Rawsome Caramelised Fig and Ginger Custard Tarts

Fig-ed about it!

Caramelised Fig and Ginger Custard Tarts 
Makes 18 small tarts or one large one)

The perfect Autumnal dessert, this little number gives a good fruit punch with a delicious, crunchy chocolate base! You can have these on the table within a couple of hours, but the topping needs to be pre-made.

For the base:

1.5 cups cacao nibs

1 cup activated almonds

1.5 cups (or around 10) Medjool dates

1 tablespoon vanilla powder

1 tablespoon lucuma powder

pinch of sea salt

Blend everything in a food processor, except the dates, add these slowly until the mixture comes together.

You can use individual tart moulds (with removable base) if you like, or a mini cheesecake tin with removable bases.You can also do this in a large cheesecake mould- I suggest that rather than a tart pan as the filling will be too much) 

Take around 2 tablespoons of mix per mould and press into place, you can bring up the sides a little or leave as a solid base if preferred.

For the filling:

2 cups of cashews, soaked

3 very ripe bananas

½ cup melted coconut oil

3 medium sized figs

1 tablespoon lucuma powder

2 tablespoons of ginger powder

juice of half a lemon

10 soft Medjool dates

3 tablespoons coconut nectar

pinch of sea salt

Using a high speed blender, blend everything until smooth. Pour into the prepared crusts to almost the top of the pan.

Place in freezer to set for a couple of hours.

For the topping:

6 medium figs, sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons of coconut nectar

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

Place the figs in a glass baking dish, the thinner the layers the better, mix through the nectar and ginger.

Dehydrate overnight

You can chop these up a little more if you prefer, then add around a teaspoon to the tops of your tarts, plus a little drizzle of coconut nectar to complete.

Rawsome Pasta Marinara!

If you're after something filling, fresh and tasty, this is the perfect dish and a great way to use up Zucchini in the Autumn. Kids love helping make the noodles too!

Pasta Marinara

For the pasta:

Spiralise* 4 Zucchini (ratio is about 1 Zucchini per person or more depending on appetite), toss in a little Salt and Olive Oil and set aside.

For the sauce:

1½ Cups Sun Dried Tomatoes (soaked for 1-2 hours)

4 Large Fresh Tomatoes

1 Clove of Garlic

¼ Red Onion

1 Cup of Fresh Basil Leaves

1 Tablespoon fresh Oregano

½ Cup Flat Leaf Parsley

½ teaspoon Chipotle Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Coconut Nectar

A splash of Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1)  Blend all the sauce ingredients.

2)  Remove any excess water from the Zucchini and arrange on serving plates.

3)  Top with sauce.

Notes:

·       You can add ‘Parmesan’ cheese to this dish, and also a few Olives are a nice touch.

·       If you’re in a real hurry, you can add a Tablespoon or two of Italian Herbs to replace the fresh, but fresh really is best!

‘Parmesan’

2 Cups of Pine Nuts

½ cup Water

1tsp Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

Process all ingredients in a food processor. Spread across a dehydrator sheet or baking paper in a thin layer (around 2-3mm). Dehydrate till firm- about 12 hours. Turn over onto another tray or fresh baking paper and dehydrate a further 24 hours. Remove, cool and break into shards. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. This stuff lasts forever and is a great additional any salad, pizza, you name it!

 * You can buy a spiraliser at most kitchen stores, there are many varieties, you can also buy online http://www.therawfoodstore.com.au/products/gefu-spirelli-duo-spiral-slicer , mine is a bigger model with a handle which I prefer for doing bulk loads, you can also just buy a veggie peeler with small teeth in it. If you like the thicker 'fettucine' ribbons, a veggie peeler will do that just fine too! 

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.