RAW Get-Well Green Smoothie

I’ve got a cold, and if this can’t fix me, nothing will! 

Its warming, sharp, citrusy and full of nutrients known to boost immunity.

BLEND

·         1 small APPLE

·         1 small PEAR

·         1 ORANGE

·         1cm grated fresh GINGER

·         1 ½ cups BABY SPINACH LEAVES

·         1 tspn HONEY

·         ½ cup WATER

Only thing you to make this better is some Echinacea!

Its always good to put citrus in with spinach to assist with breaking down the acids that can make your teeth feel furry. 

RAW Coconut Chia Pudding and Smoky Coconut Bacon

In my ongoing attempts at a raw lifestyle coconut has seemed to emerge as my go-to staple for culinary experimentation.

It just has so many texture options as an ingredient and I am never disappointed in any food tasting wholly or partly coconutty! It seems to give bulk without too much grainiess or heaviness and it is cheap. It takes on any flavour you throw at it and works in sweet and savoury dishes.

You can use it in its desicated, shredded, flaked, flour, fresh young flesh forms for nearly any recipe. Or pull out the fresh or powered coconut water. Endless options.

But for now, here is two things to try: one sweet and one savoury.


COCONUT CHIA PUDDING

BLEND

• Flesh and water of 1 YOUNG COCONUT
• Seeds of 1/2 VANILLA BEAN
• 2 tbsp AGAVE SYRUP or prefered sweetener

STIR to combine

• 3 tbsp CHIA SEEDS

Allow to sit for a while to plump up the seeds (magic!) or refrigerated overnight. 

You will be left with an insanely delicious goo like a gelatinous tapioca. Perfect mix of coconut and vanilla.  Keep in mind that if you dont like the texture of chia pudding this is extra slippery because of the young coconut. Eat it on its own or use like yoghurt to dress up a sweet desert. 

For a variation, using ground chia seeds or chia meal would probably result in an instant coconut yoghurt that doesn't need to be cultured. Win!



SMOKY COCONUT BACON

I got the idea for this by thinking about how much I wanted a savoury coconut sambal and that maybe it would be even better crispy.

There are plenty of recipes out there describing how to make a great bacon substitute using marinated fresh coconut and dehydrating it into strips. This is the quicker and more affordable version using pre-dried coconut. It sucks up the flavours like a sponge and stores indefinitely.


COMBINE into a dressing

• 1 tspn GARLIC POWDER (or 2 cloves fresh crushed)
• 2 tspn ONION POWDER  (or 1 small finely, finely minced - it needs to dehydrate!)
• 2 tspn SMOKED PAPRIKA
• 1 tspn CHIPOTLE POWDER
• 2 tbsp APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

STIR into

• 2 cups shredded or flaked DRIED COCONUT

Dehydrate at 45C for 2 hours to dry out. Store in an airtight container indefinitely and use to garnish salad, soups, or anything that needs a good savoury kick!

To vary you can add a little salt or change the spices to your liking. It is the onion and garlic that make it intensely savoury, but the smoked paprika and chipotle make it bacon-like. You could probably get a similar effect using liquid smoke. 

I'm sure you could do a great similar thing with garlic, onion, paprika, rosemary, and thyme for something a little like roast chicken. 

RAW Blood Orange and Walnut Biscuits

This recipe was to put to use the stockpile of dried blood orange chips I have been making.
To make, simply:

• Cut oranges into 2-4mm rounds
• Dehydrate at 45C until fully dried.

You know they are done when you try to bend them and they crack apart.

You are left with intensely flavoured sweet treats that pack the punch of orange rind and an intensified orange sweetness. You don't need blood oranges, they just look more dramatic dried in a ruby hue. Best of all they store indefinitely.

These biscuits were a vehicle to use some of that great citrus candy. Wait for these to dry right out, because rather than the usual chewy biscuit, you end up with a beautiful dry crumb from the almond meal. If you made them really thin and substituted flaked coconut they would make a great wafer.

COMBINE

• 3/4 cup finely chopped DRIED DATES
• 1/2 cup just boiled WATER

Let the two emulsify into a sticky sweet goo.

COMBINE

• 1/4 cup chopped DRIED BLOOD ORANGE
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped WALNUTS
• 1/2 cup ground RAW ALMONDS/ALMOND MEAL
• 1/4 cup CHIA SEEDS
• 2/3 cup desicated COCONUT
• 1 tspn CINNAMON
• ZEST and JUICE of one BLOOD ORANGE

Pour in the date mix, combine until sticky dough forms. Add some agave syrup at this point if they need a little sweetness.
Shape into biscuits 1/2cm thick and dehydrate until dried through (be patient!).

They are really delicious and will store for ages.

RAW Easy Savoury Corn Chowder

Well, where I am living it is now instantly freezing. Time to stop with the salads and get with the soups.

Funnily enough, the stores are still full of summer produce and corn is abundant (especially in my fridge). So a corn chowder was the winning solution.

BLEND until smooth

• 1 clove of GARLIC
• 1 tbsp SEEDED MUSTARD
• 1 tbsp MACADAMIA BUTTER
• 1 tbsp of STOCK POWDER or AMINO ACIDS
• 1 cup fresh CORN KERNELS
• 1/2 red CAPSICUM
• 1 cup grated ZUCCINNI
• and a little water as needed.

(I like to get the veggies warm by placing in kettle boiled water for a few minutes before blending, to take them from fridge temperature to something closer to warm)

THEN ADD for texture

• 1/2 cup fresh CORN KERNELS
• 1/4 cup grated ZUCCINNI

If it isn't warm enough, lightly heat using a double boiler method.

GARNISH with chopped parsely and black pepper. 

Its simple, super quick to prepare, the flavour is balanced, and its satisfying for a cold night.

You could make a great spicy version with some cayenne, dukkah, or chipotle powder. It could be made a little creamier with the inclusion of a nut milk.

RAW Lime in de Coconut Truffles

This tastes like an island sunset. All the bright lights and the promise of an exciting night to come as it zings across your taste buds.

COMBINE

• 1 ripe mashed BANANA
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1 LIME juice and zest
• 2 tbsp AGAVE SYRUP
• 1/2 cup desicated coconut

Roll into bite sized balls. Roll balls in extra desiccated coconut. Dehydrate for 2-3 hours to firm and make coconut crispy.

 As they are the balls are bright, fruity and sing with citrus.

You could double the almond flour and add some vanilla if you wanted it to be extra cakey. Or try a little spiced rum or frangelico in the mix.

Alternatively, you could also switch the banana for apple and lime for orange, then add a little vanilla and cinnamon, turning those Caribbean flavours into an autumnal treat.

RAW Chocolate Ice-cream Smoothie

Tastes just like that smooth and unctuous liquid that forms around chocolate ice-cream as it melts.
You will be licking the bowl/glass when you are done.

BLEND:

• 2 very ripe BANANAS
• 1 very ripe PEAR
• 1 1/2 tbsp HAZELNUT BUTTER
• 1 1/2 tbsp CACAO POWDER
• 1/2 glass of WATER
• 1/2 glass of ICE

RAW Rocket Powered Tabbouleh

Rocket Powered Tabboulah. Or Taboo-leh because this is scandalously good.
My take on tabbouleh with the extra zing of rocket and mint turning this into a high octane RAW rocket fuel.

• 1 cup ROCKET slightly torn
• 1/2 cup finely chopped PARSLEY
• 1/2 cup CHERRY TOMATOES
• 2 tbsp chopped MINT
• 10 chopped MACADAMIA NUTS
• 1 stem of chopped SPRING ONION

TOSS and DRESS with:

• 2 tbsp spicy OLIVE OIL
• Juice of one small LEMON
• 1 tbsp TAHINI
• 1 tbsp AGAVE SYRUP
• SALT and PEPPER to taste

Throw in a chopped AVOCADO if you have one handy to take it over the edge.

Countdown to demolish in 5...4...3...2...1!