Raw Zuchini Crust Pizza Experiment

http://rawfullytempting.blogspot.com/2010/01/raw-zuchini-crust-pizza-experiment.html

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Warning: THIS TASTES MUCH BETTER THAN IT LOOKS! Zucchini contains so much water and needs to be dehydrated in order to form a stable pizza crust. Although it looks dry, it's actually quite moist in the center and packed full of flavor.

Someone posted a photo of Cherie Soria's raw pizza, using a zucchini crust. It looked really interesting, but I couldn't find the recipe anywhere, and decided to experiment with my own version.  It came out really tasty!!!

Note: If you want to use the "cheese" then you will need to prepare it a couple of days in advance. Shari's veggie mac cheese  is so awesome, I usually have some leftover in the fridge, and use it in many recipes.  I am sure you could do a version without it, but the cheese made the filling more creamy.

This recipe yields 4 mini pizzas  ...YOU MIGHT WANT TO DOUBLE  or  TRIPLE THIS RECIPE.

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Roasted Fennel - Super Quick and Easy

 

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This is a great meal when you don't have a lot of time to prepare. Also, I am trying to incorporate the jasmine rice and nama shoyu into my meals for my program this week. It's challenging and I'm finding it hard to eat raw all the time with the rice requirement. For lunch I simply cut up some raw celery and carrots and serve with rice and raw sesame seeds, but when dinner rolls around, I tend to lean towards cooked, but crunchy veggies. 

I had some fennel that I needed to use and this is what I came up with. It was really easy and surprisingly delicious. We were both totally satisfied and full.

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Raw Corn Chips/Taco Shells

I have been craving raw taco shells or corn chips since I got my dehydrator and finally made them last night. They are just about ready...

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Vegan Cream of Vegetable Soup

This is one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" recipes...creamy and satisfying! Cashew cream is amazing and does such wonders to soups.

Make your own soup. Be creative. My recipe is just a starting point or inspiration. Use your own variety of veggies and seasonings, then add cashew cream, run it all through the blender and yummmmmmmm - enjoy!

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Less of Me!!!

Update: Today I am minus 15 pounds!!! I have a feeling the program that Dr. Elgarten has me on this week will produce even more weight loss. The only problem is that I have to eat a lot of jasmine rice, nama shoyu and veggies. It makes it more challenging to eat raw meals, for sure, but I will do my best.

I have been chopping up celery, raw pecans and raw sesame seeds, and adding them to the rice/shoyu mixture, and it is pretty tasty. Also, this week, minimal onions and garlic, and no fruits, juices or sweets. Whatever the doc is doing, is helping.

Grains are a problem in relation to mold and I have to get the Jasmine rice here, where it is periodically tested for mold, and if moldy, they simply don't sell it. (For example, this week rice is unavailable, so thank goodness I have some stashed in the freezer).

Apparently, the Oshawa nama shoyu's microbial activity is good for the bile ducts and upper track where some major issues have arisen in my body. The combo of rice and shoyu helps deliver the microbes to the right place. (Layman's terms)

Regardless, I am sleeping 7-8 hours a night for the most part, losing weight, and managed to go out this weekend and have a good time! This is all good!

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Raw Double Fudge Brownie Cake

Inspired by The Voracious Vegan

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W and I attended a Native American Indian Pipe Ceremony on Saturday and had a fabulous time. It was a spiritual prayer circle or sorts, and the ceremony was very moving. It was a time for being present, with like-minded people, and putting our intention out to the Universe.

Afterward, we had a potluck dinner. I brought my Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apples and this Double Fudge Brownie Cake that I had never made before. It was pretty delicious and there were about 6-8 SAD eaters there and mostly everyone asked for a second portion. Folks were amazed at how yummy and rich a raw dessert could be. No surprise to us raw folk!!! I had some leftover Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bar that I crumbled on the top of the frosted cake. I tweaked the original recipe a bit and made a cake instead of brownie squares. Either way...the cake was a hit!

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Raw Mango Tart with Banana Crème Topping

    

This scrumptious pie was so different than any raw dessert I made and it looks so pretty. We brought it to a gathering where there were other raw foodies, and it went over very well!

It freezes well (without berries on top), but be sure it's totally defrosted before serving. It tastes MUCH better.

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A Love Affair With Food

I titled one of my previous posts "I am having a rawnchy love affair with chocolate," but what I should have said, is I "am having a love affair with food!" Seriously. This is a huge transformation for me. I have always had an unhealthy relationship with food and struggled with cravings, never really feeling satisfied. My weight problem is not from eating too much, but from a combination of health issues and eating the wrong things. When I did let myself binge, I'd BINGE, fall into a spiral, and then make things worse by rationalizing, "Oh hell, I already screwed up, why stop here." Instead of having a few spoonfuls of ice cream, I'd eat the whole pint. I couldn't have it hanging around in my freezer, haunting me.

Since I have started this program, I have more energy, less mood swings, and  I feel elated. Here I am, home bound for the most part, still in quite a bit of pain...and I feel elated, excited and passionate about food.

We attended two social gatherings this weekend, and several people commented not only that they could see how passionate I am about food, but when they ate what I prepared, they could actually FEEL the love in the food. The funny thing is, I just commented to W last week that I feel so much love and enthusiasm in preparing these new foods and experience a lot of satisfaction watching others enjoy what I have prepared. I entertained a lot when I was younger, but I don't ever recall feeling this much exuberance about food. I am eating so much less, and feeling so much more satiated. The food is vibrant and alive...and sharing this with loved ones has given me a whole different way of looking at food preparation.  Eating raw is simple, and in this simplicity I am loving the colors, textures and flavor combinations of these beautiful living foods. It's amazing. I feel like a different person. Has anyone else had this experience? I would love to hear about it!

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Raw Macadamia Nut Cheese and Bruschetta

http://rawfullytempting.blogspot.com/2010/01/raw-macadamia-nut-cheese-and-bruschetta.html  We have moved.

(Cheese before and after)                                   
W and I have a party to go to this weekend, and several of the folks attending are raw foodies. YAY!

The Veggie Mac Cheese was such a hit, that I decided to make another batch to go with the Almond Bread. I followed the original recipe, but adjusted the seasoning, adding more basil, and using some chopped chives, scallions, parsley and red onion. It is seasoned with miso and a touch of Ume de Plumb vinegar. SPECIAL! All of this cheesy, rich goodness from luscious macadamia nuts. Don't ya just love it?

W's suggestion was to create a bruschetta-like appetizer, spreading the cheese onto bite sized pieces of  Herb Almond Bread, and topping with chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and vinegar. I'll try to take some pics of the finished product.

For dessert, I made a mango and banana cream pie - but you have to wait until I decorate it for the pics.

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Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms

This is one of my favorite cooked meals..although when I prepared it this evening, I left the veggies pretty crunchy and the mushroom was still pretty firm. I usually make this with  spinach, but I didn't have any available, so I used kale leaves and some bok choy leaves instead. It came out great. Coupled with some jasmine rice cooked in mushroom broth, this was a very pleasing meal.

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Raw Almond Herb Bread

Inspired by Chef Russell James' Mediterranean Almond Bread, I loved the original, but wanted something a little different and created this lighter, not so "herby" version. Super rich and satisfying.

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Broken... and a Lot of Rice

(Painting by Lindsey E. Shevkun)

I am on a more restrictive diet this week as it's been a really rough "IC" week and this is what my Doc "prescribed." I have to consume 2-4 cups of jasmine rice each day with Nama Shoyu, and lots of fiber dense veggies, raw pecans and walnuts. While eating all of this rice, trying to do raw veggies feels more daunting.  I have to get more creative.  I may consider slightly steaming some of the veggies or putting in the dehydrator to soften a bit.

I am really tired of feeling so "broken"...

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Zippy Black Bean Burgers on Mediterranean Almond Bread

Last night some frozen "leftovers" came in very handy. I removed both the Mediterranean Almond Bread and Zippy Black Bean Burgers from the freezer and placed them in the D for a few hours. I made W a scrumptious "cheeseburger" on the bread with lettuce, avocado mayonnaise, veggie mac cheese spread, sliced tomato and red onion. He loved it.

The Zippy Black Bean Burgers are tasty and from my experience freeze very nicely. Here is the recipe:

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Raw Cuckoo for Cocoa Pops?

I found this recipe for Quinoa Cocoa Pops months ago and put it aside, just waiting until I was able to get my dehydrator. I almost made them in the oven (and you probably can), but decided to wait.  I made a batch today and what fun. Loulou suggests serving this in a bowl with nut mylk, just like cereal, oooh, and maybe some bananas? That sounds fantastic, however, I am not sure mine will last through the evening. They are a wonderful munchy snack and would be excellent to pack if you are traveling. They are loaded with nutrients and such a creative way to prepare sprouted quinoa. I added a little more cacao powder than the original recipe and a dash of cinnamon. This treat is such a nice change as It's hard for raw foodies to find sweet  and crunchy snack.

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Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup

It was a dreary, rainy day...a perfect day for a hearty bowl of soup. This is one of my favorite soups and it's very easy to make. I've never really measured anything, so the ingredients listed are approximate values. Get creative and add different kinds of mushrooms or veggies. Let me know how you made out and what adjustments or changes you made. Enjoy!!!

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Raw Dried Cinnamon Apples

I know this is really basic, but since I am new to the world of dehydration, I was surprised at how difficult it was to find instructions for "live" dried apples. (For those without a D, you can do this in your oven).  Either way, drying cinnamon apples leaves your home smelling super fabulous!

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Raw - Flax, Fruit, Pineapples & Patience - Update

Update on my first D experiments: The Mediterranean Almond Bread was the winner! The pineapples came out fabulous, but I think I cut them too thin, and they took a really long time. What was left, I devoured in about 3 minutes!!! Makes note: dehydrate a LOT of pineapples!!!  The Sun Dried Tomato Flax Crackers are good if you like that really grainy texture and also like the taste of sun dried tomatoes. I was never really sure when they were done because I could not get them really crunchy. They were flexible, so I kept putting them back in for more drying. I may not have spread them thin enough and am debating if I should pop them back in again. I am going to look for another cracker recipe. I am sure there are tons. If you like sun dried tomatoes, then this is a great recipe. I am not a total fan of the flavor. A friend of ours tried them last night and she seemed to like them. Not one of my favs...but they look pretty!

The Tropical Fruit and Yogurt Roll-Up looks kinda wishy washy in color , but tastes VERY good!! Our friends gave it a thumbs up.  I don't really have a recipe but I threw some yogurt, banana, pineapple, and shredded coconut into the blender, spread onto a ParaFlexx sheet  and flipped onto a mesh sheet after about 4 hours. Then I  returned to D until not sticky any more. (Total time was close to 15 hours)

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Raw Mediterranean Almond Bread - My First Raw Sandwich!

YUmmmm! Using Mediterranean Almond Bread,  I created a scrumptious sandwich. Try Shari Viger's Veggie Mac Cheese Spread topped  with  Boston bibb lettuce, red onion, "Unroasted" eggplant, and tomatoes. On a bed of romaine, I placed some additional "UnRoasted" eggplant, marinated mushrooms, olives, and artichoke hearts. For guests I cut these into bite sized treats and served them as appetizers. I didn't tell my guests they were raw until they said.."Yumm, these are great, what's in them?"

Unroasted Eggplant  (I used Indian eggplant which is very tender).  Slice eggplant lengthwise in thin pieces and  massage each slice in seasoned olive oil. Let sit or place in dehydrator for 30 - 60 minutes.Garnish eggplant with a small dollop of Veggie Mac Cheese, diced red onion and chopped tomatoes.

The bread is delicious, full-bodied with a great texture. You really feel like you are biting into a healthy piece of bread. The cheese is very creamy and fluffy,  and somewhere in between cream cheese and ricotta cheese. You can adjust the seasonings for both the bread and the cheese depending upon your preferences.

My mind is already wandering about the different variations that can be applied to this bread recipe. Maybe eliminate the spices and add some dates and coarsely chopped nuts....a little raw honey? I wonder if I could make a sweet version of the mac cheese and create a date and nut bread with cream cheese affect? Hmmmmm! Getting hungry thinking about that one!

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Flax, Fruit, Pineapples and Patience!

I finally received my Excalibur dehydrator!!! I am so excited. W and I had to completely rearrange the kitchen in order to make room for it. One of us (ahem) still uses the microwave on occasion, and we both agreed it would be better if we moved it off of the counter. Luckily, we were able to fit it on this handy-dandy shelf unit he picked up yesterday. I am so glad we did that because I have limited counter space and need some room to lay out the large ParaFlexx non-stick sheets and arrange food.This looks like it will work well.

I prepared a few test pieces. If they are successful, I will post the recipes. Right now I am uncooking Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Flax Crackers, Tropical Fruit and Yogurt Roll-Up, and some sliced pineapple. I can't wait to try them, but they may not be done until morning...I am having a tough time waiting...so I whipped up another Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bar. That is setting now....hmm..probably time to go check it out....have a great night!

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The Journey - Scrub it away!!!

(Painting by Lindsey E. Shevkun)

It has been about 2.5 months since I started "the program." I have been so immersed in getting this page together and posting recipes along with decent photographs, that I have been avoiding broaching anything personal. So here I go...

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Black-Eyed Pea (Not Quite) Fritters and Dipping Sauce

After our busy day yesterday, I was really too tired to fuss and was happy to find this fairly simple recipe from "Cooking the Whole Foods Way."I made some changes to suit my requirements and combined these little fritters with the leftover kelp and soba noodles, and added a small salad. I try to avoid fried foods, but managed to use very little oil, just enough to brown the outer layer. It was yummy with a spicy dipping sauce.

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Raw - Soba and Kelp Noodles With Roasted Eggplant

W and I visited with my daughter "L" and her boyfriend today. They recently moved into their new condo, and we had not seen the little love nest yet. L wanted to make us dinner, but due to my dietary restrictions, I suggested that I bring the ingredients and she and I prepare the meal together. We agreed upon Soba Noodles with Roasted Eggplant.  (Note: I have not tried it, but this dish could be converted to raw if you eliminate the soba noodles, use only kelp and/or spiralized zucchini, and dehydrate the eggplant for an hour or more instead of roasting). 

We had such an enjoyable afternoon cooking together. They both loved the meal, but especially loved the Chocolate Lucanilla Ice Cream from the "Just Desserts" e-book for dessert. Without a high speed blender or ice cream maker, it was a tad challenging, but L grabbed her hand mixer, and after freezing the mixture in ice cube trays, we managed to whip it into a delicious, rich chocolate mousse. We topped the dessert with sliced bananas and some crumbled Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bar from yesterday . L and P devoured the Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bar, so I now know what I have to make more of when we visit the next time!

The Soba Noodles with Roasted Eggplant was refreshing! Here is my variation:

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Chocolate Fruit and Nut Bar - Still in Love...

...with and drooling over more chocolate recipes.I came across one for a fruit and nut bar. I haven't really cared for the results of chocolate made with only coconut butter, so I made a few changes and used some cacao butter. I also used hazlenut extract, because I love hazelnut and chocolate. This is a WINNER! Here is my version:

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Celery Root Soup With Granny Smith Apples

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http://rawfullytempting.blogspot.com/2010/01/celery-root-soup-with-granny-smith.html


The author of "The Conscious Cook Book" was on Oprah the other day, cooking this soup. It looked simple and elegant, so I gave it a try and I am so glad I did. This is a FIVE STAR soup!! It is spectacular! A great soup to make when you want to impress your guests! It looks pretty, it tastes great and it's fairly easy to make. I was so full after 2 bowls that I could not eat anything else for dinner.

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Almond Raisin Bark With Hazelnut Kreme

Another "RAW"nchy treat that I could easily get addicted to.

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I'm Having a "RAW"nchy Love Affair...With Chocolate!!!

God bless you Carmella from The Sunny Raw Kitchen! I recently purchased a bunch of supplies to make raw cacao treats and had no idea where to start. Her recipes and descriptions of each of the items helped so much, and gave me some great ideas to start with.

You really have to play with these products and get a feel for them. Here is my raw foodie experiment.

WARNING: It is messy as hell and I learned a valuable lesson in PATIENCE with allowing enough time for one item to chill thoroughly, before attempting to melt cacao paste or butter. What a trip! I felt like a kindergartner with paste all over my fingers...only this was totally lickable! It would have made a great Kodak moment if I could have picked up the camera.

Here is my attempt and changes to  those wonderful Hazlenut Truffles, aka, "Ferrero Rawcher"
Note: I am not totally sure of all of the measurements, since I was adjusting the recipe as I went along, so have fun, experiment, lick (I mean taste), and experiment some more.

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RAWSOME Product - Raw Candy in a Jar!!

Fresh, Raw, Organic Halvah

Ingredients: "Raw", Organic, Mechanically-Hulled Sesame Seeds*, fresh, raw, honey.

This stuff is sooooo good!!! Sesame seeds are freshly ground two or three times to keep the temperature low enough to retain enzymes and life energy. It is then immediately refrigerated and is guaranteed to taste and feel better than roasted and/or ground nut and seed butters. This sweet and delicious raw, organic, Halvah is available through AE Vincent.

This is great in smoothies, on sliced apples, recipes that call for tahini, or just licked right off the spoon! You can also chop raw nuts and roll them into nut balls with the Halvah for an energy packed breakfast. I am on a very strict diet that focuses on eliminating mold, which is present on most packaged foods that sit on store shelves. This is on my Doctor's list of things to eat. It may be a little pricey, but worth it for the quality product you get.  Arlie has some  other super fresh, high quality items as well, especially if you want fresh, raw nuts - they are shelled and immediately vacuum packed to keep them fresh. Don't forget to tell Arlie that Barbara sent you!

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Chocolate Heaven!

I am so excited. My ingredients came in the mail yesterday: Cacao powder, cacao paste, cacao butter, mesquite powder, lacuma powder, yacon syrup and bourbon vanilla bean powder and some candy molds. OOooh, I cannot wait to experiment!!!

Okay - here is the first batch. I need to perfect the chocolate a bit. I mixed carob and cacao powder, and used cacao butter with a little coconut oil. It was very good, but not as creamy as I had expected. I haven't tried the cacao paste yet, which is supposed to be superior to the other two products. Still tasty and certainly satisfying when there is a craving for a little sweet treat.

I wasn't very careful  when spooning chocolate into the molds, and the tops came out a bit sloppy. The chocolate also started to harden faster than I realized. Not bad for the first try.

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Zippy Veggie Fajitas With Taco Nut "Meat"

I love being able to take an SAD (Standard American Diet) meal that W enjoys and turn it into a RAW recipe that he absolutely loves! Woohoo! Success tonight! We both feel soooo much more energized after eating live food than we ever felt with cooked food. No more heavy, full feeling after meals. I used variations from 3 different recipes for this delicious dish. You have to let the veggies marinate ahead of time, but the recipes are all super quick and easy to prepare!

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Raw Cheesy Lasagna Roll

Yesterday I experimented with a small batch of Shari Viger's Award Winning Veggie Mac Cheese Spread. You have to prepare the Macadamia Nut Cheese the day before, and from that you create the Veggie Mac Spread. I did not have any Ume plum vingear, so I used sea salt. I also added some oregano  and chives to her recipe.

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