Introducing RAW to a health food store! RECIPE?

[Riiiya]

guys guys! I am going to bring something raw tomorrow to the local health food store for the manager to try.. there's a possibility that he'll talk to the deli manager and perhaps decide to carry some RAW FOOD! AAA HOW EXCITING!:eek: :D

So anyway, i wanted to bring some dessert since that's what people usually can't resist ;) I need something simple, something that can be done with few ingredients but looks nice and tastes fantastic!:rolleyes:

I've been watching Alissa's DVD this past weekend (btw- I LOVE IT) and i'm thinking about the Nut Date Torte (is that what it's called) i haven't tried it yet.. is it good? Maybe something chocolaty would be better?

I WOULD APPRECIATE HELP!

[saxmaam]

The Date Nut Torte is super.

[Pony500]

The Date Nut Torte is very good and very easy. Also, try the Grezzo Chocolate Fudge Cake--it too is awesome and easy. Here's the recipe:

GREZZO CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

For the base:
1 c. walnuts
1 c. pecans
1 c. dates, pitted (I soaked mine)
1/4 c. raw cacao powder

For the topping:
1/2 c. cacao powder
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. agave nectar

Prepare the base: Grind walnuts and pecans in a food processor until fine. Add the dates and cacao powder and blend until smooth and chocolatey. Remove from the food processor and, with your hands, form into round shape.

To assemble: Mix topping ingredients by hand in a small bowl or use the blender to make it more creamy. When smooth, pour the sauce on top of the base.

Refrigerate the cake until firm.

I put chopped nuts on top and it was beautiful! Or, you could put some shredded coconut on top as well.

I did think the topping was a little bitter yet, so I may try mixing half carob and half cacao instead or maybe just decreasing the cacao to 1/3 cup instead. It's a wonderful recipe and very chocolatey--it was just what I was looking for in a chocolate desert.

Either one will make a very pretty desert--I also put chopped nuts on top of my Date Nut Torte instead of any fruit and it was beautiful and I liked the added nuts to a very very sweet cake. Both are so easy and they are both different enough that I think making both of them would be good. You could also try one of the fruit pies--I made the pineapple/mango one from Rawvolution and it too was very good and something different and easy as well.

[Riiiya]

Thank you guys!

Pony500- do you think it'd be as good if i put honey instead of Agave?

[Pony500]

I'm sure it would be--and if it needed a little more sweetness, I'm sure it would be okay to add a little more. My raw honey is the really thick kind that you must spoon out of the jar, so if yours is like that, you may need to warm it somehow. I want to play with the topping a little more, but since I still have half a cake left, I won't be doing that for a little while. You might also try adding some more dates as well to get more sweetness to the topping.

In all honesty, the cake itself could be served alone, more like a brownie. I think the cake by itself it absolutely delicious and I like the topping, but it really is a little bitter. So, just play with the topping, but the cake is awesome in my opinion and needs no playing with.

Here's another little silly thing that I made up when I had nothing else to eat, but may also go well as a topping for the chocolate cake. I just took like equal amounts of sunflower seeds, cashews, raw cacao nibs and carob chips (not raw) and a little sea salt and put it all in my mini food processor and ate it like soft sweet "grimmals." I thought that it would make a good topping for the chocolate cake, but I had already made the frosting for it.

[spicyfull]

Hope All goes Well for you.

[Riiiya]

Thank you!

I made the date nut torte (a mini version lol- put it in the freezer and YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM) and since i had cashews and wanted to avoid eating them all myself, i used the Lemon cookie recipe (cashes, date, lemon, coconut) and formed it into a pie slice, sprinked coconut flakes on top... and took it to the store this morning :)

I hope the manager likes it :)

P.S. here's the picture of the mini torts haha
http://rawfoodtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4444&d=1220402974
i took the one with the coconut circle :)

[jacsam]

Exciting!!! Hope it goes well for you. Let us know!

[Riiiya]

So i get the reply and i'm told that the staff generally agreed that recipes need more development and flavor hmm..(they were super nice about it of course hehe)

Obvisouly we're dealing with some dead tastebuds here:cool: , WHAT DO I DO GUYS? i need something super sweet and flavorful i guess!?

i actually think my cashew thing wasn't too strong- i suppose it's because i am not used to eating sweet fruit any more and..well anything seems too sweet to me lol. But the date nut tort?? my boyfriend was licking his plate after that!!! I have no idea how to make THAT more flavorful!

Anyway, any suggestions can be appreciated! :o

[rayofsunshine]

I think Alissa's pad thai is full of flavor. Try that for yourself and see what you think.

For a dessert, one of my favorites is in Jennifer Cornbleet's "Raw Food Made Easy". It was one of my first raw desserts coming off SAD food and it hooked me on raw.

You use her almond crust recipe and fill it with her chocolate mousse. It is a chocolate lover's dream.

[rayofsunshine]

Oh, forgot to mention...

I have not had the date nut torte so I can't give you any suggestions, that's why I suggested a couple others.

Sounds like you have a tough crowd to please!

Good luck.

[SuzyQ]

These donut holes are incredible and easy! Everyone that has tasted them can't believe they are raw.

Donut Holes

3 Cups Shredded Coconut
1 Cup Soaked Dates
3 Tablespoons Almond Butter
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup (I know this isn't technically raw so perhaps you would want to use honey. Agave doesn't dehydrate, so I don't use that.)
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 tsp Vanilla (I use real vanilla)
Pinch Sea Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon, Optional

Mix in a food processor. Use 1 1/2 Tablespoons for each. Dehydrate 3 hours and check for the consistency you desire. Dehydrate longer if needed.

I make these double because they are gone in no time. Fabulous!

[Riiiya]

thanks - the doughnut holes sound GOOD!!! and not so complicated really :) hmmm maybe THIS will win over the MSG-crowd!??! :D

[SuzyQ]

I would be shocked if they don't like them. You'll have to let us know how they went over. Good luck!

[Riiiya]

yea.. honestly i'm a bit discouraged at this point, don't feel like pushing this at all... I think i'll take some time off (a month perhaps?) from being the Raw Crusader lol maybe if they ask me, i'll make some hehe

the other day i was looking at their deli section and there were these huge pieces of pumpkin pies for like $2 (home-made and all, organic ingrediets) and i thought that those much tinier raw treats would cost the same so maybe they just want them to look REALLY great in order for people to choose over the big SAD options hm

[Zaphirah]

Gus's Rawlmond Joys are easy and win over the SAD crowd around here.
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=34529&highlight=gus%27s+rawlmond+joys



You can have my stir-fresh recipe:

zucchini-cubed
yellow squash-cubed
snow peas
carrots-sliced thin, diagonally
kale or some kind of green cut into long thin strips
red, yellow, orange peppers cut in thin strips
broccoli
bean sprouts-save for top

dressing:
Bragg/Tamari/Nama Shoyu (you'd probably win points if you made it with something that was gluten-free so they could market it to that crowd too)
ginger-fresh grated
garlic-minced
sesame oil
sweetener-I like stevia for this-it makes it very sweet.


Add sprouts to the top of the veggies. Now pour the dressing over the top and add a generous amt of sesame seeds. It's best if it marinates for 5 hours or more.

[SuzyQ]

Try the donut holes for yourself (I know you will love them). Then if you like them, take them in next month. If you're sold on them, it will be a snap to convince them. You're doing a good thing. Don't get discouraged! You have lots of friends here.

[Riiiya]

thank you Suzy!

i think i'll do just that :)