Raw Butternut Squash Bisque

This was my dinner tonight.  The recipe is so easy but tastes deliciously gourmet!  This was the appetizer for a 4-course dinner I prepared earlier this year for some Raw Food 101 attendees (turned friends!) in their home.  Let me know if you're interested in having me prepare dinner in your home - I would love to!  Try this and let me know how you like it.

Ingredients:

2 C fresh butternut squash, peeled, seeded
(& grated, if not using a VitaMix)
1 Gala apple, chopped
1 C coconut meat + 1 C water
(or 2 C coconut milk)

1 T olive oil
¼ t cinnamon
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t sea salt
Sage, to taste

Directions:

Blend all ingredients, then garnish with sage & pecans.

Cheezy Kale Chips

Kale rocks!  It's a beautiful food...loaded with vitamins, minerals & countless other health-promoting nutrients, kale is one of the most valuable greens & should be a recurring star in your meal planning.

There are many ways to enjoy kale - one tasty way is as a chip.  These have a cheesy flavor but contain no dairy.  I rarely meet a person who doesn't fall in love with these - they're very addictive.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 bunches curly kale

1 C cashews (soaked/rinsed/drained)

1 medium sized red pepper, de-seeded & chopped

1 medium sized lemon, peeled & chopped

2 t honey

2 T nutritional yeast

1/2 t Himalayan or sea salt

1/8 t cayenne pepper

Directions:

Rinse kale & dry in a salad spinner or colander.  Remove stems & tear into pieces (not too small - keep in mind the kale will shrink by at least half when dehydrated).

Soak cashews in water 4 to 6 hours, then rinse & drain.  Place in high-speed blender (e.g., VitaMix), along with the remainder of the ingredients.  Blend well.  Pour over kale pieces & gently but completely coat each piece with sauce (massaging will break down the fibers & create a more fragile chip, gently coating will create a crunchier chip).  Place on dehydrator trays lined with teflex, silicone or parchment paper.  Dehydrate at around 110 degrees overnight.  Remove liners & place chips directly on screened trays.  Dehydrate an additional 4 hours or until completely dry & crispy.

Stored in an airtight container, they can last for several weeks...although I've never had any stay around that long!  ;-)

I will be demonstrating this recipe during my 'Raw Food 101: Dehydrating' class on Friday, April 29 (6:30 pm) at Whole Foods Market in Tulsa.  I hope to see you there!