Raw Dish!

These are instructions for preparing plain almond milk which can then be flavored to taste and/or used in other recipes, poured over granola or fruit, or consumed as is.

Equipment:

• Blender
• Fine mesh sprout bag or cheese cloth
• Measuring cup

Ingredients:

• Almonds, raw- 1 cup
• Water, pure- unspecified amount for soaking and rinsing
• Water, pure- 2 cups

Place raw almonds in a bowl, glass, measuring cup or whatever is convenient.  Cover with water and let sit overnight or for at least four hours.  If almonds soak up the water and become exposed then add more water to recover.  If you think of it, you can change the water during the soak time, but this is not a requirement.

After soaking, pour off soak water and discard.  Place swollen soaked almonds in a colander and rinse thoroughly with fresh water.  Put rinsed almonds into a blender container and add two cups of pure water.  Blend thoroughly for 2-3 minutes, or until a somewhat thick even consistency is achieved.

Pour blended almond mixture into fine mesh bag or cheese cloth.  Squeeze out the "milk" by kneading the mesh bag.

Yield: 2 cups

Almond milk can be flavored or sweetened to taste with any of the following:  1-3 Medjool dates, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp vanilla extract.  If you prefer cool milk, you can chill the water before blending it with the almonds.

This easily prepared recipe takes advantage of of fresh summer vegetables that can easily be obtained from your garden or at your local farm stand.

Equipment:

• sharp knife
• moderately large mixing bowl

Ingredients:

• Sweet corn, 4 ears, fresh, raw
• Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
• Slicing tomato, 1 large
• Cucumber, 1 medium/large
• Basil leaves, fresh, 10-12
• Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp
• White pepper, pinch
• Celery seed, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander, dried ground, pinch
• Oregano, dried, 1/2 tsp
• Tahini, raw, 2 Tbs
• Lime juice, fresh, 1/2 lime

Slice fresh corn off of the cob.  Slice cherry tomatoes into halves. Cut slicing tomato into small chunks.  Cut cucumber lengthwise into quarters and then slice crossway into 1/4 inch thick pieces.  I prefer unpeeled cucumbers for this recipe.  Chop basil leaves but not too finely.  Mix these ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add dried herbs and mix.  Stir in tahini and mix.  Add lime juice and mix.  Chill for 1/2 hour.  Serve as is or over a bed of greens.

Yield:  Variable depending on use, main or side dish.  I can eat this entire yield as  a meal but I have a large appetite.  Otherwise, serves 3-4 persons as a main dish or more as a side dish.

Cranberry Salad

(Serves six)

I attended a Thanksgiving raw food demonstration that Amy Rachelle gave in October, 2003.  This recipe was on her menu and it was delicious.  I've made it often every holiday season since then and I always get requests for the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups cranberries

½ cup pecan pieces

½ cup orange pieces

½ cup raw honey

Preparation:

Grind cranberries, 1 cup at a time in a blender. In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients, mix well. Cover, refrigerate, and let sit overnight.

Notes:  It's not absolutely necessary to let it sit overnight, several hours the day of is adequate.  But the longer you can let it sit, the more the flavors and juices will combine for a really tasty result! 

I make smoothie variations all the time, but today this one was particularly delicious.

Equipment:

• Blender
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients:

• Freshly prepared plain almond milk- 2 cups
• Medjool Dates- 8
• Banana, ripe & medium sized - 1,
• Cinnamon, ground- 1/8 tsp
• Nutmeg, ground- 1/8 tsp
• Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
• Carob powder- 1 heaping Tbsp

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend thoroughly.  I prefer room temperature smoothies but if you prefer cooler smoothies you can use almond milk made with cold water and/or sliced frozen banana.  This will also help compensate for any heating that results from the blending, especially if you use a high powered Vita Mix type of blender.

Yield: Two 14 oz servings.

Power Pate

- 1 to 2 cups raw organic sunflower seeds (dry or soaked for 2-12 hours first)
- dash of apple cider vinegar
- dash of cold pressed olive oil
- dash of water
- pinch of unrefined sea salt
- 1 handful of fresh dill, - about half a bunch
- 1 leaf of kale, torn into pieces

Process all of the above in a food processor, serve on leafs of butterleaf lettuce or other green leaf, wrap and enjoy!

Raw sunflower seeds are great, but when they are soaked for two or more hours, they are an incredible superfood! I don't think all the supplements in the world could be as powerful as a soaked/germinated sunflower seed! Think what it can grow into if you plant it!

This terrific recipe came from Jinjee at The Garden Diet!