Sunday, December 12, 2010

Recipes from Raw Food Fun on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010

Raw Zucchini Hummus
INGREDIENTS:
1 large Zucchini
1/2 cup Tahini (less or more to taste)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 Large Garlic Clove
Sprinkle of Paprika for presentation

DIRECTIONS:

Peel the zucchini until all the green skin is removed. Not peeling the zucchini will make it chunky and green, not like hummus at all. Slice peeled zucchini into smaller pieces. Combine all ingredients except Paprika into food processor and blend until creamy and thick. If not desired consistency add a little bit of water while blending. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with paprika. You can also garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, olives, pine nuts, or herbs.

Red Pepper Cashew Cheese Pate
From Café Gratitude’s recipe book: I Am Grateful
Makes about 2 ½ cups pate
INGREDIENTS:
1 ¼ Cups soaked Cashews (*use Raw Cashews; soak for at least 8 hours, rinse well and drain before putting in food processor)
1 Cup diced Red Pepper (approx. 1 medium sized Pepper)
2 ½ Tablespoons Lime Juice
¼ teaspoon chopped Garlic
¾ teaspoon Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade.  Puree into a smooth pate.  Don’t be afraid to let it puree for a while (may feel like a long time, but will reach a very smooth and creamy consistency). Yummy!!!
*I like to serve with celery, simple raw or regular crackers, and/or tortilla.  But you can serve it with whatever you like (doesn’t have to be raw unless you wanna stay really pure to raw…sometimes just depends what’s around and what is affordable).

Raw Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS:
3-4 Bananas (broken into bite sized pieces and frozen)
Handful of Fresh Mint Leaves (less or more to taste)
1 Tablespoon Raw Cacao Nibs (less or more to taste)
Dates (chopped for easier blending) *cheapest to buy at Costco
Splash of Water (to help blend ingredients together; add more as needed to achieve desired consistency)
DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in the blender (I like to add Raw Cacao Nibs towards the end, once the other ingredients have mostly incorporated).  Blend well, until texture is smooth and creamy and everything is well incorporated.  You may need to get in with a spoon or spatula to stir every now and again, unless you have a VitaMix.  Serve and Enjoy!!! Yup that’s it!!!

Raw Key Lime Pie
From Café Gratitude’s recipe book: I Am Grateful
Makes one 9-inch pie
CRUST:
1 ¼ Cups Macadamia Nuts
1 ¼ Cups Pecans
Scant ¼ Cup well-packed, finely chopped Dates
¼ teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Salt
*OR Another Crust option, and the one that I do most often is:
1 ½ Cups Almonds
¼ Cup heaping Dates, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Directions:  Put all ingredients except Dates into a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, and process until finely crumbled.  Add Dates a little at a time until incorporated and until crust sticks together.  Press crust onto bottom of greased 9-inch   pie pan

FILLING:
¾ Cup Lime Juice
7 ½ Ounces Avocado (approx. 1 medium Avocado)
½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Agave
¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
½ teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Blend all of these above ingredients, then add:
2 Tablespoons Lecithin
1/2 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Coconut Butter
Directions:  Blend all ingredients except Lecithin and Coconut Butter until smooth.  Add Lecithin and Coconut Butter, blending until well incorporated.  Pour into crust and set in fridge/freezer (for about an hour) until firm.  Enjoy!!!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Pumpkin Recipe #6

Raw Pumpkin Pie
From Café Gratitude’s book Sweet Gratitude
Pecan Crust INGREDIENTS (OR I normally do the Almond Crust that I use in KeyLime Pie):
3 Cups Pecans
2 ½  oz. Date Paste (4-5 Dates chopped/muddled)
¼ teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Pecan Crust DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients but only half the amount of the Dates into processor and process till light and crumbly.  Little by little add the rest of the Dates and process till all ingredients are crumbled evenly and sticks together when pinched.  Press firmly and evenly into a 9-inch pie pan.
Pumpkin Spice Pie Filling INGREDIENTS:
3 Cups Raw Butternut Squash (grated and packed)
 1 ¼ Cups Coconut Milk
6 Tablespoons Agave Syrup
1 Tablespoons Ginger Juice
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 teaspoons liquid Vanilla
½ teaspoon Nutmeg
¼ teaspoon Clove
1/8 teaspoon Tumeric
1/8 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Lecithin
¾ Cups Coconut Oil
Pumpkin Spice Pie Filling INGREDIENTS:
Place all ingredients except Lecithin and Coconut Butter into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Add Lecithin and Coconut Butter and resume blending until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Add filling to the set pie crust and place in freezer for 1 hour or until pie is firm to the touch.  I like to let the pie sit out for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy!