Raw Garlic Bread Russell James

Everyone talks about Chef Ito from Au Lac's Restaurant down in LA. It had me curious about Chef Ito's famous garlic bread that is spongy like bread. I just have to get down to Au Lac's soon!

Then one day I got a email in my inbox and Russell James has his version of a raw garlic bread so I had to give it a try! How amazingly  easy to make!! I threw these together very quick. I was in a huge hurry and it came together quite nice I think. 

Garlic Bread

YIELDS 2 SMALL ‘LOAVES’

2 cups almond pulp
1 cup young coconut meat 

1 cup psyllium
1⁄2 cup flax meal
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 teaspoons garlic powder 3 soft dates
1 teaspoon salt

Blend the coconut meat, garlic and dates in a high-speed blender until smooth.

Grind that mixture with all remaining ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly combined.

Form into 2 loaves 3cm high and 5cm (1 ̋ by 2 ̋) wide. Dehydrate on a mesh sheet for 14 hours at 115°F. Remove from the dehydrator and cut into slices. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Russell James is "The Raw Chef"
This series "How To Be Your Own Raw Food Chef" is a complete 10 DVD at home course to help make some amazing recipes and learn to be your own raw food chef!

Raw Key Lime Pie

 
For basic nut crust:
3/4 c. raw almonds
1 c. raw walnuts
10 medjool dates (1 c. pitted and packed down)
Pinch of salt

For pie filling:
3/4 c. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 c. avocados
1/2 c. raw honey
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. coconut oil
2 tbsp. lecithin

For basic nut crust:
Process ingredients in a food processor using the “S” blade until ingredients stick together. Don’t over process or you will make nut butter. Press into pie plate. Chill while preparing your pie filling.

For pie filling:
Blend in your blender all ingredients except the coconut oil and the lecithin. Now add your coconut oil and lecithin. Blend again until creamy. Pour into your pie crust and chill for 6-8 hours or until firm. Decorate with kiwi fruit and colorful berries if desired.

Makes about 8 servings.

Photo and recipe HERE

Peach and Raspberry Tart with Raw Mascarpone

Raw Food Desserts
Crust Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds*

1 cup raw walnuts*

1/3 cup medjool dates, pitted

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Mascarpone Ingredients:

1 cup cashews, soaked 2-4 hours and drained

1/4 cup water

2 TBSP agave syrup

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/4 tsp lemon extract

1/2 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp white miso

Garnish Ingredients:

5 small peaches

1 cup raspberries

*Nuts can be soaked, drained and dehydrated.

Preparation:

Crust:

In a food processor pulse the nuts into a fine meal.

Add the dates, vanilla extract and salt.

Pulse until the dates are well incorporated and the mixture begins to clump together.

Press into a 9 inch tart pan.

Mascarpone:

Blend all of the ingredients together until a very smooth, thick texture is achieved.

Garnish:

Score a small x into the bottom on the peaches with a knife.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add the peaches and allow to cook for 2 minutes.

Remove the peaches and place in a bowl or sink full of ice cold water.

Peel the skin from the peaches.

Slice very thin and set aside.

Assembly:

Add a thick layer of mascarpone to the prepared tart crust.

Add a circle of the peach slices, slightly overlapping each slice on its neighbour.

Fill the centre of the tart with fresh raspberries.

Enjoy!

Recipe Image Source: Lisa Pitman 

Raw Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

Recipe from the The Raw Food World Newsletter

Strawberry ice cream is one of my favorites. I've added a glaze on top. Recipe follows

1 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, chopped

1/2 cup coconut crystals

2 tbsp honey or your favorite liquid sweetener

1 cup water or almond milk

1 cup soaked cashews

1 tbsp creme de cassis (optional)

Combine the strawberries, sugar and honey in a bowl, and let stand for an hour while the cashews are soaking. Blend everything until smooth, then strain into a container. Chill in the refrigerator, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This ice cream freezes hard once transfered to the freezer but softens in about 10 minutes to a scoopable consistency.

Glaze

6-8 Organic  strawberries

1-2 Tablespoons agave, or maple syrup

1 drop vanilla creme stevia

Blend in a bullet blender and spoon over top of ice cream.

Raw Burgers

Adapted from Rene Oswald's book "Transitioning to Living Cuisine" Page 301

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

1 med zucchini

Blend these up using S blade and transfer to a mixing bowl

1/2 cup sunflower seeds, sprouted

1/4 cup almonds, saoked

3/4 buckwheat groats, sprouted

1/4 cup chia gel

1/4 oz dulse

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon tumeric

Blend these up using S blade and transfer to mixing bowl

1/4 cup flax seed meal

4 onions greens, chopped

1 clove garlic (microplane)

45- stalks fennel chopped

pinch Himalayan salt

Blend these using S blade and transfer to mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly. Will make 6 burgers. Place on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate 16 hours. Serve on lettuce leaf. 

Photo and recipe Chef RawLouLou

Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

Coconut Oil Recipe
Serves 6

Crust
1 cup pecans
1 cup almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling
3 cups raw cashew pieces, soaked overnight (or at least 3 hours)
1/2 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (alcohol free is preferred for raw desserts)
32 oz strawberries (reserve 9 for decorating), hulled and halved – about 4 cups
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Raw Fluffy White Frosting Recipe
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked overnight
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (alcohol free is preferred for raw desserts)
1/4 cup raw coconut oil, melted

Strawberry Coulis (Coulis is a fancy word for pureed sauce)
2 cups chopped strawberries
3 tablespoons agave syrup

Lightly grease a 9 inch spring form pan with coconut oil and set aside.

To prepare the crust, pulse nuts and salt in a food processor fit with a metal blade. When nuts are fine crumbs, add the dates and pulse until the dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottom of prepared cake pan. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, pulse cashews in food processor until crumbly. Add agave, water, lime juice and vanilla and puree until very smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything. Feed the strawberries through the top of the food processor and puree until incorporated. The filling should turn a pretty pink. With the processor running, add the melted coconut oil in a steady stream.

Pour the filling into the cake pan. It will look like a smoothie and you’ll think no way it will set, but it will! Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set. Make sure it’s level so that your cake doesn’t come out wonky. Let set for at least 4 hours.

Prepare the frosting in basically the same way as the cake. Pulse the cashews in the food processor until crumbly. Add the water, agave and vanilla and blend until smooth. With the food processor running, stream the coconut oil in through the top until combined. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

Prepare the sauce when you’re close to serving. Just mash the strawberries up with the agave until it’s all red and syrupy.

To assemble
Release the cake from its springform prison. Use a mini scoop to place 8 mounds of icing around the perimeter of the cake and one in the center. Slice the tops off the reserved strawberries and gently smush them upside down into the frosting mounds. If you don’t have a mini scoop, just use a spoon and make them as pretty as you can, they’re gonna get smushed anyway.

To serve, place some Strawberry Coulis on the plate and serve the cake over it. Dig in!

Photo and recipe HERE

Raw Caramel Fudge Brownies Recipe

Amber Shea entered the Hot Raw Chef 2011 with this amazing recipe. I can't wait to try this recipe with carob just to see how it turns out. I know some will not know the difference. 

Each year Living Light Culinary School has a great contest and have some very generous gifts for the ones chosen. Let your creativity blossom. 

INGREDIENTS (FOR BROWNIES)
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
3/4 cup dates
pinch of salt
1/3 cup carob powder

INGREDIENTS (FOR ICING)
1/2 cup soaked cashews
1/4 cup raw agave
1/4 cup lucuma powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
–
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp cacao butter

INSTRUCTIONS (FOR BROWNIES)
Pulse the pecans and walnuts in a food processor until ground into a fine powder. Add the dates, one or two at a time, pulsing several times in between to incorporate each one. Add the cacao powder and salt, and pulse several more times until the mixture is uniformly combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 6-inch springform (or similar-size) pan greased with coconut oil. Use your fingers to press down and tightly pack the mixture in the pan. Refrigerate while you make the icing.

INSTRUCTIONS (FOR ICING)
Combine all icing ingredients except coconut oil and cacao butter in a Vitamix. Blend briefly to combine. Then, with the machine running, slowly pour in the coconut oil and cacao butter. Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Remove the brownies from the fridge and spread the icing evenly on top. Return to the refrigerator for at least one hour, or until ready to serve.

EXTRA INFO
Per serving: 214 calories, 16.6g fat (5g sat), 17g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g protein.

GO LOWER-CAL! Press the brownie mixture into 24 mini muffin cups, dividing the icing accordingly as well, to make baby brownies with 142 calories apiece.

GO SUGAR-FREE! Omit the agave nectar and lucuma powder from the icing; add stevia to taste.

Posted at Cooking 101

Health on a Budget Summit

Join the LARGEST Online Resource for Affordable Healthy Living!

Visit Health on a Budget Summit HERE
The only summit devoted to teaching you how to be healthy in an affordable way.
May 19-25

Welcome to the biggest online resource for affordable healthy living! The Health on a Budget Summit is a FREE 5-Day online conference that will feature over 30 talks, including: 
• Eating Healthy on a Budget (even on food stamps)
• Getting Fit on a Budget
• Budgeting 101And that's NOT ALL! The summit will feature exercise and price-friendly recipe videos; a Budget 101 Guide; and a Summit cookbook with over 100 raw, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free recipes.


Lecture topics:
Eat healthy on a budget, Garden on a budget, Create a budget you love, Get fit the cheap way. 


Speakers

• Brandi Rollins, MS PhDc Author of Raw Foods on a Budget and educator, 
• Linda Watson author of best selling cookbook Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Plantet--All on $5 a Day or Less
• Jean Kristeller, Ph.D. Clinical psychologist
• David Kimball, financial expert, author of upcoming book your Household Budget Made Easy
• Neale Godfrey author of ECO-Effect: The Greening of Money
• Marlow and Chris authors of Couples Money: What Every Couple Should Know About Money and Relationships
• Ellen Jaffe Jones author and sought-after motivational speaker, Eat Vegan on $4 a Day
• Lindsay Nixon author of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and Everyday Happy Herbivore Cookbook
• Andrea Frayser is an award winning authority on Holistic Family Nutrition. Author of The Pennywize Vegetarian- The "How-To" Guide For Better Eating on a Budget.
•  Rella Kaplowitz Creator of the blog, Penny Pinching Epicure
• Shawn Verral known as the "Cheap Vegetable Gardener"
• Courtney Carver writer and founder of Be More with less
• Yoav Potash award winning filmmaker, writer and social justice advocate co-Director of award -winning film Food Stamped
• Lena Eating health on Food Stamps
• Leda Meredith author of The Locavore's Handbook: The Busy Perons's guide to EAting Local on a Budget. 

Green Smoothie

Green smoothie recipes are a great way to get your greens into your diet and your children. Change them around and mix and match. Green smoothies are refreshing and a great way to increase your fiber also. They are filling and get you through the day. 

#1

2 cups water

½ cup carrot, chopped

½ cup broccoli, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

¼ cup parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

½ cup apple, chopped

½ tsp dulse or spirulina 

¼  avocado

Dash cayenne

Blend and enjoy

#2

2 cups water

½ cucumber, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

½ cup cilantro, chopped

½ lime, peeled 

¼ avocado

1 banana 

Blend and enjoy

#3

2 cups water

1 cup fennel, chopped

¼ orange, chopped

½ cup pineapple, chopped

½ banana (ripe)

¼ avocado

Kale Chip Addiction

How to make kale chips is very EASY!
Curried Kale Chips

6 cups kale

½ cup cashews, soaked 4 hours

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic

Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves into big pieces. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, blend all remaining ingredients until smooth. You may need to add 1 tablespoon water to help the cashews blend.

Mix the sauce with the kale in a bowl. Use your hands to ensure the kale is well coated with the sauce.

Place the kale on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115°F for 4 to 6 hours until crunchy.

Pesto Kale Chips

6 cups kale

1 cup pine nuts

¼ cup nama shoyu

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 clove garlic

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup fresh chopped basil

Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves into big pieces. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, blend all remaining ingredients, except the basil, until smooth. Add the basil last and briefly pulse until well mixed.

Mix the sauce with the kale. Use your hands to ensure the kale is well coated with the sauce.

Place the kale on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 115°F for 4 hours until dry.

Cheesy Kale Chips

1 large bunch of curly, green kale, washed, large stems removed, torn into bite size pieces

Cheese Sauce
1 cup cashews, (soaked 2 hours)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 t. agave (optional-I don't add, I like them more salty + savory)
1 T. nutritional yeast
1/2 t. himalayan pink crystal salt (use more or less to taste)

Put coating ingredients in Vitamix. Blend until smooth. Using your hands, massage coating onto kale pieces getting it inside of curls. Put on teflex sheets (don't worry about flattening them, they're better bunched up) and dehydrate at 105 overnight or until coating is dry. Slide onto mesh screens and dehydrate 12 hours, or until very crispy.

Thai Kale Chips

2 head Kale, Washed and Torn
¾ cup Tahini
¼ cup Tamari
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
½ cup Water
2 scallions
1 clove garlic
1 lemon (juice of)
¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast

Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth to get a thick consistency. You may have to add more water. Pour over kale and mix thoroughly with your hands to coat the kale. You want this mixture to be really glued onto the kale.

Place kale onto a Teflex sheet, on top of a mesh dehydrator screen, and dehydrate for 6 hours @ 115 degrees. You’ll need to use two trays. Rotate kale occasionally to dry uniformly.

Chia Recipes

Chia is one of my favorites!! If you've never tired chia...give them a try!


Great ways to get more chia seeds in your diet. Omega 3, fiber and protein!

These little seeds are packed with nutrients and some say they keep you energized and hydrated. I take Chia Pudding sometimes when I hike. They reduce food cravings, stop aging and reduce blood pressure and control blood sugar. Chia seeds weight loss. You will feel fuller faster. So it might help with weight loss by keeping me full! So from what I read just 1 teaspoon of those little seeds will get rid of hunger since they absorb 9 times their own weight.

Aztec warriors lived on one tablespoon of chia seeds a day. 

Know your source and purchase organic chia seeds super food.  

Chia seed benefits and nutritional value make them a great super food.

Chia seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, antioxidants, a complete protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium. 

Rich in Vitamin B

More fiber than flaxseed

More protein than soy

15 times more magnesium than broccoli

6 times more calcium than milk

More potassium than bananas

Great for pets

Chia Milk 

This chia milk recipe yields 5 cups. Chia milk is rich in essential fats and protein. Because of the soaking in the water, it is also particularly rich in enzymes. Keep in the fridge and try to consume within 1 week. The antioxidants help keep it well for that length of time. 

In a jar or glass, soak 4 tablespoons of raw chia seeds and 2 tablespoons of raw walnuts overnight in 3 cups of water.
Pour soaked seeds and walnuts into blender.
Add 1 cup of water. Turn on blender at medium speed.
With blender running, add 2 tablespoons of raw tahini, 2 tablespoons of raw honey, and optionally a dash of vanilla.
Add 1 more cup of water. Blend until smooth.


Chia Pudding

Chia seeds soaked overnight turn into a simple pudding, similar in consistency to tapioca.

2/3 cup chia seeds 
2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk such as soy, almond or rice milk 
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
2 tablespoons currants or chopped dried figs or dates 
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes 

Put chia seeds, almond milk and vanilla in a 1-quart glass jar with a lid. Tighten the lid and shake well to thoroughly combine. Or, stir together seeds, almond milk and vanilla in a bowl. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, stir well. Spoon into bowls and top with fruit and coconut.

Chia Shortbread

5 tablespoons of chia seeds

2 cups of freshly juiced organic apple juice

2 tablespoons of lucuma powder (or other sweetener)

1/4 cup of dried mulberries or 1/8 cup of dried goji berries

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Put the chia seeds in the apple juice and let soak for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Leave to soak for at least 10 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Banana-Chia-Nut Bread

2 cups of fresh vegetable juice pulp (just grab what comes out of the 'other' side of the juicer)

8 tablespoons of ground chia seeds

3/4 cup of walnuts (or other nut)

3/4 cup of raisins

5 bananas

In a food processor, or possibly even a blender, mix together the vegetable pulp and bananas.

Next, mix in the seeds.

In a bowl, mix in the walnuts and raisins with a spoon or by hand.

Shape into a loaf, or whatever shape you want.

Eat it up!

Onion-Chia Bread

2 1/2 pounds of sweet onions, peeled

1 cup of ground, soaked sunflower seeds

1 cup of ground chia seeds

1/4 of an avocado

2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil

1/2 cup of water

1-3 ounces of Nama Shoyu

In a food processor, using the 'S' blade, cut onions into small chunks.

Transfer onions to mixing bowl and add in other ingredients, mixing thoroughly.

Smooth out (1/4" thick) onto teflex sheets or unbleached parchment paper.

Dehydrate for 2 hours at 115 degrees.

Transfer to mesh and continue to dehydrate at 105 degrees overnight (or until crispy).

Break into pieces.

Eat right away or store in air tight container in fridge.

Now, there are of course baked versions of chia bread, but why not keep all the nutrients in tact, rather than destroy them with heat when you have these yummy raw recipes to choose from? 

Bruscetta on Eggplant

a savory and satisfying appetizer by  Elaina Love at Pure Joy Planet

2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick

TOPPING

8 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
10 black olives, pitted and diced
1 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar
4 leaves of basil, minced
2 tsp minced parsley
1 tsp Himalayan crystal salt

Directions:

Place the eggplant slabs, untreated, on a dehydratorscreen (no non-stick sheet needed).  Dehydrate for 4-6 hours at 105 degrees or until crunchy. Let cool and store in an airtight container. Combine the tomatoes with the remainder of ingredients and let marinade for 1 hour. Serve on top of the dried eggplant and serve immediately.You may wish to warm the topping in the dehydrator before topping the eggplant.

Raw Pizza Crust

Easy dehydrator recipes. Quick and easy makes my time in the kitchen very little.
Roughly 250 grams of buckwheat, soaked for 8 hours
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste (I used a dash of both)
1 small shallot
a pinch of cayenne
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Mash the buckwheat in food processor
Add in basil, salt and pepper, cayenne, tomatoes and shallot and process until everything is incorporated.
Add in soy sauce and olive oil and pulse the dough a few more times.
Separate the dough into 2 batches and roll out each batch into a thin pizza crust.
Dehydrate the two crusts for 8 hours, flip over and dehydrate for a few more hours (or until crisp).
Top each crust with raw tomato sauce and veggies to your liking. Enjoy!

Raw Citrus Poppyseed Cheesecake

Use your Blendtec Blender.

Fragrant Vanilla Cake adapted the recipe from This Rawsome Vegan Life)

Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:

1/2 cup almonds

1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:
1 1/2 cups cashews (preferably soaked overnight) 

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp orange juice

1/2 Tbsp organic orange zest

1 Tbsp organic lemon zest

1/2 Tbsp organic lime zest

1/3 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping) 

1 1/2 Tbsp black poppyseeds

Cream Topping:
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup fresh young coconut meat
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean (the other half of the one you used for the filling)
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Spray a six inch spring form pan with coconut oil spray (or other oil spray) and set aside.
To prepare the crust, process almonds and sea salt in a food processor until the almonds are fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottom of prepared pan. Set aside.

To make filling, drain cashews and combine all ingredients (except poppyseeds) in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Stir in poppyseeds and pour over crust in pan and set in the freezer or fridge until it is set, 4 hours or overnight.

To make topping, drain cashews and blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor, and set in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency.  Place in a pastry bag and pipe decoratively on top of and around the cheesecake.