a creamy soup. Add the oil for the last 5 seconds. You can add more water to make it thinner. Omit the water and you have a very nice pate. Many receipts call for nuts like cashews or avocados to make it creamer. I like it the above way because if you have fresh local sweet potatoes and carrots you can really taste the vegetables. The amount of hot pepper you put will come from trial and error. You do not want to overpower the dish. The yeast is important. For this dish you want to taste mainly the potatoes, carrots, pepeers and yeast with hints from the tahini and sprouts. You can find raw tahini in most stores; if not then use regular nut butter or make your own from raw sunflower seeds. The sprouts are not necessary, I am doing alot of sprouting and I like the added flavor.  I list extras you can put on top, the sky’s the limit. The above amounts make enough for 4 people as a nice lunch. You will find it filling if you eat it slow with a good microbrew. I make this amount and have it for lunch the next few days. This dish keeps for up to 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Salud!

Halva

Most Halva made around the world has flour in it and the sweetener is usually heated to form sugar crystals. I actually like my version as it does not sit so heavily on my stomach. However this recipe will not hold together quite as well as a cooked one but still is an excellent item to make once a week and have it handy when hunger calls. I was introduced to Halva when I studied birds in Israel and Palestine in the late 1980’s. Their version is less sweeter than ones from other countries. My recipe is not raw as the coconut butter needs to be heated. If you can keep the heat below 40°C (104°F) then you are raw. I am not sure my stove top goes that low.

Ingredients:

• Sesame Seed (2 cups)
• Honey (3 tbs) Be sure you buy honey directly from a bee keeper, never from a store!
• Coconut butter (1/4 a cup)

Put the sesame seeds in a food processor and blend. Mine is not so strong so I have to run it for about 3 minutes. Stop every few seconds to scrap down the sides of the processor. A good food processor will turn the sesame seeds into Tahini (sesame paste). Some raw halva recipes on the net say to add tahini if your food processor cannot break down the seeds. Perhaps if I ran my machine for longer it would do it. But for me 3 minutes is enough electricity usage.

Melt the coconut on a stove until it is runny. This takes only a few seconds. Keep stirring the coconut or it will burn. Add the honey and melted coconut butter to the food processor and blend for 5 more seconds. Put the halva in any shape metal or aluminum pan. Some people like to line the pan with wax paper first. Use a potato masher to push the halva down tight. Thickness of the halva is up to you. I like thin, about 3 cm (1 inch). I keep this in the freezer uncovered until I want some. This hardens the halva. Normal Halva (cooked) or Halva made with a strong food processor can be keep in a refrigerator to harden.

If you have had halva from around the world you know that many things are added to it. The most common are Pistachios and dried coconuts. Start with this recipe and if you like it then go on the net and explore the worlds cuisne. Make some simple halva and tell me is this not tastier, healthier and cheaper than a factory made candy bar? Salud!

Biss Balls Part 2

I posted a version in 2010. I have been experimenting alot as my original recipe had expensive ingredients. My ultimate goal is to make it 100% local. This version may not be as tasty as one with cashews, macadamia nuts and Menjool Dates, but it still makes for an excellent snack any time of day. Most ingredients are raw to those new to my blog.

Ingredients:

Almonds (1 and a half Cups)

Dates (baking)(1 cup)
Sunflower Seeds (half a cup)
Agave Nectar (1/6 to1/4 cup) (not raw)

Blend these in a food processor. Some people like it ground to almost a flower. I like to still have some chunks of nuts. Roll into balls of whatever size you prefer. I like golf ball size. Some use an ice cream scoop or a spoon. I just roll into balls with my hand. If it is not sticking then it needs more dates and agave. This makes about 10 balls. I find they last a week covered in the refrigerator but I suspect they could go 3 weeks. Menjool dates are far superior to what are called baking dates but can be 4 times as expensive. Make Bliss Balls with both and see what you think. I like less agave but friends love ones with lots of agave so play around and keep testing.

Now to this you can add anything. Here is a list of ingredients I like.

Nuts (of any kind)

Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds (yellow or black)

Dried fruit:

Coconut (dried Flakes)
Coconut Butter
Raisins (any kind)
Dried fruits (Apricot, Figs or Mulberry work well)
Goji Berry

Spices:

Cinnamon
Clove
Star Anise
Cacao beans
Cacao powder

Replacement for Agave nectar:
Honey (Be sure you know the hive owner)
Real Maple Syrup (Not raw)

The key is to keep it about 2/3 seeds and nuts and 1/3 dried fruits and dates. Some dried fruits work better than others as they are stickier. Experiment. The spices also take alot of experimenting. I find that grading a whole cinnamon stick barely imparts much extra flavor but 2 sticks make it very interesting. I always make bliss balls with whatever I have on hand. Salud!

Golden Beet Ravioli with Squash Sauce

This one has multiple sets of possible ingredients. I have made it a number of different ways and have always been happy. Soaking the nuts helps for creamery sauce but I often forget to do this ahead of time so I just throw them in as is. I like Golden Beets. This recipe is often online with Purple beets as the base. They work great, so does Kohlrabi, Zucchini, Squash, Turnip, Diakon and Rutabaga. Use what you have. The key is to slice as thin as possible. If you can see through a slice then it will be perfect. However my Mandolin slicer does not let me slice very thin so I end up with what you see in the photo below. It works fine for me but the ravioli is then hard to cut into bite size.

  

Ingredients:

Golden Beet (amount depends on how many ravioli you want to make)

Filling:

• Walnuts (1 cup)
• Cilantro (1/4 cup) most recipes call for parsley, I have also used carrot tops or green onions
• Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon)
• Braggs (3 tbs or Tamari sauce)
• Garlic (2 Large cloves or more)

Squash Sauce:

• Squash (1 cup any kind) Net recipes call for red and yellow peppers as they make a smoother sauce
• Cashews (1/2 cup soaked 2-12 hours) Net recipes call for Pine Nuts
• Lemon Juice (1 lemon)
• Green onion or Leek (1/4 cup the white part)
• Turmeric (3 heaping tbs)
• Chile Powder or Red pepper flakes (2 tbs add only if you want heat)
• Olive oil (4 tbs)
• Water for thickness or thinness

Peel the beet or whatever vegetable you are using. Slice as thin as possible with a mandolin slicer. I find a knife is too dangerous for this. Some online recipes say cover the sliced vegetable with salt for 2 hours then rinse to get a soft base. I have not tried this. I like a crunchy base but then it does not really resemble ravioli.

For the filling, mix all the ingredients together in a food processor. I find I get the most garlic flavor if I shred the garlic first with a shredder but it is ok to just throw the whole cloves in as is. This makes enough filling for around 10 large raviolis. I have used other things for the filling including the above but instead of walnuts I use sprouted sunflower seeds or 5 heaping tbs of almond butter. Any nut or nut butter would work. It’s a wide open thing so experiment. There are no rules except strive for excellence in taste (and of course local, organic and raw).

For the sauce, cut the squash into thumb sized chucks to make the processing go faster. Put everything but the oil into a food processor and blend. Use water to reach desired thickness. Add oil only for the last 5 seconds of blending. Some days I like a thick paste other days I add extra pepper flakes and water and get a liquidy sauce. Turmeric is always hard to work with. Too little and it does not add flavor and color and too much and it overpowers. On the net recipes like this call for red and yellow bell peppers instead of squash. Bell peppers make the sauce much milder and therefore better if you want to emphasize the filling in this dish.

To assemble, place one beet slice on a plate, add a spoon full of filling, cover with a beet slice of equal size and put sauce on top. As you can see from the photo, mine resembles more a sandwich. Most net photos show a veg slice so thin that the top veg slice covers the filling and it looks like colored ravioli. This dish is faster to make then it looks. I have made this dish also with a tomato based sauce. For that meal I made the squash sauce very thick and used it as the filling and covered with the tomato sauce. I find this dish to be very filling. Five of these babies and I am very full. This recipe is an outline; do not be restrained by it. Explore new possibilities. Salud!

Squash with Wine Sauce and Marinated Mushrooms

This is a slight variation from that wonderful raw foods web page www.rawmazing.com. Check them out for great recipes and excellent photos. On paper this dish does not jump out, but make it and you will enter another dimension.

Ingredients:

• Squash (1-1 and 1/2 cups, any kind)
• 8 Button Mushrooms (medium size)

Marinade:

• Olive Oil (4 tbs)
• Balsamic Vinegar (4 tbs)
• Braggs (or Tamari sauce, 3 tbs)

Wine Sauce:

• Cashews (½ cup, soaked up to 12 hours if possible)
• Wine (White or Red ¼ cup)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 medium lemon)
• Sage (3 tbs dried)
• Water (1/2 cup, I use soak water from cashews)
• Salt to taste

Cut the mushrooms (portabellas work best but I cannot always afford them) into whatever size you like. I like big. Put in a bowel with the Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar (I use one with 15 year old aged sherry added) and Braggs. Mix thoroughly and keep mixing throughout the marinating process if possible. Leave covered or uncovered in fridge anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. Some mushrooms really soak up the marinade so check after an hour and add more if needed so that all mushrooms are coated. This keeps for 4 days so can be used on top of anything. There are many variations to this on the web. Experiment because I like it vinegary. You can add any spice to this marinade to see what happens. Paprika or Chipotle powder works well on days I want heat.

For the sauce it is best to soak the cashews. But sometimes I forget to do this and have made this dish with unsoaked cashews or cashews that soaked for around 20 minutes. Because I have a cheap food processor I end up with a chunky sauce which is ok. Soaking give you a creamer sauce. Other nuts work too. The “rawmazing” web site recommends white wine. I have done it with both red and white wine and been very happy. White makes sweeter, red makes sourer. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

Peel the squash. Use a spiralizer or cut the squash into small chunks to make the noodles. Mix the sauce with noodles and place on a dish. Put the marinated mushrooms on top and there you have it. The amounts listed above make enough for one person for a full meal. I have yet to make a large amount of this and leave overnight in the fridge but I am sure it would do well for a few days. Salud!

Raw Acorn Squash with Pear Sauce

This dish is a simple as it gets. I think local Acorn Squash works best with this dish. The idea is to taste the squash and Acorn Squash has a smooth taste. I make a large amount of the sauce and then add some of it to whatever amount of squash I want for the evening. This is an easy to prepare side dish or it is excellent as the main course.

Ingredients:

• Squash (2 cups) (I like Acorn but any kind, Spaghetti, Butternut, Zucchini etc works)
• Pears (2 medium, very ripe, mostly brown skin and very soft)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 fresh squeezed medium or 1/6 cup Verjus)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (1/4-1/2 cup depending on sourness you want)
• Garlic (2 big cloves)
• Olive oil (3 tbs, use a good one)(can be omitted, used to cut the sourness)

Chop the pears up into small pieces and combine with the lemon, apple cider vinegar, and garlic in a food processor or blender until a liquid (30 sec.). Peal skin and remove the seeds from the squash. Then use a sprializer to make noodles or just cut the acorn squash into ½ sugar cube size chunks. In a bowl mix together the squash noodles with the sauce and olive oil and it is ready. This makes enough for the main entree of two people. I like to put the sauce on the squash just before serving. The idea is to taste the full flavor of the squash along with the tanginess of the sauce. This goes well with a nice arugula salad and a very bold red wine. I keep the sauce covered in the refrigerator for 5 days and it is still fine. I have mixed the pear sauce with the squash and let it marinate for a day in the fridge. This softens the squash and takes out some of the strong squash taste. Marinating works well for people who find uncooked squash to be too gamey a taste. Once again this should be a celebration of fresh local grown squash. Other fruits can be substituted such as Mango, Kiwi, Cherry, Blueberry, Guava etc.  Salud!

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!