Vanilla & dried fruit??

[LoveLife]

My question is in Alissa's book a few of the recipes call for vanilla..and I was wondering..is that vanilla extract like u'd put in a cupcake/cake recipe?..I just don't see how vanilla extract is raw..but I wasn't sure...also I was wondering about dried fruit...at our healthfood store u can buy them in bulk..but a lot of the time there's sugar or canola oil added..so I wasn't sure if they are raw still..and since I don't have a dehydrator I'm not sure I can make my own...:confused:

[jaurequi]

Hi,

Neither of those products you describe are "raw." However, you can find unsulphured, untreated dried fruits; you just have to read the labels.

For vanilla, for it to be 100% "raw," you need to use a vanilla bean; cut it, scrape out the seeds, or grind the entire pod for a nice vanilla powder.
I've also seen "vanilla paste," which is simply the inside of the beans scraped out for you already; however, check for additives.

Best,

[veganman]

Hi LoveLife -

you can make your own "extract" by putting the vanilla bean in a blender/Vitamix with some water. About 5 whole beans per cup of water. Blend really well and refrigerate.

Sun-dried fruit is raw. As Jaurequi said, look for unsulfured fruit with no additives. You may have to ask the store buyer because we have found that some stores have oil added to their raisins and they don't have it on the label.

[barose]

jaurequi - the vanilla past I found had added sugar to it.