Raw Apple Pie

An all-American favorite, apple pie is another staple at a summer cookout or barbecue.  It's super easy to make, with ingredients you may already have on hand, so you can put it together quickly if you're invited to a last-minute get-together.  Serve it without mentioning that it's raw & you may be surprised that most people won't even notice it's not cooked.  It tastes amazing & won't leave you feeling sluggish.  If there's any left, it's even great for breakfast!

Pie Crust:

1 C pecans, dry

1 C pumpkin seeds, dry

1 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

1 C pitted dates

Syrup:

1 orange, peeled

1/2 C dates, pitted & soaked

2 T cinnamon

Splash of water, as needed

Filling:

5 C apples, seeded & grated (about 5 or 6 apples)

1 C raisins

To make the crust, process nuts & salt in food processor into a chunky flour, before nuts begin turning to butter; avoid over-processing.  Use a small amount to “flour” the bottom of your pie pan.  Add dates & process until mixed well.  The mixture should be somewhat fluffy yet hold together when pressed.  Press into bottom of pie pan; set aside.

To make the syrup, blend the orange & dates in a high-speed blender, adding a small amount of water only if needed to mix thoroughly.  Add cinnamon & pulse briefly.  Place syrup in large bowl, add raisins & stir; set aside.

Core, quarter & grate apples.  Add to bowl with other ingredients & stir.  Spoon filling into pie crust.

Variations:

You may use other nuts or seeds for the crust, such as almonds, sesame seeds or walnuts.  Slice & peel apples instead of grating, & use dried cranberries, cherries & currants instead of raisins, & figs instead of dates.  Adjust the ingredients & spices if desired; for example, lime & coriander instead of orange & cinnamon is an unusual yet delicious flavor combination not expected in an everyday apple pie.  You may also prepare it as a cobbler instead of a pie, with the filling on bottom & the crust crumbled on top.  Experiment & have fun!

Raw Potato Salad

This is a fun dish to take to a cookout.  I experimented quite a bit with this recipe, because I wanted it to look like the cooked, egg & mayo-laden version - I think it's pretty close!  The ingredients are quite different, however.  Potatoes can be eaten raw but the taste doesn't appeal to many, so jicama is used instead.  Also called "Mexican potato" or "yam bean," jicama is very crunchy and somewhat sweet, similar in flavor to a mild apple or pear.  Young Thai coconut flesh resembles boiled egg white, & the addition of onions & other herbs masks the coconut flavor.  The "egg yolk" mixture is very much like boiled egg yolk (without the chicken flavor).

Salad:

3-4 C jicama (approximately 2 medium or 1 large), diced

1 young Thai coconut – soft flesh only, diced (optional)

1/4 C celery, diced

1/2 C red &/or green onion, diced or sliced thinly

1 sprig fresh dill, minced (or 2 T dried)

2 T fresh rosemary, minced

Himalayan or sea salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Mayonnaise:

1 C cashews or macadamia nuts, soaked & rinsed

1 date, pitted & soaked

2 garlic cloves

1/4 C lemon juice

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

1 T fresh thyme

Water, if needed

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

“Egg Yolk”:

1/2 C cashews or macadamia nuts, dry

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp mustard powder

1/2 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Water, as needed

Place prepared salad ingredients in a large bowl (minus the salt & pepper); set aside.

To make the mayonnaise, soak cashews or macadamia nuts in fresh water for 4-6 hours & rinse well.  Pit & soak one date in warm water for at least 10 minutes, until softened.  Add all ingredients except olive oil & water to high-speed blender.  Blend thoroughly, scraping down sides & adding a small amount of water, only if needed for blending.  With blender on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil until incorporated & creamy.

To make the egg yolk mixture, place dry cashews or macadamia nuts in a small food processor & process into a fine powder.  Add turmeric, mustard powder & salt; pulse briefly.  Add apple cider vinegar & pulse briefly.  With food processor running, slowly drizzle in just enough water to turn mixture into soft, boiled egg yolk-like consistency.

Add mayonnaise to salad ingredients & stir completely.  Add egg yolk mixture in small spoonfuls & very gently fold in, leaving clumps that resemble boiled egg yolks.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Variations:

You may adjust ingredients, herbs & spices to your taste.  Use chopped raw refrigerator pickles or relish, red or yellow peppers & spices such as caraway, celery seed or paprika.

Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!

Yes, I'm talking about chia - the same little seeds used to grow green fur or hair on various terra cotta figures.  Just for grins, search google images for "chia pet" - I never knew there were so many variations.  Hilarious.

Seriously...I do eat the seeds, almost daily.  Chia seeds are a complete protein & contain the perfect balance of omega 6 & omega 3 fatty acids.  They contain soluble & insoluble fiber (make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day when you consume chia seeds, as they absorb many times their weight in water).  Called the "ancient food of the future" by Get Chia, there are so many health benefits attributed to the consumption of chia seeds: energy, cardiovascular health, lowering cholesterol & triglycerides, stabilization of blood sugar, cancer prevention - the list is huge.  I order my seeds from Get Chia; they have extensive information on their website about chia seeds if you want to read more.

One thing I love to do with chia seeds is make pudding.  Here's a great raw version of the classic tapioca pudding, just like Mom used to make.  This one won't spike your blood sugar & then make you want to nap later - instead, it will give you stable & long-lasting energy.

Raw Chia Pudding

2 T almond butter
1 1/2 C water (or more)
1/4 C chia seeds
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (*optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra water, if desired

Blend almond butter & water to make a quick, frothy almond milk.  Pour into a bowl & add chia seeds; stir immediately.  The seeds will begin to gel immediately; continue stirring every minute or so for the next few minutes, to prevent the seeds from clumping together as they begin to gel.  Stir in the maple syrup, vinegar & vanilla.  Stir every few minutes over the next 30 minutes or so, & add water if needed to reach desired consistency.  It can either be eaten right away or refrigerated for up to 5 days.  The seeds will continue to gel over time; you may eat it as is or add more water & stir to make the pudding creamy again.  Give it a try!

Variation(s):
This can be made with any kind of nut, seed or coconut milk (or even dairy).  If you're not vegan & not opposed to raw goat's milk, my favorite way to make this is with home made raw goat's milk kefir and a little honey & vanilla...heaven.

(*The reason I add apple cider vinegar to the above recipe is to give it a tanginess similar to kefir.  It's my preference - you can omit it if desired.)

Mizuna!

I love my Farmer's Market...I love my local farmers.  Three Springs Farm is one of my favorites, and I never leave market without picking up a few things from them.  Owners/farmers Mike Appel & Emily Oakley are such beautiful people; they offer some of the freshest, most beautiful produce, which you can tell was grown and harvested with care.  They always have a few things that no other vendor has, such as fava beans and Mizuna.  I had never heard of Mizuna until two years ago, when Emily introduced me.  Now it's one of my favorites & I buy a bag from them every week while it's in season.  I can't ever wait to dig in...I munch on it while shopping, & a few weeks ago I ate the entire bag while attending our local city surplus (bike) auction after market.  I didn't buy a bike, but I had a great breakfast.  :-)

According to Wikipedia, Mizuna is also called Japanese or Spider Mustard.  It's a fringe-leafed green often found in mesclun salad mix, with a "piquant, mild peppery flavor...slightly spicy but less so than arugula."

I included Mizuna in my green smoothie this morning - so delicious.  Don't be afraid to add spicy or savory greens or even herbs to a fruit smoothie - you might be pleasantly surprised at the flavor combinations you can create!

Unfortunately the color in this photo seems a little off, I guess because it's pretty overcast today so I didn't have the best light to shoot this....here it looks kind of swampy, but in reality the color is a vibrant, gorgeous green (as in the photo above).  You'll see for yourself when you make it!!

Fruity Mizuna

1 banana
1 pear
1/2 C pineapple, frozen
large handful Lacinto (Dino or Dinosaur) kale
large handful Mizuna
1 T hemp seeds
1 T flax seeds
2 C water

Add all ingredients to VitaMix & blend until creamy.  Enjoy!

Raw Coconut Milk

Got moo-free milk?  If not, now you can make it!  It's quick and easy...also no cows will be violated in the production of this milk - they'll thank you.  ;-)

Ingredients:
1 C mature coconut meat chunks

2-4 C water

Directions:
Using an ice pick or drill, puncture the eyes (ouch!) of a fuzzy, brown coconut & drain water.  Using a hammer, smash the coconut into small pieces, approximately 1-2" inches in diameter.  Using a knife, pry coconut meat away from hard shell & rinse well.

In a high-speed blender (VitaMix), blend coconut meat and water until smooth.  (Use more or less water, depending on consistency desired.)  Strain mixture through a nut milk bag.

Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; will keep for 3 to 5 days, or freeze into cubes for future use.  You may use the pulp for future use as a flour in cakes, cookies, etc.  You may also freeze the pulp; just store in a freezer bag with the air pressed out, then fluff in the blender when ready to use.

Serving suggestions:

As a replacement for dairy milk, enjoy with raw granola, porridge or other breakfast cereal.  Use as a base for smoothies, shakes or other flavored milks, such as chocolate (using raw cacao and/or carob powder), or use the creamier version as a base for sauces and gravies.  Blend frozen cubes with fruit to make raw ice cream, or add the milk to ice cream recipes and freeze.

Raw Chocolate Ice Cream

Super easy yet incredibly satisfying soft serve (moo-free!) ice cream.

I demo'ed this tonight at Whole Foods Market in Tulsa, OK.  Picture to come - I think I'll make this again tomorrow.  ;-)

Ingredients:
2 frozen bananas, cut in chunks
10-12 coconut ice cubes (about 1 C coconut milk)
1/4 C coconut milk

1/4 C raw cacao powder or carob powder

2 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Using tamper, blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender (VitaMix) until creamy.  Serve immediately.

Raw Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Sure, you can buy a fake cake in a box for a dollar (...or two...I have no idea how much a cake mix even costs!) and a tub of ready-to-eat fake frosting to go along with it.  But why??  Flip that box over & read the ingredients sometime...there is no home made 'goodness' in there at all.  In fact, there might be more than one ingredient that you can't pronounce or identify.  If you can't, your body sure can't...and it can only end up wreaking havoc on your health.

This cake contains no flour, wheat, gluten, refined sugar, eggs, butter, margarine hydrogenated fat or other chemical-laden ingredients.  It's 100% nutrient-dense, REAL whole food, loaded with fiber, healthy fats, natural sweeteners that won't spike your blood sugar, vitamins, minerals and enzymes.  It's so unbelievably yummy you may even want two pieces!  :-)

I demo'ed this cake tonight at Whole Foods Market in Tulsa, OK.  I hope you make it yourself at home too - if you do, let me know!  Enjoy!!

Cake:

1 1/2 C dry walnuts

1/4 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

1 1/2 C coconut flour

3/4 C raw cacao &/or carob powder

1 C Medjool dates, pitted (about 10-12)

Frosting:

1/3 C Medjool dates, pitted (about 4)

1/4 C Grade B maple syrup or raw honey

1/2 C ripe avocado flesh (about 1 medium avocado)

1/2 C raw cacao &/or carob powder

Filling:

Fresh raspberries

Directions:
To make the cake, process walnuts and salt in a food processor; grind to a fine powder (but before the walnuts start turning to nut butter).  Add coconut flour and cacao/carob powder and process until incorporated.  Add the dates and process until mixed well.  The mixture should be fluffy yet hold together when pressed.  Shape into 2 cakes of desired shape and set aside.  (The easiest method is to use a plastic wrap lined container to form the cakes and simply pull out when formed.)

To make the frosting, process the dates and maple syrup or honey in a food processor until smooth.  Add the avocado and process until smooth.  Add the cacao/carob powder and process until smooth.  (Works best in a small food processor, if available.)

Frost the top of one of the cakes with half the frosting and top with raspberries.  Stack the second cake on top and frost the top and side.  Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator a few hours to firm up.

The cake on its own will keep in the fridge for many weeks.  The frosting will keep separately in the fridge for 1 week.  The assembled cake with raspberries will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serving suggestion:

Drizzle plates with raspberry sauce and/or cacao or carob powder and top with fresh raspberries.  (For raspberry sauce, simply blend raspberries, the sweetener of your choice and water to desired thickness.)

Drinkin' o' the Green

This was posted on my website on St. Patrick's Day - I'm giving it a new home here...

What will you be drinking this St. Patrick's Day?  If a spot o' green beer at the local pub is on your agenda for Thursday evening, why not add in a healthy green drink for breakfast?  Packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes & countless phytonutrients - not to mention amazing flavor - this energy-boosting cocktail will jump-start your day and may help sustain your energy well into the wee hours!  Give it a whirl!

Green Pineapp-Ale

1 banana, fresh or frozen
1 green pear
1 kiwi
1/2 C pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen
1 stalk celery
4 leaves romaine
handful of cilantro
squeeze of lime
1-2 C water

Add ingredients to blender in order listed, cutting fruit & greens into small pieces if not using a high-speed blender such as a VitaMix.  Blend until creamy, adding ice, if desired.  Garnish with a slice of kiwi & a sprig of cilantro.

Optional: for extra energy & nutrition, including protein & Omega 3 fats, add 2 Tbsp hemp seeds, 2 tsp ground flax seeds & 1 tsp chia seeds before blending.

Basic Green Juice

1-2 carrots
1 cucumber
1/2 head celery
1/2 bunch parsley
Several handfuls spinach

Run all ingredients through a (Breville!) juicer.  ;-)

Kat's Favorite Savory Green Smoothie

1/2 cucumber
2 stalks celery
1/4 lemon, peeled
1 clove garlic with skin
1/2” piece of ginger
1/2” piece of fresh turmeric, if available (or 1 tsp turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Himalayan or sea salt
1 small handful dulse
1 tsp kelp powder
1 fresh roma tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp sesame tahini
3 leaves kale or collard greens
2 handfuls spinach
1/4 bunch cilantro
Water
Avocado, scallions, kalamata olives, sprouts, etc.

Blend all ingredients (ideally in a VitaMix) except avocado, scallions, olives and sprouts – stir these in after blending to make a chunky soup.

Banana Blueberry Green Smoothie

2 bananas
1/2 bag frozen blueberries
2 handfuls spinach
Water & ice (adjust to your desired thickness/slushiness)

Add all ingredients to a blender & blend.

Raw Strawberry Ice Cream

This recipe is so easy yet so satisfying (believe me - I'm an ice-cream addict)!

2 frozen bananas, cut in chunks
1 bag frozen strawberries
1/4 - 1/2 C almond milk
1 medjool date, if desired
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Using tamper, blend all ingredients in VitaMix until creamy, adjusting amount of almond milk for desired consistency.  Serve immediately.

Optional: you may use fresh fruit & freeze in an ice cream freezer - &/or sub the strawberries with another favorite fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries or peaches - yummo.

Raw Spaghetti: Zucchini Pasta, Marinara Sauce, Marinated Mushrooms & Cashew Garlic 'Rawmesan'

Zucchini Pasta
1 large zucchini
Peel the zucchini if you prefer softer pasta.  Cut into about 2-3” chunks and spiralize using a spiral slicer.  Set aside.


Marinara Sauce
4 ripe tomatoes (about 2 C)
1 C sun dried tomatoes, soaked or oil packed
1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 C) - optional
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 - 1 C fresh basil
1 tsp dried onion
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp sea salt
Dash black pepper
Dash cayenne (to taste)

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process to desired consistency.  Serve over zucchini noodles.  If desired, add marinated mushrooms or black olives.

Raw Marinated Mushrooms
1 C mushrooms, sliced (any type)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt

Place sliced mushrooms in a bowl with olive oil & salt.  Stir once every few minutes until marinated consistency is achieved (about 30 minutes).

Cashew Garlic ‘Rawmesan'
1/2 C cashews
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, or more to taste

Using a small blender, process cashews into powder & set aside.  Process garlic & salt, then add cashew powder & nutritional yeast; pulse just until combined.  Use just as you would parmesan cheese.

Kat's Gone Crackers

(Except the rice, all ingredients are raw)

2 C cooked brown rice
1/4 C chia seeds, ground
1/2 C flax seeds, ground
1 1/2 C water
1/2 C sesame seeds, ground
1/2 C basil & red pepper pesto**
1 t each: thyme, sage, rosemary (preferably fresh, but dried is ok)
1 1/2 t Himalayan salt

Soak chia & flax seeds in 1 1/2 C water for at least 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes (to gel).  Add all ingredients to food processor & process just until blended.  Spread mixture onto lined dehydrator trays & dehydrate at 135 degrees for one hour.  Reduce temperature to 115 degrees & dehydrate about another hour, or until dry enough to flip onto screened trays & remove liners.  Reduce temperature to 110 degrees & continue dehyrating several more hours (I like to dry them overnight) until crispy.

Remove from trays & break into pieces.  Should keep for several weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature (make sure they are completely dry before storing).

**Pesto recipe to come: I made loads of pesto last summer using basil from Farmer's Market.  Since I don't know the exact proportions of the ingredients, I can't provide the exact recipe...but I'll definitely post one this summer - stay tuned!  Just use any pesto here (basically pesto is just basil, garlic, pine nuts or walnuts, olive oil & salt.  Some people like to add parmesan cheese; I added red pepper to this one).

Raw Carob Spirulina Truffles

Spirulina with chocolate or carob is such a great combination.  I started making this 'fudge' several years ago when I first went raw.  Recently I decided to turn it into truffles & freeze them so I can grab one when I want a little bite of something sweet - hits the spot!


(Except the vanilla extract, all ingredients are raw)

1 C pumpkin seed butter
1/2 C coconut spread, a.k.a. coconut cream concentrate*
1/4 C coconut oil
1/2 C honey
1/4 C carob powder
4 t spirulina
1 1/2 t Himalayan salt
3 t vanilla extract
1/4 C hemp seeds
1/4 C sesame seeds

Add all ingredients except the hemp & sesame seeds to a food processor & process until smooth.  Add hemp & sesame seeds & process just until incorporated.  Roll into bite sized balls & roll in carob powder if desired.  Freeze or refrigerate until ready to eat.

*Coconut spread/cream concentrate is 100% raw coconut, nothing else - blended into a yummy paste.  It's available from Wilderness Family Naturals or Tropical Traditions.