Raw Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Russell James

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Makes one 7” cheesecake

Crust

1/4 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 cup pecans*
1/4 cup oat flour
7 apricots, diced
1/2 cup raisins, diced
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp coconut butter

- Grind all ingredients in a food processor.

- Press into the cheesecake pan.

*I like to soak the pecans for 4 hours, then dehydrate them at 105 degrees F for 10 to 12 hours, to make them more digestible and less heavy.

Filling

1 3/4 cups cashews, soaked for 20 minutes
1 cup diced pumpkin flesh
1 cup carrot juice
1/4 cup honey or coconut nectar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lecithin
Pinch salt
1 vanilla pod scrapings
1/2 cup melted coconut butter
2 tsp mixed spice*

*If you can’t get mixed spice, use pumpkin spice or refer to recipe below- 

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

- Pour over base.

- Set in fridge and allow to set for 4+ hours, preferably overnight.

- Serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice-cream.

*Mixed spice varies, depending on country and brand.  If you have pumpkin spice, use that.  Or you can use the following recipe to make your own mixed spice:

1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 tsp nutmeg, ground
1/2 tsp ginger, ground
1/4 tsp allspice, ground
1/4 tsp cloves, ground

The Vegetarian Diet for Kidney Disease Review

Got a kidney problem?

I just received this book "The Vegetarian Diet for Kidney Disease" from Basic Health Publications by Joan Brookhyser Hogan, R.D.

Joan Brookhyser Hogan, R.D. is a registered dietitian and board certified renal nutrition specialist.

This book is easy to navigate through and recipes looks simple to prepare. Talks about the stage of kidney disease. Joan Brookhyser has put together a total resource for kidney disease and the diet needed to maintain and preserve kidney function.

The chapter titles are:

The Benefits of Vegetarianism, The Stages of Kidney Disease, Common Problems associated with Chronic Kidney Disease, Kidney Disease and Other Disorders, The Kidney-Diet Link, Making Your Diet Plan, Herbs Vitamins, Minerals, and Other Natural Supplements, Meal Plans, Recipes.

In this book you will learn the types of kidney disease, learn about the important numbers you will need to manage your diet and kidney-disease progression (GFR). There are testimonies of people with kidney disease throughout the book. Some of the common problems associated with kidney disease like thirst, taste, constipation, itching and many more she goes into depth talking about each one. Goes over carbohydrates, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, lupus. What diet has to do with the kidneys. How the diet is different at each stage of kidney disease. Talks about Steven, a 60 year old man with stage 4 kidney disease and after one month of doing the recommended diet of Joan Brookhyser R.D. he got himself down to stage 3 kidney disease. Helps you become a label reader and goes over your vitamin and supplements. Meal plans are already done for you and recipes look easy to prepare.

The appendix A has helpful information to monitor you blood values. A spot to track your progress and a great in depth resource in the back of the book.

There is so much in depth information for kidney disease here. Helps every step of the way!

If you or someone you know has chronic kidney disease this book is a must have. It's like a manuel for kidney disease.

Click here to purchase from the publisher Basic Health with fast shipping.

Tofu Xpress Vegan Kitchen Tool Review

I was throughly excited when I was received this Tofu Xpress to review. I could wait to put it to the test. Could it really squeeze out all that excess liquid and better yet I had another idea!

When I make my vegan lasagna recipe, I use frozen spinach and I struggle to drain the liquid out of it when it is thawed that I loose part of the spinach down the drain.

Here you can see both the tofu and spinach have excess liquid I can just pour off after I use the Tofu Xpress. This tool is a keeper in my kitchen!

Italian Pesto Almond Torte Raw Food Recipe

Living Light Cafe's
Italian Pesto Almond TorteChef Cherie SoriaLiving Light
FORT BRAGG, CA

(Serves 6 to 8)

Seasoned Almond Cheese
1 cup almond cheese (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon light miso paste
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch salt

Living Light Café Nut Cheese
2 cups blanched almonds or raw macadamia nuts, soaked in water for 8 hours
1 cup or more water
1/4 teaspoon probiotic powder

1. Blend the almonds and water in a high-powered blender, adding more water, if necessary, to achieve a smooth, creamy texture.
2. Select a pint-size (or larger) strainer (a plastic berry basket works great), and line it with cheesecloth, allowing several inches of the cloth to drape down around the sides. Set the strainer on top of a shallow baking dish, and pour the nut batter into the cheesecloth. The baking dish will catch the liquid as it drains from the cheese. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the top of the cheese, and place it in a warm (not hot) location to ferment for 8 to 12 hours. (Less fermentation time is required in warmer weather).
3. After about 2 hours of fermenting, place a weight on top of the cheese to help press out more of the excess liquid. (An ideal weight is a jar of water.)
4. After the cheese has fermented to suit your taste, it may be stored in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Variation
Pine Nut Parmesan: Substitute pine nuts, add 1 teaspoon salt, and blend, as directed. Spread 2 cups of the batter on a dehydrator tray lined with a non-stick sheet and dehydrate at 105 degrees for 12 -18 hours, or until crisp. Scrape the dehydrated batter off the sheet and refrigerate in a glass jar for up to 1 month. Use as a topping for pastas and salads.

Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flax oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

Season the cheese and mix well.
To make the pesto, place all of the ingredients in a food processor outfitted with the “S” blade and purée, leaving the mixture a little bit chunky. Chill for an hour or more before assembling the torte.
To assemble the torte, drape a 2- to 3-cup mold with damp cheesecloth. Evenly pack a third of the cheese into the bottom of the mold. Next, layer half of the pesto into the mold. Firmly pack the pesto into place. Evenly pack another one-third portion of the cheese on top of the pesto.
Gently and firmly place the remaining pesto on top of the cheese. Firmly pack the pesto into place. Spread the remaining cheese on top of the pesto, and press firmly and smoothly into place.
To serve: Fold the cheesecloth back to expose the cheese, and invert the serving plate on top of the torte-filled mold. Center the plate carefully. Holding the plate and the torte together, turn the plate over and remove the cheesecloth and the mold, exposing the beautiful torte, now centered on the serving plate. Arrange crudités or crackers around the sides of the plate.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four to five days.
Photo and recipe

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Alkaline Foods!

TABBOULEH

1/2 cup sprouted quinoa

1/2 cup diced cucumber

2 green sliced onions

1/2 cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

DRESSING

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

To make the tabbouleh, place all the tabbouleh ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. To make the dressing, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Set aside. To serve, divide among four serving bowls, & serve with a side of dressing. Makes 2 cups.

The health benefits of quinoa:

• High quality protein
• Great source of riboflavin
• Antiseptic
• Not fattening
• Gluten-free
• Alkaline-forming
• Smart Carb

recipe featured in Ani’s Raw Food Essentials as posted on Natural Zing
 

Sweet Basil with Spiralized Zucchini and Marinara Sauce

One of my favorite meals is zucchini pasta and it's a great alkaline foods recipe!

Here is a recipe from Dr Rick and Karin Dina, D.C. 

I took thier classes at Living Light Culinary Institute. 

Science of Raw Food Nutrition.

SAUCE

2 medium fresh tomatoes (2 cups chopped)

6 soaked sun dried tomatoes (1 ounce dry or 28.3 g)

½ tsp. dried oregano or other Italian spices

1 medjool or other type of date

¼ ripe avocado

PASTA

2-3 zucchinis

Directions:

Blend fresh tomatoes, spices, date, and avocado in blender, then add soaked sun dried tomatoes and blend until smooth. For a lower fat recipe, leave out avocado. For garlic lovers, add ¼ clove of fresh garlic. To make zucchini pasta, use a vegetable spiralizer. In general, for spiralizing, squash or zucchini that is younger is better, as they create softer noodles. Add the noodles to a bed of sweet basil and top with marinara sauce, chopped bell pepper, and chopped heirloom tomato.

Health benefits of zucchini:

• Maintains low blood sugar
• Curbs overeating
• Lower cholesterol
• Anti-Inflammatory
• Heat attack and stroke prevention
• Lower blood pressure
• High in Manganese

Basic Nut or Seed Milk

Always soak your nuts or seeds overnight

Start with

1 cup raw seeds or nuts
3-5 cups water
vanilla (opt)
dates or stevia for sweetener

Rinse the soaked nuts of seeds to remove phytic acid, which is not digestible nor is a source of inositol or phosphate if eaten daily.

Blend all ingredients in your high powered blender. I use a Blendtec! My favorite.
I use gallon size paint strainer for my nut milk back. They work great!

I dehydrate the pulp for nut or seed flour for raw cakes or crackers. Store in jars.

A healthy source of protein, fats and enzymes.

Some of the health benefits of almonds:

Cholesterol-lowering effects
Reduce heart disease
Vitamin E
Potassium
Magnesium