Rawsome Mexican Munchies!

I'm a big fan of a Mexican munch out, but I can't handle the beans the way I used to; my body metabolises uncooked foods far better these days. This dish gives you all the flavour and satisfaction of a night at the cantina in a more readily digestible form! 

Before we get on with the recipe, have I told you before how much I LOVE sprouting! All that amazing life potential sitting inside a boring little seed in your pantry. A couple of days of soaking and watering and voila, you have unlocked LIFE!! (the above is 3 days growth - I love the little green shoots!) Sunflower sprouts have to be one of the easiest to get started with, just grab a mason jar, a chux cloth and a rubber band (I buy special sprouting jars with a steel mesh lid but you really don’t have to) soak overnight, then drain and rinse 2-3 x a day for 2-3 days, easy peasy! The nutritional benefits of sprouting are a thousand fold, and way easier on your digestive system too. If ‘sprouts’ make you think of flavourless alfalfa or mung beans tossed on watery salads, well HELLO, here’s a recipe where you won’t even see a sprout by the time you’re done, and the flavours will BLOW YOUR MIND!

And how much protein is in this kick ass raw vegan dish?

S**tloads, that’s how much.

Nut Meat

3 Cups sprouted Sunflower seeds (see chart at back)

1 cup Sundried Tomatoes – soaked for 1 hour

4 Spring Onions

3 Cloves Garlic

1 Teaspoon Chipotle Pepper

1 Teaspoon Paprika

1 Teaspoon Cayenne

1 Teaspoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Salt

Plus:

Large lettuce leaves

Guacamole *

Tomato Nectarine Salsa*

Yoghurt*

Pulse all ingredients in food processor until combined but still with some texture. If the  mixture seems a little dry, add some of the tomato soaking liquid to achieve a firm but spoonable consistency.

Once combined, take your lettuce leaves and fill them with the nut mix , topped

with guacamole, salsa and yoghurt and wrap like a burrito.

Guacamole

3 Ripe Avocados

1 Lime

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

½ Red Onion

1 Clove Garlic

Jalapeno Peppers to taste (try 3 or four slices to start with)

Kernels from 1 Fresh Corn Cob

2 Tomatoes, De-Seeded And Chopped

¼ Cup Coriander

Tomato Nectarine Salsa

2 Large Tomatoes

2 Large Nectarines

½ Red Onion

1 Tablespoon Coriander

1 Tablespoon Basil

1 Tablespoon Mint

½-1 Lime

3-4 Jalapeno Slices

Yoghurt

1 cup cashews (soaked min 2 hours ideally longer)

Meat from two young coconuts

¾ cup coconut water

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 probiotic capsule

Using a high-speed blender, mix till smooth and creamy- the longer you soak the cashews, the creamier it will be. Make sure there are no lumps and be careful that the blender doesn’t overheat.

Leave in a warm spot for 5-6 hours then refrigerate; use within 7 days.

Rawsome Pesto!

Traditional Pesto uses Parmesan cheese. We’ve replaced the cheesy component with nutritional yeast which has a lovely sharp cheesy flavour, It’s not technically raw, but it’s great for vegans as a source of B Vitamins. Great stirred through Zucchini Pasta and on crackers (see recipe here http://rawambitiongoddess.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/rawsome-cheesy-buckwheat-hemp-crackers.html) 

2 Cups Basil

1 Cup Spinach

½ Cup Walnuts

½ Cup Hemp Seeds

4 cloves garlic

2/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast

2 tsp Lemon Juice

¼ Cup Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and pulse till everything is chopped but a little chunky.

Slowly add the olive oil, you can adjust this to make it firmer or smoother as desired.

Rawsome Cheesy Buckwheat Hemp Crackers!

I love Buckwheat! To clarify, its name incorrectly links it with wheat when it’s actually a berry, it’s an awesome source of protein, is low GI, high fibre, high in iron and calcium (are you thinking great vegan food yet?) It’s also high in a flavonoid called Rutin which strengthens capillaries, so great for preventing those spider veins and it’s chock full of B vitamins for ENERGY! Buckwheat is hands down my favourite pre training meal, I sometimes have it cooked, but mainly in crackers, pizza, dried as buckwheaties and tossed on salads. It’s also dirt CHEAP. I use it for my family instead of rice, it’s impossible to compare how much better it is for you than RICE, there is simply no comparison!

These crackers make a great base for any topping, I especially like them with pesto (recipe here http://rawambitiongoddess.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/rawsome-pesto.html). Crackers are terrific in Raw Cuisine, you can't beat that crunchy texture, I challenge any 'regular' cracker eater to tell the difference (well, these are waaaay tastier!).

2 Cups Soaked and Sprouted Buckwheat

¼ cup water (you may want to add more down track, see how it looks)

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Salt

¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast

¾ Cup Hemp Seeds

1 Cup Flax Meal

I also add a teaspoon of Chipotle Pepper to give them a nice warm spicy note; you could also try Cumin or just experiment with other things you like!

Method:

Mix everything in the food processor, except the flax meal,

Transfer to a large bowl and mix through the flax meal quickly

Divide into half (approx.) and spread to desired thickness on a teflex dehydrator sheet

Score into cracker shapes

Dehydrate for approximately 12 hours, turning once (by flipping onto another sheet and peeling off the original.

Don’t have a dehydrator? You can make these in the over, they won’t be raw but still a great nutritional snack, pop in the oven around 160degC for about 10 minutes.

*Sprouting

There are lots of great reasons to sprout! When soaked, seeds begin the sprouting process which increases their nutrient profile considerably. Sprouting also increases enzyme activity, allowing greater absorption of nutrients by the body and increased digestibility.

Sprouting is dead live easy! Grab a large jar, put your seeds in and soak them overnight. In the morning, pour off the water and give them a good rinse. If you don’t have a sprouting jar with a mesh lid, just cut a piece of chux cloth or a juice bag and grab a rubber band to secure it over the mouth of the jar.

A couple of times a day, rinse and drain. After about 1.5 days, little tails will appear on the Buckwheat, they are now ready to use.