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 Chocomint Cheesecake!

If you've a garden that grows mint like a weed in summer, get a hold of some for this refreshingly decadent  dessert! 

For the crust:

1 Cup Macadamias

½ cup Sprouted and Dried Buckwheat (you can substitute with Buckwheaties or more nuts)

½ Cup Coconut Crunch

¼ teaspoon Vanilla Sea Salt (or plain salt if preferred)

¼ teaspoon of Vanilla Bean Powder

1 Cup Dried Coconut

2 teaspoons Cacao Powder

1 Cup of Medjool Dates (stones removed)

1 teaspoon Coconut Oil (does not need to be melted)

For the mint filling:

3 Cups soaked Cashews

2 Cups Almond Milk (you can vary this depending on consistency) 

¼ Cup Lemon Juice

¼ teaspoon Vanilla Bean Powder

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 Cups of Fresh Mint Leaves

10-20 drops of Food Grade Peppermint Oil (I use DoTerra)

2 teaspoons AFA powder or Spirulina (make sure it’s a low odour one)

1 Cup Coconut Nectar

1 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)

1 Tablespoon Lecithin (melt this in with the coconut oil) – you don’t have to use lecithin but it helps bind everything a little.

For the chocolate filling:

4 Tablespoons Cacao Powder

1 Tablespoon Coconut Nectar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Method:

Crust:

1)     Take a 10 inch spring form cake tin and grease the bottom slightly with Coconut Oil or line it with baking paper (just be careful that there are no creases if you take this option) you can also use plastic wrap.

2)     Blend the nuts first, then add the other dry ingredients. With the food processor going, slowly add the dates through the feeder tube until the crust starts to rise up the sides of the bowl, stop and scrape this down, and continue, add the Coconut Oil in here as well. 

3)     Gently press the base into place, it should be a little sticky but pliable. Once you have covered the base of the pan evenly, pop it in the freezer while you make the topping.

Mint Filling:

4)     Add all the ingredients to a blender (not food processor!), Coconut Oil and Lecithin. Blend till smooth and creamy, slowly add the Coconut Oil and Lecithin.

5)     Now take your pan from the freezer and pour in about ¾ of your mixture.

Chocolate Filling:

6)     Take the remaining mixture and add the Cacao Powder, Nectar and Vanilla and blend

7)     Pour the mixture into the pan, moving the jug around so as to distribute it evenly. You should feel that the majority of the chocolate mixture has gone deep into the original layer. Then take a chopstick and quickly swirl it around to create a nice effect.

8)     Return to the freezer for 1-2 hours to set, or overnight, then pop in the fridge for an hour or so before serving.

9)     Top with grated Chocolate. Thereafter it can stay in the fridge for up to a week (if you have a padlock.)

Notes:

·       Because the liquid portion can vary in flavour consistency (Almond/Coconut) check your filling for flavour very often. The best thing to add is in fact salt, not sugar, so try a pinch first to see if that works.

·       You can experiment with any nuts you like for the crust but I don’t recommend more than ½ cup of Coconut Crunch or 1 cup of Buckwheaties.

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.