Spicy summer curry

The sunshine is back and that calls for something light, colorful, refreshing and flavorful! This recipe definitely delivers that.

Raw parsnip rice:
3 parsnips
1/2C of dry coconut flakes (preferably sun-dried)
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp ume plum vinegar (or anything acidic)
Himalayan salt, freshly ground black pepper

Pulse the pine nuts and parsnips until they resemble white rice. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Mango curry sauce:
1 large mango
1/8 of a sweet onion or more to taste
Himalayan salt, pepper
Garam masala, ground coriander, cumin
Fresh coriander leaves

Puree mango and onion, add spices. Pour in a serving bowl, stir in roughly chopped fresh coriander. The onion can either be omitted entirely or replaced by spring onions. 

Veggies:
Pea shoots or just peas
Finely chopped raw broccoli
Carrot (we had yellow and red carrot)
Tomatoes

Sweet peppers would have been delicious, but they are not in season yet. Likewise we had to substitute frozen peas for pea shoots, but looking forward to trying this with those later! Alfalfa or mung sprouts would be excellent, unfortunately I didn't have those at hand either. I did serve this curry with a side of curried nut balls, yum!

To serve, top parsnip rice with veggies and curry sauce. It will look something like this:

I had so much fun making this, since my daughter (18 months) got on her tippy toes to snatch my broccoli off the kitchen table. She got such a kick out of munching on it, so cute! As a mom, something inside me lights up every time she enjoys eating something raw and green. She even likes to snack on sunflower sprouts.

Enjoy the summer guys!

Royal berry tartlets and cranberry-orange cookies

Once again my good friend was coming over for tea. I've mentioned before that she has several allergies. As such, they wouldn't be too problematic, but combined with my gluten-intolerance and milk allergies it becomes challenging. Again, it wouldn't be if I would go for conventional baking.. but you know me, my desserts are always raw even if I sometimes enjoy cooked meals.

I came up with a crust that would work for both of us, given that it had to be nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and raw. Then I thought I'd make a strawberry shortcake out of it, but I wasn't sure if she was allergic to strawberries.. then I remembered that it is fairly common, and thought I wouldn't risk it. Well, I thought I'd use blueberries instead, but I've made quite a few raw blueberry pies in the past... long story short: I made a pie filling out of blueberries, raspberries, figs and dehydrated orange peel. Only to realize soon after, that she is allergic to nearly all fruit, except bananas. Luckily it turned out she could handle the small touch of organic orange peel, and got no reaction from the figs either.

As if there weren't enough problems to begin with, I was short of time. I went to work early and didn't have time to prepare anything in the morning. I told my husband to soak some flax seeds for me, but neglected to tell him how much water I wanted in them... well, there was too much and hence I had to make a much bigger batch of "dough" than I had in mind. This is how I ended up making a batch of 12 tartlets and about 20 cookies.

The "dough":

1 C soaked flax seeds

2 C water

1,5 C coconut flakes

1,5 C sprouted buckwheat

10 dried dates

vanilla agave + honey, to taste

pinch salt and cinnamon (salt is essential!)

Soak flax seeds in water for at least an hour, preferably overnight.  Blend with dates, buckwheat and seasoning. Remember to taste the dough!

Royal berry filling:

1,5 C raspberries

1 C blueberries

12 dried figs

vanilla agave

0,5-1tsp dehydrated, ground organic orange peel (peel your oranges, dry in room temp/dehydrator, grind in a food processor)

2 tsp lucuma, optional

Blend all ingredients together, taste and adjust sweetness.

Fill as many pie shells with the dough as you like (spread with wet hands), set in fridge for an hour or too. Make filling after you have put the shells in the fridge, and chill it. Once the pie shells have set, assemble and chill until served. They are best, when you let them warm up just a bit in room temp before serving.

We had extra filling, but it is amazing on it's own. You could enjoy it just with some raw chocolate, on raw pancakes, etc etc... Feel free to substitute the crust for your favorite raw crust, especially when making for skeptics it might be a better idea to make a sweeter, nuttier crust. Because it didn't have any oil, this dough didn't really "set" like a nut crust with cocoa butter/coconut oil would. This means it softens in room temperature. It also tastes more "healthy" than delectable, but if you like a less sweet, nut-free crust this is pretty good. More than likely though, the next time I make these I will make an almond-pecan crust with coconut oil and vanilla agave.

Cranberry-orange cookies

The dough, left-over from making the tartlets

Chopped almonds (soaked and dehydrated if possible)

Organic, sugar-free dried cranberries (eg. apple-sweetened)

Orange peel

Cinnamon

Fold chopped almonds and chopped cranberries into the dough with a large spoon/spatula. Add flavorings and sweetener, if desired. Dollop onto dehydrator sheets, spread into thick round cookies. Dehydrate! Mine were in for about 12 hours, after which they were warm and crunchy on the outside but nice and chewy on the inside. The quality of the cranberries really makes a difference, I used Eden Foods cranberries, which are big, juicy and dark in color.

Raw buckwheat sandwiches with parsley nut cream

This was not the first time I have made raw bread, believe me I've tried a fair amount of recipes.. somehow I've never liked them too much (read: edible with plenty of toppings to mask the flavor). I thought this bread would be no different, but I was suprised to find that this was actually tasty on its own. It was good with raw spreads and veggies, and we also have enjoyed it with a (cooked) indian brown lentil dahl.

Raw brazil nut-buckwheat bread (aka best raw bread I have made)

1/2 C brazil nuts soaked

1 C flax seeds

1 C water, to soak the flax seeds with

1/3 C pumpkin seeds

1 C sprouted buckwheat (soak 10min, sprout 24h, little tail)

2/3 C grated raw seet potato

Quality salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried organic thyme (just a touch)

Soak buckwheat groats 10 min, place in a sprouting jar. Rinse at least 4 times during the 24h. Soak brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds 6-8h, discard soaking water. Also soak flax seeds with water (min 1h) to make a thick gooey paste. When they're all done, place nuts and buckwheat in a food processor, along with sweet potato. Give it some spins, I left mine chunky on purpose. Season. Shape into bread slices and dehydrate overnight.

Parsley nut cream spread:

1/2 C brazil nuts

´1/4 C sunflower seeds

handful of fresh parsley

clove garlic

lemon juice

salt, pepper

(water)

Blend brazil nuts and seeds, add lemon juice, garlic clove and salt + pepper. Blend until smooth. If you like, you can also through in the parsley. This will lend the spread a light green color. Alternatively, you can finely chop the parsley and mix it in with a spoon.

Serve together, or eat the bread on its own or with your choice of toppings. We had simple sammies with split pea greens and julienned carrots.

Raw strawberry-vanilla granola

Hey guys! It has been a while since I last posted an actual raw recipe. This is mostly because I've been experimenting with different things in the kitchen. Lately I have also enjoyed sharing my thoughts and new innovations so much, that there hasn't been much room for recipes. However, when I tasted this yummy granola for an evening snack yesterday, I realized I just have to share. So easy, nutritious and delicious, which is what healthy eating should always be about. One of those "I can't believe it is raw"-type treats.

Strawberry-vanilla buckwheat granola:
1 C sprouted buckwheat
1 C almond pulp left over from making almond milk or just soaked almonds
1 C strawberries, thawed frozen or fresh
1 C dates
2 vanilla beans (or other form of natural vanilla)
lucuma, to taste (optional)
raw honey/agave, to taste (optional)
pinch salt

Sprout buckwheat (soak 10min, drain and rinse, sprout for 24h), soak almonds 6-8h. If dates are hard, soak them for about 30min as well.
Once you see little tails on the buckwheat groats, they are ready. They will go bitter if you allow them to grow further. Rinse the buckwheat and grind relatively smooth in a food processor/blender. Add almond pulp and strawberries, pulse until encorporated, and flavorings. Mix until a nice, thick paste. Add water/coconut oil if necessary. Spread onto dehydrator sheets (lightly brush with coconut oil if stuff tends to stick to them) as thin layers, this amount took 2 of my round 13" trays.

Dehydrate until crispy, roughly 24h in 104 F. Depending on your dehydrator, you may want to start around 145F for 30min, but watch that your mixture does not get warmer than 46C/104F. Once it is dehydrated, brake into bits with your hands. The granola will keep well sealed for a couple weeks.

Serving suggestion:
1/2 C granola
handful of cashews
handful or two of fresh or thawed blueberries
almond milk

Mix granola with cashews and add blueberries. Pour almond milk over on top and enjoy. So good! Works for breakfast, dessert or snack.

Turmeric protects against DNA damage!

What kinds of ingredients should each and everyone of you be consuming as often as possible? Answer: turmeric, avocados, fresh flat-leaf parsley and organic lemons. But why?

Turmeric:

+ related to ginger, used as medicine in Asia since ancient times

+ can help fight and prevent cancer since it is clinically proven to reduce DNA damage due to potent antimutagenic properties

+ fortifies cell walls

+ detoxifying

+ strong antioxidant

+ shown to prevent peroxidative injury of DNA with approximately an 80% prevention rate

+ dietary turmeric can activate bowel motility and carbohydrate colonic fermentation

+ can help prevent and treat symptoms of atherosclerosis, Alzheimers, Cystic Fibrosis

+ superior antioxidant power slowing down and reducing the symptoms of aging

+ anti-inflammatory: could play a role in the treatment/management of arthritis

+ evidence suggests curcumin can interfere with replication of herpes simplex virus

+ might boost liver function and aid recovery of liver injuries

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as you can see from the bibliography this research is very recent. I am sure that in time, we will discover even more benefits of turmeric. So for your health, beauty and overall well-being, start inducing this true "superfood" into your diet!

To maximize the benefits it is best to consume organic turmeric raw and unheated. Remember also to always consume your turmeric with quality fats (like with avocados), because this significantly increases the absorption of the active ingredient, curcumin. Otherwise, by itself curcumin has relatively low bioavailability.

Because I do want to focus this important message, I will not flood this post with too much further info. I will remind you though that flat-leaf parsley is the best kind of parsley, and it is packed with nutrients - predominantly vitamins C, A, K, calcium, iron and folic acid (very important for women especially!). Lemons on the other hand are loaded with enzymes and antioxidants. Furthermore, just one 200g avocado contains a third of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C along with beneficial fats, protein and dietary fiber.

Try out this easy, simple and quick recipe that combines all three:

Super synergy soup:

Serves 2

1 avocado

2 medium carrots

handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 small clove garlic

lemon juice, to taste

water, to desired consistency

Spices:

organic turmeric, to taste

pinch quality salt (Himalayan/Celtic sea salt)

freshly ground black pepper

chili/cayenne powder, optional

Blend soup ingredients until smooth in a high-speed blender. I highly recommend organic carrots, because you don't have to peel them and lose nutritional value by doing it. Depending on the quality of your blender, it might be a good idea to chop up the hard carrots. Use your imagination and add any other seasoning you enjoy! Fresh ginger would also add a nice touch. Pack in a bottle for an easy revitalizing meal on the go or enjoy topped with seeds or sprouts.

Bibliography (very recent innovations!):

Akito Shimouchi et al, "Effect of Dietary Turmeric on Breath Hydrogen". Digestive Diseases and Sciences. Volume 54, Number 8 / August, 2009 .

A. Ramirez Bosca et al, "Effects of the antioxidant turmeric on lipoprotein peroxides: Implications for the prevention of atherosclerosis". AGE Volume 20, Number 3 / July, 1997.

Marie E. Egan et al, "Curcumin, a Major Constituent of Turmeric, Corrects Cystic Fibrosis Defects". April 2004. DOI: 10.1126/science.1093941

Marano, Daniel A. "Currying Favor With the Brain. "Psychology Today Nov/Dec 2009, Vol. 42 Issue 6, p51-52.

Tweed, Vera. "Prevent alzheimer's", Better Nutrition Oct2009, Vol. 71 Issue 10, p26-28.

V. K. Goud, K. Polasa and K. Krishnaswamy. "Effect of turmeric on xenobiotic metabolising enzymes." Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Formerly Qualitas Plantarum)

Volume 44, Number 1 / July, 1993.

Masazumi Miyakoshi et al. "Hepatoprotective effect of sesquiterpenes in turmeric" . BioFactors Volume 21, Numbers 1-4/2004.

IMG source: http://www.turmeric.co.in/images/turmeric_powder.gif

Honey beets on a bed of blushing quinoa

After reviewing the poll I discovered that some of you would like to see cooked recipes. The purpose of this post is to show that healthy nutritious food does not have to be completely raw. It doesn't have to contain meat or be difficult either. Nutritional value is determined by the ingredients and how they are cooked. Naturally some cooked foods can be healthier than raw ones, but ultimately it is all about the balance. Eating lots of scrumptious desserts everyday is not good for you, even if they are raw organic ones. Needless to say it is still important to include plenty of fresh raw food in your diet, as roughly 80% of what you consume in a day should be uncooked. If you want to eat 100% raw and are certain you are getting all vitamins and minerals you need (especially B12 for vegans), there is no reason not to.

Onto the recipe. This is one of those "tastes better than it looks and sounds"-dishes. It is also one that was completely born out of improvisation and necessity, with only a limited selection of ingredients available. You know the scenario: you just start throwing things in the mix as you go along. Then when you have prepared yourself to eat something less successful, you are surprised to find that actually what you concocted is pretty genius.

Honey beets:

4 Large beets

Water

Himalayan salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Organic honey

Cold pressed coconut oil

Wash beets until all dirt is gone. Boil water in a pot and add the whole beets, some salt and allow simmer for around 30min depending on size of the beets. You want them slightly tender but not mushy. Once they are ready, take them out (reserve the pink cooking water!) and cut out the root and the end you don't want to eat. Slice them into about 1/2 inch thick discs and coat the discs with salt and pepper. At this point start making the quinoa and while it is simmering take out another pot or frying pan to heat up some coconut oil, and once the pan is warm add the honey. Add the beet slices and fry for a little while, you want to caramelize just to create a thin crispy layer, but not brown or burn the beets.

Blushing quinoa with garbanzo beans and fresh parsley

1,5 C quinoa (I replaced some with millet)

Left over pink cooking water (add more if necessary)

1 C boiled or sprouted garbanzo beans

2 large onions

Coconut oil

Himalayan salt, pepper

Lots of fresh parsley

Boil the quinoa in the beet water, add salt or more fresh water if you need. Just a gentle simmer is enough to allow the quinoa to open up and "sprout" while cooking, too high heat will only compromise nutritional value. Cut up the onions and caramelize them in a frying pan with a little coconut oil. Once the quinoa is done, add boiled garbanzo (chick) beans and the caramelized onion. Take off heat and allow to cool to around 110F or 46 C before adding the chopped fresh parsley. This is because parsley is packed with heat-sensitive nutrients. If you are using garbanzo sprouts instead of cooked beans, add them at this stage as well. Check seasoning.

It really is difficult to eat a mostly raw diet in the colder parts of the world, especially in the winter. It is so environmentally unfriendly to eat tons of green house tomatoes or cucumbers, but the veggies that are locally in season are challenging to eat uncooked. Of course you can eat them in raw grated salads and puree some into soups, but I myself don't really enjoy raw root vegetables that much. Other than sweet potatoes that is, I think the three of us eat pounds of them every week. Parsnips are ok as well. This is one reason I'm thankful of the Finnish blog society, it is nice to give and receive ideas how to eat healthy but also eco-consciously during the cold season. Especially since international raw blogs and books are filled with recipes that require young coconuts and other fresh exotic fruits and vegetables. Even zucchini pasta is not quite so feasible right now (at least not too often), because the organic ones are imported and very expensive. But let's not let the cold gray weather drag us down and instead start using this opportunity to create completely new and interesting recipes :)

Herbed flounder parcels with sundried tomatoes and lemon wedges

Marinade (for 6 small fillets of European flounder):

High-quality, cold pressed olive oil

7 sun dried tomatoes (dry&whole)

lemon zest (organic lemon!)

large clove garlic

dried or fresh chives, thyme, dill

Slice sun dried tomatoes into thin strips, grate garlic and place in a bowl. Grate about the peel of one lemon. Make sure it is organic, at least when you are using the peel. You will never know what it could have been treated with otherwise. Drizzle a fair bit of olive oil on top, you need enough for the tomato strips to pump up. Add the herbs.

Herbed flounder parcels:

the lemon you peeled for the marinade

1 medium red onion

Himalayan salt, ground black pepper

dill, thyme, chives

Salt and pepper the flounder fillets. Place in the center of a square piece of foil/parchment paper, pour marinade on top and add in red onion rings (thinly sliced), lemon wedges and some more herbs. I am not sure about the safety of aluminum foil, so use that with caution. Roll up into parcels and bake in low heat (350F) for 20-30min.

I got the idea of fish "parcels" from Yaelian's interesting blog. She used tilapia and leeks in hers, check that recipe out too!

Here's a pic of the entire plate. The fish is served with mashed sweet potatoes and pumpkin (very briefly steamed, mashed with creamed coconut, spices) and a salad of grated carrot, sprouted red quinoa and raisins. As you can see, most of your plate should consist of veggies, especially raw ones. Always when cooking, pause to think what you actually must cook. Very little things actually need heat! You don't need cooked food every meal, not even every day.And when you do cook, use gentle methods to preserve vital nutrients (steaming for instance). If you haven't thrown out your microwave already, do so immediately. To many this is probably a given, but there are way too many people out there unaware of how they are exposing themselves to harmful radiation and free radicals just by warming up their packed lunches at work.

Indian samosas with sweet apple cucumber chutney

This is what I concocted for dinner tonight and couldn't resist posting right away after I saw this beautiful photo my husband took of the dish. It looked and tasted delicious, almost as if they were deep-fried. Not really though, since these are a health nut version of the traditional indian deep-fried potato treat.

The samosas: (for 4-6 people)

"Dough":

1 small head cauliflower (use only florets, about 2 C worth)

1 carrot, shredded

1 roughly chopped, small yellow onion

1 C fresh or sprouted dry green peas

3/4C dried, shredded & unsweetened coconut

1 clove garlic

piece fresh ginger

juice of 1/2 lime

3 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp coconut oil

garam masala, plenty of madras curry powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, pinch cloves & ground coriander

Coating: chili powder, salt, pepper

Mix all ingredients in a food processor with an S-blade until you have a (maybe slightly chunky) uniform mixture. Shape into triangles, this should make about 12 samosas (serving size is 2 per person). Sprinkle chili powder, salt & freshly ground black pepper. Dehydrate on one side for approximately 6 hours, then turn over, sprinkle with spices and continue to dehydrate for 4 more hours. For decoration, make little holes in the surface with a fork. You should get a firm but soft in the center texture.

Sweet apple cucumber chutney:

Blend:

½ orange, peeled

few dried dates, soaked

soak water

piece fresh ginger, dash salt & pepper

½ tsp ground coriander

Blend other ingredients and add soak water until you get a not too thick sauce consistency.

Mix in 1 C tart, diced apple and 1 C cucumber with the ginger-orange sauce. Check seasoning, add more salt/pepper if necessary. The sauce should be a bit on the sweet side though to complement the savory spicy flavor of the samosas.

My husband really dislikes cauliflower, but neither he nor I could taste it in this dish. I probably wouldn't have even known these were raw if I wasn't told.. really delicious, definitely something I will make next time I am hosting a party. These could easily be made much smaller and served as finger food even for someone who is not used to raw cuisine. A must for someone like me, who loves spicy food and misses the flavor of baked savory dishes.

Raw romaine burritos with coriander guacamole, & marinated garbanzo beans

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for reading my blog and taking the time to write encouraging and inspiring comments. My greatest hopes for this blog is to get people interested in their own nutrition and making informed choices about their diets. It is so very important because the way we eat has a profound effect on our quality of life. Clearly, it is worth to do some of your own research to make sure you are providing your body with everything it needs.

Here's another spin on the all-time favorite, quick raw dinner. Lettuce wraps, again! This time with romaine leaves, coriander guacamole & marinated garbanzo beans.

Coriander guacamole
2 avocados
juice of half a lime
himalayan salt, pepper, ground coriander, fresh finely chopped chili to taste
(crushed garlic cloves)

Mash avocados but leave in tasty chunks. Add spices according to taste.

Marinated garbanzo beans
sprouted garbanzo beans
coconut oil
chili powder
himalayan salt, pepper, ground coriander, dried thyme

Mix all marinade ingredients and pour over whole, sprouted chick peas.

Sauteed coconut chili onion rings
2 onions, sliced into thin rings
coconut oil
2 cloves garlic
1 inch or so of fresh red chili
himalayan salt, pepper

Heat oil, sliced garlic cloves and chopped chili in a frying pan. Add onion rings, salt & pepper. Saute until desired softness.


Other fillings: tomato, zucchini, carrot, calamata olives, fenugreek sprouts

Feel free to omit the sauteed onion if you are on a strictly raw diet. If you aren't, I recommend it for the spicy depth of flavor it brings to this dish. This recipe is more intended to inspire your own culinary imagination than provide a strict recipe. So choose your own toppings and use your favorite spices. Roll in large romaine leaves like you would a traditional burrito. Be creative!

Lime tandoori chicken with a medley of spicy vegetables

Lime tandoori chicken:
2 as fresh and natural/organic chicken breasts as you can get
lime juice, coconut oil, tandoori seasoning, madras curry, salt, pepper, honey

Marinate for at least 30min, then sear on a pan. Don't burn black to avoid producing carcinogens, it's best to cook it just barely done so that the meat is still tender and moist.

Raw Indian vegetable medley:
1/2 large sweet potato, cubed
1/2 large head of cauliflower, minced
1/2 -1 C fenugreek sprouts
1 red onion, minced
bunch fresh basil, chopped finely
finely grated garlic
fresh red chili pepper, minced, to taste
coconut oil, tandoori seasoning, madras curry, salt, pepper, honey, lime juice

Chop, mix and season. Remember to taste and adjust the spices to your liking. Warm in 110F until vegetables soften and marinate thoroughly. I sauteed my red onion and garlic quickly in coconut oil because it is better for my baby's tummy if I steer away from too much raw onions and garlic :)

I've said this a few times in my earlier posts, but I think it is important enough to be repeated. We ALL, not only but especially pregnant and lactating women, need vitamin B12. So far, there is no unanimous scientific consensus of a reliable vegetable source for this crucial vitamin. Deficit of this vital nutrient causes detrimental and irreversible side affects, it destroys your brain cells and it could cause havoc in your body before you even know it. A key to a healthy diet is variety, you need more than just vegetables, some nuts and raw chocolate. Dairy is by no means necessary, but it is a good idea to calculate that you are indeed getting enough calcium. There are excellent vegan sources - unhulled sesame seeds, dried figs and broccoli for example. But these need to be consumed regularly. If you are not on B12 supplements, a few servings of your choice of meat and/or fish are necessary. Eggs are not a reliable source of this vitamin. You also need to make sure you are getting enough of iron and iodide. Folic acid is absolutely essential for all women, fresh ruby grapefruit is an excellent source of this. Be cautious about your daily sodium intake - many raw recipes use quite a bit of salt or nama shoyu. Even though we use "good" salt, it does not mean it doesn't contain sodium which will be harmful if consumed in excess. Especially soy sauce is packed with sodium, so it is not a good idea to marinate in it (at least not too often).

Moral of this story is, if you suspect that you might not be getting adequate levels of certain nutrients, see your physician and get tested. Do not take chances with this. Eating as much raw and unprocessed food is natural and good for you, but even so you must be careful that you consume a variety of different foods and are getting all necessary nutrients.

Tandoori veggie burgers, mashed parsnips & live ketchup

I might be the only one, but I have really been put off by most raw loafs/patties/burgers. My pallet does not agree with nutty loafs, they just do not taste right to me. Just the combination of nuts and salty seasoning is bizarre in my mind. I have never enjoyed actual meaty burgers either, so that is not what I was missing in living cuisine. What I've really been craving is a truly healthy way of enjoying falafel! So, this is how I adapted that idea into a recipe:

Tandoori veggie burgers (nut free!)
1 C sprouted green peas
1/2 C sprouted garbanzo beans
1/4C sesame seeds
2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tbsp olive oil, honey
1/2 juice of a lemon
fresh red chili pepper to taste
organic curry, salt, ground black pepper, tandoori seasoning, chives (dried or fresh)

The legumes should not have too long sprouts, but they should be tender and a little baby sprout should just peek out of the bean. Blend with sesame seeds and seasonings in a food processor. Form into burgers, dehydrate. I had them in at 110 F for 4 hours on one side then 30min on the other. The texture and burst of spicy flavor was just divine. It left me and my husband wondering why we ever fried our veggie burgers since these more than exceeded in flavor the cooked kind. The best part was: these don't taste like flour, and since the mixture is edible it is easy to get the seasoning just right! As you probably know, frying vegetarian (especially vegan) patties can be quite an ordeal because it is hard to get them to hold shape.. well, needless to say uncooking them solves that problem as well.

Live Ketchup:
1 C (about 12 pcs) soaked organic, sundried tomatoes
2 tbsp raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
raw honey, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, garam masala, thyme, (chili!)
water

Blender.

Mashed parsnips
3 parsnips
6 tbsp olive oil/sesame oil
almond milk
tahini
nutritional yeast flakes (optional for cheesier flavor)
Himalayan salt, pepper

Puree peeled & chopped parsnips with olive oil in a food processor until smooth. Add almond milk until desired consistency. Season to taste.

Enjoy! My husband said this is his absolutely fav raw recipe :) And I have to say, these burgers really worked for me too.

Mediterranean lettuce wraps

This whole meal started as an attempt to embody four things: quick, tasty, affordable and raw. Eating ounces and ounces of nuts everyday isn't exactly cheap over here (2 pounds of most nuts costs 20 euros or more). Organic seaweed is also pricey, as well as avocados and coconuts. This meal altogether is pretty affordable, albeit still contains some nuts (cashews) but they are not necessary. Naturally, one doesn't always have hours and hours soak or dehydrate time either. Sometimes you just need a quick & satisfying meal.

My husband mentioned few days ago that he misses my tzatziki, the delicious greek meze made of greek yogurt, cucumber and spices. It used to be one of his favorite things with my homemade bread. Ok, an easy way of making vegan and dairy-free, even raw I guess, tzatziki would be to use soy yogurt. It is usually a pretty processed food, and like I've mentioned I like to keep my soy consumption to the minimum. Then there countless recipes for plant/nut yogurts made with rejuvelac, which is made of wheatberries and a no-go for my gluten-sensitive self. Thankfully Ilon Pisara posted a recipe for homemade, purely natural & naturally gluten-free & soy-free, millet yogurt.I figured I could use the millet yogurt I made last weekend.

Homemade Millet yogurt:
2 C millet rinsed over and over again
1 2/3 C filtered water

Rinse the millet grains (whole but hulled) like a dozen times, soak for 24h. Drain and blend until smooth with 1 2/3 C new water. Pour in a sterilized glass container and seal with a lid. Allow to do it's magic in room temp for 48h. Transfer to fridge, will keep for about a week. For sweeter yogurt blend with your favorite fruit and berries right before consuming. I've tried dried dates with blueberries and once banana with gooseberries.

Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Soy-free Tzatziki:
1 C plain millet yogurt
1/2 C cashews
1 C shredded english cucumber (drain excess water)
1-3 cloves garlic (we had 2 big)
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
Himalayan salt, pepper (generously both)

Shred english cucumber. Powder cashews in a blender/food processor, add yogurt, cucumber and flavorings. Taste and adjust to your liking.

Mediterranean olive tapenade:
1 C mixed organic black calamata and greek green olives
1 clove garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
Dried (or fresh if you have some) basil, thyme & oregano, ground black pepper

Wrap sauces and veggies in your choice of lettuce! We had (maybe not too Mediterranean) mung sprouts, zucchini, tomato, red bell pepper and used napa cabbage as the wrap because I had some at hand. This dish is so versatile and a lot of fun. And my husband, a real tzatziki fan, really loved these wraps and said it tasted just as good as the real thing =)

Btw, I have a ton of recipes to post from my quick hiatus, so keep coming back.. I'll try to make it worth your while :)

Raw sushi

I've always loved sushi, but due to my gluten intolerance I can't have soy sauce (even all nama shoyu I've seen has wheat) or wasabi, and since I make a point to avoid soy also miso paste is out. We all know sushi rice is not too healthy and isn't exactly a living food. But how can I replace it, especially without gluten? I've seen people use kamut sprouts, but that again has gluten.. quinoa sprouts alone have a flavor (and texture) not really suitable for sushi. Then one day, when I was making a cauliflower thai spicy "rice" to accompany some chicken breasts (recipe coming), I got the idea of flavoring it like sushi rice and seeing if it would work in sushi rolls. And it did! Ok, texture is a bit different, but it holds together and tastes great.

Sushi "rice":
Cauliflower
Some cashews (more if you want creamier)
White sushi vinegar
Some agave/honey
Raw tahini
Himalayan salt

I "shredded" the cauliflower with my food processor (S-blade) so that it became a finely ground mixture. Then I spiced it up, tasting it afterwards to see what it needed. It's a good idea not to make this too salty, if you are dipping in salty sauces.

Soy-free dipping sauce (not vegan or strictly raw though):
Raw tahini (few heaping spoonfuls)
Thai Fish sauce, some spoonfuls (made of anchovy extract, salt & water, no additives/preservatives)
Water

Blend in a blender. I haven't tried it, but a strict vegan could replace the fish sauce with soy sauce.

Raw Tahini (new and improved!)
1 C unhulled, raw sesame seeds
1/3 C brazil nuts
Cold pressed vegetable oil
Raw & unfiltered apple cider vinegar
Raw, organic honey
Himalayan salt

Process nuts into a powder/butter. Add spices and then pour in oil until desired consistency. I usually make my tahini first, then take out some into a separate jar and add the fish sauce and water to make the dip. It helps clean the blender (gets the oil off the edges).

Remember to buy untoasted, raw & organic nori sheets! They are a bit chewier than their toasted deceased relatives, but it's pretty easy to get used to.

Then feel free to roll in all your favorite fillings. We made some with black lentil sprouts, julienned carrots and avocado. Then we had some fishier ones, with pangasius fillet slices (steamed and spiced with fresh dill, lemon juice, salt, pepper), alfalfa sprouts (home-grown), julienned zucchini and carrot. Of course you can add miso, wasabi or dip in soy sauce if you like. And trust me, after attempting to make sushi without a bamboo mat, you really do not want to go down that road.. they are pretty affordable and worth every penny. We bought ours from Hawaii, and paid like 2 dollars for it. I've seen them go for 3 euros in Finland.

Sorry for not posting for a while, our laptop was getting serviced and I just couldn't bring myself to post with my mini-acer. The screen is so tiny.. and so is my patience with it:)

Raw fajita feast: Mexico meets Italy

I can't believe I'm posting AGAIN today. This has started out sort of as a hobby for both me and my husband - I get a kick out of preparing the food and he enjoys photographing. Naturally, we both enjoy eating the food. I want to share my knowledge (albeit still limited, there is so much to learn!) and show people, that eating healthy can be fun, tasty and full of variety. Raw food doesn't mean an endless array of salads, cold soups and smoothies! There is really no limit to what can be accomplished without killing the nutrients and enzymes that are so vital for our digestion and overall well-being.

The Italian-style tortillas:
1 C flax meal
½ C sunflower seeds
few sundried tomatoes + one fresh one
1 red bell pepper
some good, cold pressed olive oil
some sprigs of fresh thyme and at least a handful of fresh basil
Himalayan salt & pepper

Blend all and pat into thin round shells on a non-stick or Teflex sheet. Dehydrate until desired consistency, longer for tacos and shorter for softer tortillas. We left them fairly soft, roughly 2-3 hours in less than 110F. The idea is loosely based on the crackers Yaelian made in her blog.


Perilla guacamole:
1 soft, lusciously ripe avocado
handful of perilla (purple mint)
juice of ½ lemon
1 clove garlic
Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper, cayanne powder (or fresh chili!)

Blend in a blender but leave some chunks. Alternatively crush with a spoon or fork.


Beans:
Sprouted aduki/adzuki (which??) beans
Lemon juice
Himalayan salt & ground black pepper

Other toppings:
Mango cubes, Red bell pepper cubes, Half-moon shaped zucchini, thinly sliced red onion rings (which I forgot..)


Oh-boy, were these good or what! Ok, shouldn't brag... Let's just say that in our opinion, these were pretty darn tasty. Feel free to play around with the recipe, add your own twists and remember to enjoy! Finger food can be so much fun.