SUBSTITUTIONS

1 whole vanilla bean = 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 stick cinnamon = 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice = 1/3 teaspoon each (equal parts) ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground nutmeg


1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves = 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh celery = 1 tablespoon dehydrated celery flakes


1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice = 1-3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, blended with 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or ground allspice and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves = 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 medium clove garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 medium clove garlic and 1 teaspoon salt = 1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger = 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon fresh herb leaves, chopped = 1 teaspoon dried herb leaves
(leafy green herbs, such as basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, parsley, tarragon, thyme)

1 medium onion, chopped = 1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves = 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves = 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon fresh parsley = 1 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper = 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Basil substitute with Oregano or thyme

Chervil substitute with Tarragon or parsley

Chive substitute with Green onion; onion; or leek

Cilantro substitute with Parsley

Italian Seasoning substitute with a blend of any of these: basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper

Marjoram substitute with Basil; thyme; or savory

Mint substitute with Basil; marjoram; or rosemary

Oregano substitute with Thyme or basil

Parsley substitute with Chervil or cilantro

Poultry Seasoning substitute with Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary

Rosemary substitute with Thyme; tarragon; or savory

Sage substitute with Poultry seasoning; savory; marjoram; or rosemary

Savory substitute with Thyme; marjoram; or sage

Tarragon substitute with Chervil; dash fennel seed; or dash aniseed

Thyme substitute with Basil; marjoram; oregano; or savory

Allspice substitute with Cinnamon; cassia; dash of nutmeg or mace; or dash of cloves

Aniseed substitute with Fennel seed or a few drops anise extract

Cardamom substitute with Ginger

Cinnamon substitute with Nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the amount)

Cloves substitute with Allspice; cinnamon; or nutmeg

Cumin substitute with Chili powder

Ginger substitute with Allspice; cinnamon; mace; or nutmeg

Mace substitute with Allspice; cinnamon; ginger; or nutmeg

Nutmeg substitute with Cinnamon; ginger; or mace

Saffron substitute with Dash turmeric (for color)

55. Melon with Orange Syrup

1 small honeydew melon, cut in half and seeded
1 cantaloupe, seeded
1 cup honey
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt


1 Place the honey, orange juice, sea salt and ginger in a bowl. Whisk until the honey "melts". Set aside.

2 Using a melon baller, cut honeydew and cantaloupe. Place melons in a bowl and drizzle with syrup.

54. Spicy Kale and Mushrooms

2 bunch kale, chopped
4 portobello mushrooms caps, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


Place ingredients in a Ziploc bag or plastic container. Let marinate for at least 2-3 hours

53. Red Chile Dipping Sauce

8 fresh red Chile peppers, stems removed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon sea salt

1 In a food processor, process the peppers until finely chopped.

2 Place in a bowl and add vinegar, sea salt and agave. Combine well.

52. Mexican Dip

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked, reserved 1 cup soaking water

1 In a blender, place the sunflower seeds, garlic, onion, cumin, and soaking water and process until smooth.

2 Transfer to a bowl and stir in the jalapeno. Cover and chill.

51. Broccoli Puree

2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 cup cashews, soaked
1 cup sun-dried tomato water
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 Place cashews, garlic, shallot and broccoli in a blender, sun-dried tomato water 1 tablespoon at a time to create a creamy consistency.

2 Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

50. Spicy Barbecue Sauce

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato paste
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, more if needed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

49. Cashew Yogurt

2 cups cashews, soaked
2 teaspoons probiotic powder
2 cups water

1 In a blender, process cashews, probiotic powder and water until smooth. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

48. Tzatziki

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded
1/2 cup cashew yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 Grate the cucumber flesh into a bowl. Add cashew yogurt, vinegar, garlic and mint. Mix well.

2 Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

3 Serve with cucumber slices, zucchini, carrots and celery.

47. Walnut Cream Sauce

1 cup walnuts, soaked
1 cup water
1/2 cup cashews, soaked
2 tablespoons flax flour
2 sprigs fresh sage, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg

1 In a blender combine cashews, walnuts and water to create a cream. Add more water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Remove from blender jar and place in large bowl.

2 Fold in sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

46. Tomato Sauce

1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes or vine-ripened tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked, reserve soaking water
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 In a blender, pulse sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and basil until smooth.
2 Add tomatoes, red peppers and sea salt. Stream in olive oil.

45. Date Custard

3/4 cup dates, soaked, reserve 1 cup soaked water
1 cup cashews, soaked
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
juice of one lemon


1 Blend dates and 1/2 cup reserved soaking water until creamy. Remove date mixture from blender jar and set aside.

2 Add cashews, 1/2 cup reserved soaking water and lemon juice, vanilla extract and nutmeg to blend. Process until creamy. Place mixture in a metal bowl and fold in date mixture.

3 Freeze for 2 hours. Place in refrigerator for an additional hour.

44. Tangy Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Combine balsamic vinegar, cranberries, agave nectar and sea salt in a blender. Slowly stream in olive oil.

Yields 1 cup

43. Pear Jam

2 ripe pears, finely chopped
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 oranges

1 In a blender, combine honey, orange and sea salt until honey dissolves. Add pears and quickly pulse until slightly chunky.
2 Remove from blender jar and place in a bowl. Add in cinnamon. Refrigerate for an hour.

42. Ambrosia Cookies

1 cup oat groats, soaked and sprouted
1 cup pecans, soaked
5 dates, soaked, reserve soaking water
1 cup dried pineapple, soaked
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1 cup dried coconut

1 Place oat groats in a food processor and pulse until it's a oatmeal consistency. Add in pecans and pineapple.
2 Place mixture in a large bowl, add in vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and sea salt. Fold in dried coconut. Mix well.
3 Form into cookies and place on the Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 4-6 hours. They should be firm yet soft and chewy.

Author's Notes: Allison of Raw Tribe and mother of 12 children (Nope, it's not a typo. ) contributed the picture and modifications of this recipe. Check out her blog to see how she manages to feed a huge family on the Hallelujah Diet. Thanks Allison!

Allison's Notes:
1 c. sprouted buckwheat (we didn't have oats)
1 c. pecans
5 soaked dates
1 c. dried pineapple, soaked
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 c. dried coconut
1/2 c. cranberries
1/2 c. raisins
1/3 c. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt

Blended all together and put in dehydrator. They are delicious!

41. Banana Date Bread

5 dates, chopped
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup wheat, soaked and sprouted
1 cup water
3/4 cup golden flax flour
1/2 cup dried pineapples, soaked
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon organic almond extract


1 In a food processor, combine wheat, water and pineapple. Process until most of wheat kernels are gone. Remove from processor.
2 Place in a large bowl with flax flour, mashed bananas, dates, agave nectar, salt and almond extract. Mix well.
3 Spread mixture on two Teflex sheets making a 8 x 8-inch square on each. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 24-36 hours.
4 Flip bread over after 8 hours. With a pizza cutter, score the bread into a tic-tac-toe pattern. You should have 9 slices per Teflex sheet (18 slices).

Yields: 18 slices

40. Wasabi Sauce #2

1 avocado
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Combine avocado, apple cider vinegar, ground mustard, salt and water in a blender until smooth.

Serves 2

39. Avocado Salsa

2 avocados, coarsely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, minced
juice of one half lime
Sea Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 Combine the avocado, onion, jalapeno and lime juice in a bowl.
2 Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serves 4; Yield: About 1 cup

38. Spice Pears

4 ripe pears, peeled, sliced and cored
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
mint leaves, for garnish



1 Place pear slices in a Ziploc bag, add vanilla, nutmeg, ginger and lemon juice. Marinate for two hours, overnight is best.
2 In a blender, combine orange juice and honey until you achieve a syrup consistency.
3 Place pears on a serving dish. Pour syrup over pears, garnish with mint leaves and serve.

37. Oatmeal Shortcakes with Spiced Plums

photos by Bob

Shortcakes
1 c oat groats, soaked overnight
1 c walnuts, unsoaked
5 pitted Medjool dates, unsoaked
1 vanilla bean, scraped or 2-3 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1/4 t sea salt

In a food processor, process walnut into a "flour". Remove from processor.

Place oat groats, dates and vanilla in the processor and pulse until an oatmeal consistency.

Put oatmeal mixture in a large bowl, add walnut flour and sea salt. Combine well.

Form dough into eight 2 1/2-inch diameter biscuits. Place on teflex sheets.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 2 hours. Flip over and dehydrate another one hour.

Fruit
6 ripes plums, halved, pitted, sliced
Juice of one half lemon
1/4 c agave nectar
1/2 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground cinnamon

Marinate for at least an hour. Drain juice.

Pine Nut Cream
1 c pine nuts, soaked
1/4 c honey
1/4 c water
1/8 t sea salt

Blend ingredients until smooth and creamy. Set aside.


Place a biscuit on a plate. Spoon plum mixture over biscuit. Spoon pine nut cream atop plum mixture. Spoon plum mixture atop pine nut cream. Place biscuit top over plum mixture. Serve immediately.

Author's Notes: Bob, from Legally Raw, is one cool cat. He sent in a photo and notes of this RTK recipe and it looks very good. Makes me want to make a batch. Thanks Bob!

Bob's Notes: I wish I would have soaked the pine nuts overnight. I think it would have turned out a little creamier. I only let them go for a little over an hour.

I added about 1/8 teaspoon of the vanilla to the cream. It was rich to begin with and made it even richer (and more dangerous to stay away from.) I put them together a little differently.

Heavy on the cream, with a sprinkle of nutmeg, like we used to put on oatmeal, and a sprig of mint for decoration. Hope they look OK!

I also took some pictures more along the lines of the recipe. Still with the sprinkle of nutmeg and some mint.

We both decided that the recipe would serve 8 with no problem. To quote the wife "Oh, God that's good!"

36. Oatmeal Cookie Biscotti

photos by Jessica

2 c almonds
1 c oat groats, soaked, divided
1/2 c dried cranberries, soaked
1/4 c agave nectar
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t sea salt

In food processor, pulse almonds into a flour. Remove from processor.

Add half of oat groats to food processor and process until smooth. Place mixture in a bowl.

Combine oat groat mixture with almond flour, seasoning, agave nectar and cranberries.

Spread mixture on Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 110 degrees overnight or 6-8 hours. Flip over and score into bars about 4 hours into the dehydrating time.

Author's Notes:

Everyone say "Yeah, Jessica!" She is the first person to send "Raw Test Kitchen" a photo and comments about a RTK recipe. "Yeah Jessica!" She did a fantastic job!

Jessica, thank you so much for your contribution. I really appreciate it.

She has two great blogs Raw Food with Jessica and Something Nice to Talk About . Go check them out.

Jessica's Notes: I purchased the dried cranberries in my local health food store. Not realizing until I got home it had sugar in it. I soaked it for a while then rinsed it off.
Yummy. My snack bowl was filled with it.

35. Peach Custard

1 c cashews, soaked
2 peaches, skinned and sliced
1/2 c agave nectar
1/4 c water
1 t vanilla extract
1 t nutmeg
Juice of one lemon

Blend peaches until creamy. Remove peaches from blender jar and set aside.

Add cashews, water, agave nectar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and nutmeg to blend. Process until creamy. Place mixture in a metal bowl and fold in peach mixture.

Freeze for 2 hours. Place in refrigerator for an additional hour.

34. Sun-dried Tomato Ketchup

1 c sun-dried tomato, soaked, 1/4 c reserve water
1/4 c raisins, soaked
1 T Italian Seasonings
1/4 T chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine ingredients in a blender until mixture is slightly chunky.

33. Cashew Garlic Sauce

1/2 c cashews, soaked
1 water
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of one lemon
1 t sea salt

Blend ingredients in blender.

32. Portobello Mushroom Soup

4 c portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 c walnuts, soaked
1 c water
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
Juice of one half lemon
1 T Nama Shoyu
2 t dried dill weed
1/2 t paprika

Combine walnuts and water in a blender until you create a walnut milk. Add mushrooms, onion, parsley, lemon juice and Nama Shoyu.

Pour into a bowl and add dill weed and paprika.

Top with Cashew Garlic Sauce.

31. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 c soaked and sprouted oat groats
1 c raisins
1/2 c almonds, ground into flour
1/4 c agave nectar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t sea salt

Place oat groats in a food processor and pulse until it's a oatmeal consistency. Put mixture into a large bowl, add almond flour, raisins, agave nectar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and sea salt. Mix well.

Form into cookies and place on the Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 4-6 hours. They should be firm yet soft and chewy.

30. Portobello Steaks

4 large portobello mushrooms, sliced into 1/2 inch
1/4 c Nama Shoyu
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 t ground nutmeg

Place all ingredients in 1-gallon Ziploc bag. Shake the bag to combine. Marinate for two hours. Occasionally shake the bag to ensure the mushrooms stay coated evenly.

Remove mushrooms from the bag and spread on Teflex sheets. Place in dehydrator for an additional two hours (or until slightly soft) at 110 degrees.

29. Mashed "Potatoes" and Chives

1 c chopped cauliflower
1/2 c cashews, soaked
1/4 c water
1/4 c chopped chives, reserve 1 teaspoon for garnish
1/2 garlic clove, minced
Juice of one half lemon
1 T sea salt

Place cashews and cauliflower in a blender, add lemon juice and water 1 tablespoon at a time to create a creamy consistency.

Remove mixture from blender jar and place in a large bowl. Fold in garlic, chives and sea salt. Garnish with 1 teaspoon of chives.

28. "Roasted" Peppers

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c olive oil
1 t sea salt

Place ingredients in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag, marinate for an hour in the refrigerator.

Remove peppers from the bag and spread on Teflex sheets. Place in dehydrator for an additional hour at 110 degrees.

Tools You Can Use Archives

Mandoline - A compact, hand-operated machine with various adjustable blades that creates slice, julienne, shred, crinkle or waffle-cuts. It's used primarily to cut firm vegetables (such as the daikon radishes and zucchini pictured above) with uniformity.

A saladacco (aka Spiralizer) transforms yams, sweet potatoes, daikon and other root vegetables into angel hair pasta noodles.

DID YOU KNOW?

The daikon radish contains active enzymes that aid digestion, particularly of starchy foods. It is also high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese


The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin.

• August is National Peach Month
• Aug. 22 is National Pecan Torte Day
• July is National Blueberries Month
• One cup of sliced strawberries contains almost as much vitamin C as one cup of orange juice.
  

TIPS

• Save the liquid from soaked sun-dried tomatoes or dates. When you need water for your recipe use the soaked water for added flavor.
• I use a lot of Ziploc bags to marinate my ingredients in. The thing is I'm using the same few bags every time. I just wash them and let them air dry until I need them again. Good for the environment.
• Keep a 5-gallon painter's bucket (with lid) near your food prep area and dump all your scraps. Dump it outside at the end of the day.

WHAT'S IN SEASON?

JULY

Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Avocados
Basil
Green Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherries
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Figs
Grapes
Grapefruits
Kale
Lettuce
Lemons
Melons
Mushroom
Nectarines
Onion
Peaches
Pears
Pears, Asian
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Raspberries
Spinach
Squash, Summer
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Turnips
Valencia, Oranges

What's GROWIN' on in Colorado
Apricots
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Celery
Cherries
Cucumbers
Green beans
Lettuce (leaf and head)
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes

AUGUST

Apples
Asparagus
Avocados
Basil
Green Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chili Pepper
Citrus
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Figs
Grapes
Kale
Lettuce
Melons
Mushroom
Nectarines
Okra
Green Onion
Passion Fruit
Peaches
Pears, Asian
Pears
Peppers
Persimmons
Plums
Raspberries
Spinach
Summer and Winter Squash
Strawberries
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Turnips


What's Growin' on in Colorado
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Peaches
Onions
Peppers
Squash
Lettuce
Raspberries
Basil
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Eggplant
Garlic
Watermelon
Cantaloupe

SEPTEMBER
Apples
Asparagus
Avocados
Basil
Beans, Green
Beets
Brussels Sprout
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Chili Pepper
Grapefruits,
Lemons,
Valencia Oranges
Oranges
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Grapes
Guava, Pineapple
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushroom
Mustard
Nectarines
Okra
Onion, dry
Onion, Green
Passion Fruit
Peaches
Pears
Pears, Asian
Peppers
Persimmons
Plums
Raspberries
Spinach
Squash, Summer
Squash, Winter
Strawberries
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Turnips


OCTOBER
Apples
Asparagus
Avocados
Basil
Beans, Green
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprout
Cabbage
Carambola
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cherimoyas
Chili Pepper
Grapefruits,
Lemons,
Tangelos/Tangerines,
Valencia Oranges
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Grapes
Guava, Pineapple
Kale
Kiwi
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushroom
Mustard
Okra
Onion, dry
Onion, Green
Passion Fruit
Peaches
Pears, Asian
Peppers
Persimmons
Pomegranates
Raspberries
Sapote
Spinach
Squash, Summer
Squash, Winter
Strawberries
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Turnips
Yams


NOVEMBER
Apples
Artichokes
Asparagus
Basil
Beans, Green
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprout
Cabbage
Carambola
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cherimoyas
Chili Pepper
Grapefruits,
Lemons,
Tangelos/Tangerines,
Valencia Oranges
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Grapes
Guava, Pineapple
Kale
Kiwi
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushroom
Mustard
Okra
Onion, dry
Onion, Green
Passion Fruit
Peaches
Peas, Black-eyed
Peppers
Persimmons
Pomegranates
Raspberries
Sapote
Spinach
Squash, Summer
Squash, Winter
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Turnips
Yams


DECEMBER
Artichokes
Basil
Beans, Green
Beets
Brussels Sprout
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chili Pepper
Lemons,
Valencia Oranges
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Grapes
Guava, Pineapple
Kale
Kiwi
Lettuce
Mushroom
Mustard
Okra
Onion, dry
Onion, Green
Peppers
Pomegranates
Spinach
Squash, Summer
Squash, Winter
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Turnips
Yams

RAW NEWS YOU CAN USE ARCHIVES

Oct. 5, 2007
Sept. 28, 2007
Sept. 21, 2007
Sept. 14, 2007
Green Smoothie News
Sept. 7, 2007
August 31, 2007
My Denver Post article, August 29, 2007
August 24, 2007
August 21, 2007
August 17, 2007
August 7, 2007
Aug. 3, 2007
July 28, 2007
July 14, 2007
July 5, 2007
I Will Eat Raw video
June 27, 2007
June 25, 2007

Raw Food Dictionary

Biscotti - A dry, crunchy Italian cookie used for dipping into coffee or red wine
Compote - A chilled dish of fresh fruit marinated in a sweet syrup.
Crudites- Raw vegetables used as an appetizer dish, usually carrot sticks, pepper strips and celery sticks.
Crumble - A British dessert in which raw fruit is topped with a crumbly mixture. Also a crisp.
Gazpacho-A refreshing, summertime, uncooked soup usually made from a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery, cucumber and garlic.
Granita-Italian for ice. It’s a frozen mixture of water, a sweetener and some sort of liquid flavoring, like fruit juice or wine.
Mint
Nama Shoyu - A raw unpasteurized soy sauce.
Panna Cotta- A light, eggless custard served with fruit or chocolate sauce.
Parfait- The dessert is layers of fruit and cream, served in parfait glasses.
Sweet Syrup - A solution of agave nectar and water or add agave nectar to any berry and let sit for a few hours. The liquid that settles on the bottom is the syrup.
Whole Flaxseeds

Kitchen Measurement Conversion Chart

Dash = less than 1/8 teaspoon
3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
4 Tablespoons = 1/4 cup
8 Tablespoons = 1/2 cup
12 Tablespoons = 3/4 cup
16 Tablespoons = 1 cup
2 Tablespoons = 1 ounce liquid
8 ounces = 1 cup
16 ounces = 2 cups
16 ounces = 1 pint liquid
2 pints = 4 cups
2 pints = 1 quart
2 quarts = 1/2 gallon
4 quarts = 1 gallon

27. Hawaiian Cream Pie

Cashew Coconut Crust
1 c cashews, unsoaked
1 1/2 c dates, pitted
1 1/2 c shredded coconut
3 T coconut water
2 T vanilla extract
1 T coconut butter

In a food processor, pulse cashews, dates, vanilla until well combined. Add shredded coconut and briefly processor.

Press crust in a glass pie pan.

Filling
3 c coconut meat
3T coconut oil
1/2 c chopped pineapple
1/4 c coconut flakes
2 ripe bananas
1 firm banana, sliced

In a blender, combine all ingredients, except banana slices.

Place banana slices on the bottom of pie crust. Pour filling over bananas. Chill for at least an hour.

26. Sweet-Sour Sauce

1 c chopped pineapple
1/2 c honey
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
2T Nama Shoyu
1/2 t sea salt

In a bowl, whisk apple cider vinegar, Nama Shoyu and sea salt.
In a blender, pulse pineapple until slightly chunky, add honey. Pour pineapple mixture in bowl.

25. Orange Fruit Dip

1/2 c orange juice
1 c cashews, soaked
2 T vanilla extract

In a blender, combine ingredients until smooth.

24. Tuscan Mushrooms

1 pound white button mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed, reserve mushroom stems
2 scallions, diced
1/2 c diced red bell peppers
1/2 c diced pitted green olives
4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 t sea salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 c finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Massage mushroom caps with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Put mushrooms in the dehydrator for one-half hour.

Dice mushroom stems, toss with red bell peppers and 2 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the scallions, red bell peppers mixture, olives, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and pepper.

Transfer the mushrooms caps to a serving platter, spoon the filling into the cavity of the mushrooms, sprinkle with chopped basil and serve.

Transfer the mushrooms to a serving platter, sprinkle with chopped basil, and serve.

23. Chocolate Pecan Torte

Today is National Pecan Torte Day and in honor of that I came up with this recipe.

Chocolate Pecan Torte

Pecan crust
2 c pecan pieces, divided
1 c dates
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t sea salt

In a food processor, chop 1/2 cup of the pecan and set aside. Process remaining pecans and sea salt until finely ground. Add dates and nutmeg, process until mixture sticks together. Press into a pie pan.

Chocolate filling
2 c coconut meat
1/2 c cocoa powder
1/4 c agave nectar
2 T vanilla extract
1/4 t sea salt

In a blender, combine ingredients until smooth. Place in a pie crust and chill for an hour.

Cocoa cream
3 c cashews, soaked
1/4 c agave nectar
4 T cocoa powder
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 c water

In a blender, combine ingredients until smooth. Place in a bowl and chill for an hour.

Fill a pastry bag (fitted with a medium star tip) with cocoa cream. Pipe shells over top of torte, covering it completely.

22. Wasabi Sauce #1

1 avocado
Juice of one half lime
2 scallions, thinly sliced
3 T Nama Shoyu
2 t Wasabi Powder
1/2 c plus 2 t water

Mix Wasabi powder and 2 teaspoons water to make a paste. Let stand for 10 minutes. In a blender, puree avocado, Nama Shoyu and lime juice until well combined. Place in a bowl, fold in Wasabi paste and scallions.

21. Jicama Rice

This recipe is from Raw Food Real World by Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney.

The book is one of my favorites and I look at it at least five times a day for reference. The recipe for jicama rice is wonderful and so simple. The ingredients are the same but I have modified the instructions a bit. Instead of putting the rice in the dehydrator to dry out, I strain the mixture through a nut bag and fluff it with a fork.

6 c chopped jicama
1/2 c pine nuts
1 T plus 2 t sea salt
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
3 T agave nectar

Pulse jicama and pine nuts in a food processor until chopped to the approximate size of rice grains. Strain mixture through a nut bag to remove excess moisture.

In a large bowl, gently fluff rice with a fork. Add sea salt, vinegar and agave nectar.

20. California Radicchio Bowls

8 leaves Radicchio leaves, rinsed, towel dried
4 carrot, shredded
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
3 pieces dried seaweed, broken into tiny pieces
1 avocado, cubed
1 c alfalfa sprouts
1 c cilantro, chopped
1/4 c white sesame seeds
1/4 c Wasabi Sauce

Gently toss the carrot, seaweed and cucumber together. Spoon the filling onto a Radicchio leaf. Repeat with remaining leaves. Top with Wasabi sauce and a pinch of sesame seeds.

19. Sweet Sesame Seed Dipping Sauce

1/4 c agave nectar
1/2 c rice wine vinegar
1 small bunch of cilantro, leaves only
2 T Nama Shoyu
2 T Black Sesame Seeds

In a bowl, whisk ingredients together.

18. Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/4 c almond butter
1 garlic clove, minced
juice of 1 lime
3 T agave nectar
2 T Nama Shoyu
2 T water
2 T grated ginger
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t sea salt


In a blender puree together almond butter, garlic, lime juice, agave nectar, Nama Shoyu, water, ginger, red pepper flakes and sea salt until mixture is smooth. If needed add more water one tablespoon at a time to reach a desired consistency.

17. Strawberry Cheesecake Tart

STRAWBERRY SAUCE
3 pint-size baskets strawberries, cleaned and stems removed
1/4 c agave nectar
1/4 t sea salt

Marinate strawberries in agave nectar and sea salt. Let marinate overnight in refrigerator for best results.

Once marinated, the juice from strawberries will be in the bowl.

In a blender puree 2 pints of the strawberries, adding strawberry juice 1/4 cup at a time, until you achieve a smooth consistency. Cover and briefly chill.

CRUST
2 c almonds, soaked overnight
1 c Medjool dates, soaked for 1 hour
1/2 t organic vanilla extract
1/4 t sea salt

In a food processor, combine almonds, dates, vanilla and sea salt. Press onto bottom and up the sides of an 10-inch tart pan.

FILLING
3 c cashews, soaked for 1 hour
juice of 1 lemon
2/3 c agave nectar
1/4 c water
2 t organic vanilla extract
1/4 t sea salt

Mix cashews, lemon juice, vanilla, sea salt and agave nectar in a blender. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time to create a creamy consistency.

Pour into crust and put in freezer for a couple of hours to chill.

To complete cake, halve remaining strawberries; arrange on top of cake. Brush strawberries with sauce, immediately.

16. Elvis' Banana Nut Butter and Jam Parfait

BANANA CREAM
1 ripe banana
1/2 c cashews, soaked
1/8 c agave nectar
1/8 t sea salt

Whip ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

CHERRY JAM
1/2 c dried cherries, soaked for an hour
1/8 t sea salt

Liquefy in blender until syrup consistency.

NUT BUTTER
1/2 c raw almond butter
1/4 c raw honey
pinch of sea salt.

Combine ingredients in a bowl.

1 Banana, sliced

Put 2 banana slices in the bottom of a parfait glass, place 1 tablespoon nut butter on top then cherry jam and banana cream. Continue to layer until you reach the top and end with bananas. Chill for an hour.

15. Spicy Spinach and Pepper Taquitos

SPINACH/PEPPER MIXTURE

1 c fresh spinach
1/2 sweet red bell pepper, diced
1/2 sweet yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
Juice of one lime
1 T olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 t chili powder
1 t sea salt

Place ingredients in a plastic bag Ziploc bag and marinate for 1 hour.

NACHO CHEESE
1 c cashews, soaked

1/4 c water

1/2 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon
1 T Nutritional yeast
1 t turmeric

Blend ingredients until thick and creamy.

CORN TORTILLAS
4 c fresh corn kernels, from sweet corn on the cob
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 c golden flax seeds, finely ground
1 t sea salt

Chop corn and bell pepper in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Take a spoon and spread the corn mixture on the teflex-lined dehydrator trays. You should have enough mixture for two or three trays.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for about 5 hours.

Flip the teflex sheet over onto the tray and carefully pull away from tortillas.

Using a pizza cutter, score the tortilla in 3-inch strips (approximately 3 long strips) length-wise, then score every three inches across. You should have approximately 9 strips of rectangles.

Dehydrate for another 2 hours until tortilla is completely dry on both sides but still pliable.

To assemble taquitos, spread cheese on a the end of one tortilla strip, spoon spinach/pepper mixture on top of cheese and roll tortilla tightly to prevent it from opening.

Secure with a toothpick, if necessary.

Put taquitos in dehydrators at 110 degrees for 8-12 hours or until they are crisp on the outside.

14. Tartar Sauce

1 c cashews, soaked until soft
1/4 c water, plus additional tablespoon
4 pickles, minced
1 T dry mustard
juice of 1 lemon
2 scallion, white part only, chopped
1 T agave nectar
1/4 t sea salt
1/8 t pepper

Blend ingredients. If needed, use water additional water to create a smooth consistency.

13. Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 c cashews, soaked until soft
2 T dry mustard
2 t honey

Blend ingredients.

12. Pineapple-Plum Relish

1/2 c pineapple, finely chopped
3 ripe plums, finely chopped
2T fresh mint, chopped
1T apple cider vinegar
1T honey
2t fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Combine ingredients in a bowl.

11. Jerk Fries

1 medium sweet potato, peeled

Very thinly slice the sweet potato, as you would a potato to make chips. Stack a few slices at a time and cut them all into matchstick-sized pieces.

JERK SEASONINGS
2 T olive oil
2 T dried minced onion
2 1/2 t dried thyme
2 t ground allspice
2 t ground black pepper
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t sea salt

Place the dried onion, thyme, allspice, ground black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and sea salt in a plastic bag.

Coat sweet potato lightly with oil, then place fries in bag and shake until the fries are well coated.

10. Greek Portobello Pizza

12 mini portobello mushrooms caps, stems removed
2 T olive oil
1 t sea salt

Lightly pat inside and outside of mushrooms with olive oil and sea salt. Let sit for an hour or so.

TOPPINGS
6 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 red onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
6 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

SPINACH FETA CHEESE
1/2 c macadamia nuts, soaked until soft
a handful spinach
juice of one lemon juice

2 T water
1 T nutritional yeast
2 t sea salt

Combine ingredients in a blender until chunky. If blender gets stuck, add more water a tablespoon at a time to get things going.

Spread spinach feta cheese on mushroom caps. Place topping ingredients on cheese. Put in dehydrator at 100 degrees for 1-2 hours, until warm.

9. Tri-colored Hummus with crudites

HUMMUS

2 c garbanzo beans (chickpeas), sprouted*
1/4c raw tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced

6 T water
1 T olive oil
1 t sea salt
1 c sun-dried tomato, soaked til soft
1 c spinach

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.

Divide hummus into three portions, leaving one of the portions in the food processor.

Put sun-dried tomatoes in the food processor with the hummus. Blend until creamy and slightly chunky. Remove sun-dried tomato hummus. Set aside.

Rinse processor and add spinach with the second portion of hummus. Combine thoroughly.

CRUDITES

Cucumber slices

Carrot slices

Broccoli

Cherry tomatoes

* Sprouting is super easy.

1. Place garbanzo beans in a glass jar or bowl and cover it with water. Let it soak in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Drain beans then fill with water and drain again.
3. Now set the jar at a 45º angle with good air flow.
4. Continue to rinse and drain for a day or two until little white tails sprout from the bean. They're ready to use.

8. Creamy Cucumber Salad

DILL DRESSING
1/2 c sour cream (recipe below)
3 T chopped fresh dill
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t ground pepper

6 English cucumbers, thinly sliced

In a bowl, combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons dill, salt and pepper. Whisk well.

Add cucumbers and toss to coat. Garnish with 1 tablespoon dill.

SOUR CREAM
½ c macadamia nuts
juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ t sea salt
6-7 T water

Blend macadamia nuts, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time to create a smooth consistency.

7. Greek Salad

DRESSING
1 lemon, juiced
3 T olive oil
1 t dried oregano
¼ t sea salt
ground black pepper, to taste

Place ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid and shake to combine.

SALAD
1 head romaine lettuce- chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 c kalamata olives
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup cashew feta cheese (recipe below)

In a salad bowl, combine the Romaine, onion, olives, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber and cashew feta. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.

FETA CHEESE
2 c macadamia nuts, soaked until soft
¼ c lemon juice
1 T nutritional yeast
2 t sea salt

Combine ingredients in a blender until chunky. Loosely spread on a teflex sheet and put in a dehydrator at 100 degrees for 6-8 hours or until dry. Break up cheese with a fork.

6. Southwestern Corn Chowder

4 c corn kernels
1 c cashews
1 c water
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
juice from 3 limes
2 T olive oil
2 t chili powder
1 t cumin

2 c corn kernels
1 avocado, peeled and diced
½ bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped

Puree first twelve ingredients in blender. Put in a bowl and fold in 2 cups corn kernels, avocados and cilantro.

5. Nutty Vegetable Pasta

NUTTY SAUCE
1/2 c raw almond butter
1/4 c Nama Shoyu
1/4 c coconut water
3 T tahini
2 T olive oil
1 T sea salt
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy.

VEGETABLES
1 c sliced carrots
1 c sliced broccoli
1 c sliced mushrooms
1 t red pepper flakes

2 cups coconut noodles
Cut coconut meat from 3-4 young coconuts into strips.
NOTE: The coconut meat should be firm meat not the gel consistency.

Almond slivers

Lightly toss vegetables and coconut noodles together with Nutty sauce. Let set for 1 hour. Top with almond slivers.

4. Thai Slaw

DRESSING

Juice of one small lime

1 small piece ginger

2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c raw almond butter

4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only

2 T honey

2 T olive oil

1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/4 t sea salt

In a blender, combine ingredients.

SLAW
4 c shredded Napa cabbage
2 c shredded red cabbage
1 c shredded carrot

Combine cabbages and carrot in a bowl and toss with dressing. Marinate 15 minutes before serving.

3. Mango and Avocado Salad

ALMOND DRESSING
2 T raw almond butter
2 T coconut water
1 T water
1 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 t honey
1/2 jalapeno, minced
Juice from 1/2 lime

In a blender, combine ingredients.

SALAD
1 c arugula, packed
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into thin slices
2 medium avocados, peeled and cut into thin slices
2 T chopped almonds

Divide arugula among 2 plates. Fan mango and avocado slices over and drizzle with almond dressing. Top with chopped almonds.

2. Spicy Fajitas

MUSHROOM MIXTURE
5-6 portobello mushrooms, sliced in thick strips
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
3 T olive oil

Combine cumin, coriander, 2 t. salt and pepper (to taste). Rub mushrooms with 2 T olive oil and spice mixture. Let marinade for 1 hour (overnight is better).

PEPPER MIXTURE
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (ribs and seeds removed)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
2 T fresh lime juice
Sea salt
Pepper

Season peppers and onions with 1 t salt, pepper (to taste) and lime juice. Let marinade for 1 hour or until peppers soften a bit.

8 corn tortillas (recipe below)
Sour cream (recipe below)
lime wedges

ASSEMBLE
Serve mushrooms and pepper mixture with corn tortillas, cashew sour cream and lime wedges.

CORN TORTILLAS
4 c fresh corn kernels, from sweet corn on the cob
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 c golden flax seeds, finely ground
1 t sea salt

Chop corn and bell pepper in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Take a spoon and spread the corn mixture on the teflex-lined dehydrator trays in tortillas circles. Make the tortillas as big or as small as you want. I usually make them about 5-inch around.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for about 5 hours. Flip the teflex sheet over onto the tray and carefully pull away from tortillas. Dehydrate for another 3 hours until tortilla is completely dry on both sides but still pliable.

NOTE:
I also use this recipe for tostadas. I just leave the tortillas in the dehydrator until they have the crispiness of tostadas (about 6-8 hours).

SOUR CREAM
½ c macadamia nuts
juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ t sea salt
6-7 T water

Blend macadamia nuts, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time to create a smooth consistency.

1. Jalapeno Coleslaw

JALAPENO DRESSING
1 small jalapeno chile, finely diced
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 T agave nectar
1 t sea salt

Whisk ingredients together.

SLAW
3 c green cabbage, shredded
3 c red cabbage, shredded
8 scallions, sliced into thin rounds
1 c fresh chopped cilantro

Combine dressing with slaw ingredients. Let marinate for a hour.