How close do living food recipes come to their....

[Rawkinlocs]

...cooked counterparts?

I mean, like Alissa's raw/living pizza (which looks FAB btw) or the "chicken" fingers or the blueberry cheesecake...I know it's probably unrealistic to think that raw/living foods will taste exactly like their cooked counterparts, but how close do they come?

[marigold]

in my experience they dont at all.. :(

[smasty]

I'll tell ya, something I was really wary of, that I'm amazed with is nut cheeze. For example, the ricotta in Alex's lasagne recipe (I haven't tried Alissa's yet) is nearly identical in taste and texture to real ricotta. I got to thinking about this...all dairy cheese is is probably 95% fat, some protein and some whey, salt and enzymes. So nuts are almost all fat, with some protein and fiber. 90% of the ingredient is almost the same (fat vs fat). With nut cheeze, you add additional flavorings in (braggs, lemon juice, salt, etc) and it's darn close.

So, I thought the blueberry cheesecake was really good (I like the blueberry pie just a bit more though, and is lighter).

[thunderdancer]

In my limited experience with raw goodies... a friend made a carrot and walnut cake with frosting on it and that was just the most delicious thing ever since going raw (desert-wise) - my tastebuds are so changed now that if I ate a cooked walnut and carrot cake i'd prob not like it like I liked this raw one!!

And another friend made this 'strawberry cheesecake' it was AWESOME. I was never a sweet toothed person before raw so puddings weren't my thing (we never had pudding at home after dinner) but going raw - if my digestion was happy with that, then i'd eat raw cakes and cheesecakes for sure!!

OH! And the same cheesecake friend made these 'white chocolate' balls - they were cashew and date I think, really really smooth blended in her vita and rolled up and fridged - they WERE white chocolate (to my taste buds)!!! I swear it was white chocolate, like the white chocolaate mice you USED to get when little, not like the dry cheap white choc - even more tastey than today's Cadbury's White Buttons I tell you!

Another thing i'm intruiged by is Alissa recipe for flat bread!! WOW now if I had a dehydrator.... it was SO hard for me coming off bread, it was my hardest thing.

[Rawkinlocs]

Thanks for your replies everyone!

Marigold - I'm so sorry you're having such a difficult time with raw foods and liking them. I hope it gets better for you and SOON! (((hugs)))

Smasty - That's interesting that you brought up nut cheez. I made some from Jinjee's recipe and I was so astonished at how much it actually tasted like some form of cheese! It was a bit too sharp for me (even when I ate cheese, I hated the super tanginess of sharp cheese like sharp cheddar) But it did taste like cheese!

Thunderdancer - those dishes you mentioned sound so good! I've made a few things and wanted them to taste like one thing and they end up tasting like another (in some cases this was good and in others, not so good)!

I know one thing, I haven't had a dehydrated cracker recipe yet that I liked! They all have left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth for some reason and that's one thing I can't get with is a bitter taste.

I remember making a nut loaf mixture and I sprinkled kelp in part of it, made patties and dehydrated...oh my GOODNESS did it taste like the salmon croquettes I used to make! Even my daughter said so.

So, I believe that some things can and do taste very close to the cooked versions...some probably even better I would imagine!

[Revvell]

I've made, eaten and served quite a few things. Personally, I don't much care if they taste the same as cooked. My thing is, do they taste GOOD to me!

So, to respond to your question ~ I've made Alissa's lasagne. Did it taste like cooked? umm, no, yet, I held a dinner party for 8 and they loved it.

Now, I've made fudge which was WONDERful and tasted better than most fudge I've eaten. (wish I could find the recipe again ~ sigh).

I think I could make either the fudge and/or the lasagne and serve it to cooked-fooders and they wouldn't be know it was raw ~ other than the lasagne was not hot.

I've also made Alissa's buger buns. They look like the "real" thing yet don't much taste like them. What I DO enjoy about them is, I can make sandwiches which are something I've truly missed.

Oh! for those who are having trouble getting satisfied (i.e. "full") on a raw food program, I would suggest making Alissa's burger buns with a burger or the chicken recipe; add kale or chard, tomatoes and whatever else you choose to add ~ and enjoy! Depending on the size, I usually enjoy two and I'm good to go!

Injoy ~

Revvell

[Allison]

I agree that the raw versions rarely taste like the cooked versions. However, the raw versions are delicious! I didn't care for them at first, but my tastes have changed, and now I love them...probably too much! LOL But they don't taste like cooked, imo.

If you are making them for your family who is just going raw, then I would be very careful what you call the recipes. For example, I wouldn't say, "We're having Mac and Cheese for dinner!" And then you put the raw version on the table and the kids were expecting Kraft or something. I think it would be hard to get them to eat it. Call it a casserole or something and let them enjoy it for what it is.

[vegankristen]

Thunderdancer...any chance you might be able to post the recipe for the "white chocolate" balls? I haven't seen a recipe for anything "white chocolate" anywhere.

Thanks!
Kristen

[rawjojo]

Just wanted to let you Know that Thunderdancer has not been online with us for awhile so there may not nbe a response to your white choc balls however I will try to locate on for you. It is my understanding that Thunderdancer is okay she was just in the process of moving or something!
rawjojo

[Rawkinlocs]

yeah, she's been away for a while...this thread is a little old, dating back to 8/2004. But thanks for the replies! :)

[rawpriestess]

Well, I have some recipes that taste exactly like the cooked ones.

I think the burger patties, taste like meatloaf.

The marinara sauce is exactly like the meat sauce I used to make.

Also, nutmilk shake
juices
my creamy mushroom soup
creamy corn chowder
lasagna
ravioli
spaghetti
meatballs
truffles
baklava
corn bread
enchiladas
falafel
gyros
pizza
fruit cake

these are just a few off the top of my head that taste like cooked to me.

Of course, I have been working on these recipes for 4 years to make them perfect.

They are in my new raw food uncook menu books.

Will be available at the end of March. YEAH!!!

[RawTruth]

I can't wait, RawPriestess! You'll let us know, right?