Raw spanish scrambled "eggs"

Hi everyone! We're back from a weekend out of town, celebrating my graduation (BSc), gathering spruce shoots and visiting with family and friends. I'll be back to post about the party, I made an amazing raw tropical mango strawberry cheesecake which was a hit! But for now I decided to post one of my husband's favorite raw breakfasts. 

This recipe is inspired by Ani Phyo's raw scramble. I made it once (added more spices and dash of olive oil), but my husband complained about tasting the almonds. He said it was very good, but the almond flavor bothered him in a savory dish! To please him, I replaced the almonds with brazil nuts. Cashews would be even milder and probably work as well, but I like brazil nuts because they are so packed with minerals such as selenium and zinc. Although not raw, I also added my husband's favorite spice: smoked paprika. I enjoy the spice as well, and as long as it is not unhealthy I tend to choose taste over "100% raw."

Anyway, onto the recipe:

Spanish scramble:
1C dry brazil nuts (soaked and dehydrated always best)
0,5C sunflower seeds (soaked and dehydrated always best)
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp or more of organic smoked paprika
0,5tsp italian seasoning (or herbs of choice)
1/4 tsp mineral rich salt or to taste
1/2 cup water
dash of your favorite cold-pressed olive oil (optional, but I think it improves flavor and texture)
black pepper

First blend the nuts and seeds and add water to reach a consistency similar to scrambled eggs. If you like, you may leave it a little chunky. Add turmeric to give it the right color and other seasonings to taste.

Add-ins:
tomatoes
1/4C fresh cilantro
spring onion
Marinated and dehydrated mushrooms (1:1:1 ratio of balsamic vinegar+olive oil+honey, salt, pepper, yumyum!)
sweet pepper
raw olives (I just had organic ones)

Chop your add-ins of choice, mix in and enjoy! We like to let it sit a bit to warm it up (we keep our nuts in the fridge) and allow the flavors to mingle. 

The scramble is served on greens, either spinach or romaine leaves work wonderfully. Sometimes I also like to wrap the scramble in a salad leaf!

Creamed sesame tahini dessert

Contrary to my recent posting pattern, here I am already back with recipes. My life, as I probably have mentioned more than once, is a hectic one. Just recently, I was working two positions. Last week I made the decision to give the corporate one up, so that I can concentrate on the interesting research I am doing at the University. This will be my Master's thesis. On top of this I have a load of interesting courses, but also a wonderful family. As much as I enjoy blogging, it comes after my family and work on my list of priorities. It looks like at the moment I finally have some spare time to create and post, so your patience will hopefully be rewarded =)

Raw tahini:
Sprouted sesame seeds
Raw and unfiltered honey, to taste
Cold-pressed coconut oil and sesame oil
Himalayan salt
(water)

Soak sesame seeds for 8 hours. Drain water, rinse thoroughly and sprout for another 8 hours. The seeds won't actually grow, the idea is to get rid of the enzyme inhibitors, so that the calcium and other nutrients are better absorbed. Once this is done, place the seeds in a food processor or blender, add honey. Then blend in 50:50 coconut and sesame oil. Add salt. Taste and adjust. I like my tahini with a nice balance of savory and sweet. If you find that cold-pressed sesame oil is too strong in flavor, substitute for more coconut oil.

Tahini cream:
3 tbsp raw tahini
4 oz/120g raw brazil nuts, soaked for 4-6 hours
Raw honey, to taste
water

Blend tahini, nuts and honey. Add water until desired consistency. With little water this makes for a flavorful raw cream, while more water will yield a more yoghurt like texture and slightly milder flavor.

Serving suggestion:
Banana, blueberries, chopped pecans, fresh lemon balm leaves

You could also blend some lemon balm in with the tahini cream.This is a versatile, quick and easy raw treat. Enjoy as breakfast, snack, dessert or dress it up for a fancier occasion.

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.

Lucuma maple flax crackers

My adventures with my new Stöckli dehydrator continue! It is so much fun - I feel like a "domestic goddess" again when the yummy fragrance of my concoctions can be sensed throughout the corridor. Playing with my dehydrator is way more fun than baking ever was (and I really used to enjoy that!), not only because I know that these treats are truly healthy for all of us but also because I feel there is no limit to my creativity. Maybe it is the scientist in me, that relishes in being presented with a problem like "it is not possible to make raw pulla*" and being able to solve it through thinking and experimenting. It is rewarding and comforting to find that switching over to eating right can be exciting and fulfilling. First I had a whole list of things I thought I'd miss, but now I've come to realize that I wouldn't trade my yummy raw treats for anything.

Many of you have probably had or heard of raw flax crackers. I added my spin on the traditional maple-cinnamon crackers:

Lucuma maple flax crackers
3 round 13" trays

2 C whole flax seeds
4 C water
2 medium organic apples (I had Gala)
1/4 C raw organic honey
1/4 C organic pure maple syrup
1-3 tbsp ceylon cinnamon (regular cinnamon contains the liver-toxin coumarin)
2 tbsp raw organic lucuma powder
pinch salt

Soak flax seeds in water for at least an hour, preferably overnight. It will transform into a very thick goo, which you don't want too wet because it would lengthen dehydration time later. Puree apples with spices and sweeteners in a food processor/blender until smooth. Mix with flax seeds either in a bowl or pour them into the food processor. Taste, and adjust flavor until it is so good you have to restrain yourself from just eating it out of the bowl. Seriously, we were lucky to actually get some to the D :)
Once you have the taste down, take out your dehydrator sheets, oil them with coconut oil if necessary and spread the gooey mixture onto the sheets thinly. I oil the sheets just for the nice taste and texture the coconut oil adds to the crackers.

Dehydrate under 104F/46C to keep it raw - don't want to compromise those amazing omegas, enzymes and vitamins!

My husband and I usually find the cinnamon flavor in the store-bought raw organic maple-cinnamon flax crackers too intensive. I discovered that using combination of lucuma and cinnamon helps add a whole new depth of flavor, lending a rich and balanced flavor to the crackers. Of course lucuma is highly concentrated with nutrients as well - which together with the honey and mineral-rich maple syrup makes these extra super.

*Finnish or Scandinavian sweet wheat bun, which is raised with yeast and flavored with cardamom. A staple in any "normal" Finnish coffee table.

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.

Apple-almond pancake bliss

My raw apple-almond pancakes:

almond pulp (leftover from making 1 quart almond milk)

2 medium apples

1/2 C shredded, unsulfured coconut

1 tbsp flax meal

4-6 dried dates

1-3 tsp cinnamon

dash nutmeg, allspice, ginger

vanilla

Blend until smooth and creamy. Shape into pancakes, dehydrate until desired consistency. Mine were in a 110 F oven for 1,5 hours.

The texture of these pancakes is pretty close to the fried kind. Combined with your favorite fresh berries and pure organic maple syrup.. it's just the perfect family breakfast.

Here's our Sunday breakfast - green smoothies (with fresh ginger!), these tasty pancakes, berries and fresh almond milk.

Raw pancake brunch and Pizza night

Pancakes for me were one thing I thought I couldn't survive without if I made the transition to raw or living foods. So naturally now that I am trying to consume as little cooked food as possible without compromising my nutritional needs (so I still eat some cooked fish/chicken) I just had to find a raw replacement for our traditional Sunday morning pancakes. Sunday represents family time for us, and a key element for quality time together is delicious food.
Raw pancakes:
2 apples
about 8 dried dates
1/2 C or less of honey
1 tbsp vanilla extract (organic and alcohol-free)
2-3 tsp of cinnamon (we love it, I think I used even more)
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
little bit of coconut oil (1/4 C or less)
1 C buckwheat groats (whole grains)
1/4 C shredded, unsweetened coconut

Grind the buckwheat in food processor, set a side in a bowl and combine with coconut flakes. In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, blend together chopped apples (organic don't have to peel), dates, flax and spices. Taste, add vanilla/cinnamon or even a pinch of salt if you desire. Scrape the mixture out and combine with buckwheat and coconut by hand. You should have a non-sticky, somewhat dry but well blended batter. Take small dollops of dough into your hands and shape onto a non-stick sheet. I used a spoon to smooth out the surface of my pancakes, did not even stick. The above picture shows the pancakes before dehydration. I made them the night before, and dehydrated them for about 6 hours on one side and then 4 on the other below 115F. Make sure you don't dry yours out completely!

I served my pancakes with organic pure maple syrup, vanilla-strawberry purée (home-grown strawberries, vanilla extract, drizzle of honey) and sliced Finnish green apples.


Raw pizza crust
1C buckwheat groats, soaked overnight
1/2 C sunflower seeds
fresh garlic
couple stalks celery
some sundried tomatoes & capers
fresh thyme, basil
Himalayan salt & pepper
cold pressed olive oil

Soak buckwheat, drain soak water. In a food processor (S-blade) , give the groats some whirls until they form a paste. Add sunflower seeds, then the rest of ingredients. Taste your dough, add spices until you like the flavor. Spread evenly on a sheet, dehydrate about 9 hours total, flip half way.

Before dehydration:

After flipping:

Top with your favorite tomato sauce and toppings. We had zucchini, mushrooms, red onion and fresh basil. I poured a touch of olive oil, Himalayan salt & ground black pepper and dried oregano on top and some soaked unhulled sesame seeds and continued to dehydrate for about an hour before eating. It was yummy.

P.S. If you are wondering why I think I need seafood and poultry, it is because of my history of anemia and the fact that I am breastfeeding my 9-month-old :)

Perilla banana smoothie

Perilla, purple mint, is an interesting herb I have to admit I had never heard of before. The smell was intoxicatingly good, and I suspected it would be tasty in a smoothie because of the delicious minty aroma. I also figured that since the color is so intensely purple, it must have plenty of antioxidants and vitamins. Hence I decided to read up on it, and found out it is most known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Yay! Especially since I changed my diet in hopes of improving my notoriously bad immune system that kept me in and out of hospitals with serious infections. So far, skipping the gluten and lactose combined with increasing my intake of raw food while no longer consuming any processed food seems to work like a charm.

Here's the recipe for this tasty, mildly minty smoothie I concocted this morning:


Perilla banana smoothie for two:

2 bananas
1 large orange
1 apple
handful or two of romaine
small handful of perilla
sesame seeds
maca powder
(dash of honey)

If this won't cheer up your morning nothing will! Isn't it much easier to smile throughout the day when you can feel that you are nourishing your body just right? I'll be back later to post our yesterday's dinner, creamy tomato soup, salad with poppyseed dressing and coconut-chive steamed salmon.

Plant image source: http://www.plantoftheweek.org/image/perilla2.jpg