My Food Thread!!!

[CrazyDelicious]

So I have been thinking about all this extra free time I have! :)

I used to work 12h days at a high-stress job, weekends, and volunteer at a farmers market - so I didn't have time to peruse forums much less prepare anything complicated or time-intensive. Now that I am on maternity leave I have been dropping into the forum after a 2-year hiatus and am getting inspired by all the great food I am seeing and getting me in the mood for something new :)

So I thought I would go gourmet for a while and make some time-intensive dishes, do some sprouting, and just take the time to be creative! I also lost a little too much weight after having my son, so I could use the extra calories of some gourmet desserts!!!

Anyway - I do love making cereal, but I used to just soak & grind nuts/seeds with raisins and call it a day. But I have been firing up the dehydrator and making rawnola! So my first food pic is of a batch of rawnola I made last weekend - I was inspired by DebB's recipe which called for an apple/date/walnut concoction that the rawnola ingredients are tossed in. It gives great flavour!

I will write the recipe I used, but the one that inspired me can be found here (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=58480). As with any of my recipes, I don't really measure - I just taste as I go and add stuff by the handful, so the dry measurements aren't overly precise. :o I also didn't use any additional sweetener because I find the dried blueberries add a good amount of sweetness - but feel free to add some date or maple syrup or whatever sweetener you like!

Yummy Rawnola!!

2 apples
1 cup of dates soaked in enough water to cover
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup soaked walnuts
2 cups sprouted buckwheat (I sprout for 1 day)
2 cups almonds, soaked
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup golden flax seeds, ground or whole

Add dates, date water, 1 apple, cinnamon, vanilla, walnuts and salt to the food processor and process until smooth. Put in bowl and mix together all other ingredients. Spread out on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate until dry. Break apart and serve with fresh cold almond milk or by the handful! Yum!

[christinajade]

Yummy!!!:D

[DebB]

Wow CrazyDelicious ~ I really like what you've come up with! I want to add hemp seeds next time!

Say ~ where do you find the dried blueberries? I'd like to try those too. It looks great - beautiful pictures!

[FreedomSeeker]

Where do you get the buckwheat?

[Amarynth]

Mmm...that looks delish! I can't wait to get my dehydrator so I can start making some cereals. I really miss that. I love that container you keep it in...very pretty. Looks like you have enough to share too... =D

[CrazyDelicious]

DebB - I get the dried blueberries at my local health food store. They have wild organic or cultivated. It could be the area I live in - lots of blueberries here in spring/summer! I don't know where you could order them though. If you can get them they are a great addition - so yummy!

FreedomSeeker - I also get the buckwheat at my local health food store. When you are looking make sure you find the raw (not toasted) kind - it looks like little green/white pyramids. Toasted buckwheat (called kashi) will not sprout! If it isn't at your local health food store, you can probably order it online!

xx

[CathyA.]

this looks delish. thanks for sharing.

[Basenjimamma]

wow, that granola looks delish..Thank you so much for widening my horizon.

Deb..I saw dried blueberries at Costco, don't know if they are raw, but might be worth a shot.

I just ordered buckwheat from Nutsonline..great site, they have tons of raw grains, nuts and also dried fruits.

[CrazyDelicious]

Thanks CathyA and Basenjimamma!!

Here's another recipe I made the other day - I just got around to photographing it! It is a blueberry-type cheesecake square thing. I have played around with making the filling thicker and thinner by adding coconut butter or psyllium husk, so feel free to add this if you like a pie that really holds its shape. I normally don't do this and just freeze all my desserts - I like eating them as they are just beginning to thaw. (see pic!)

Crust
2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 cup dried coconut
1/4 tsp salt
10 large dates
2 tbsp raisins

Filling
1 cup (dry weight) soaked cashews
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
juice of 1/4 lemon
4 tbsp honey (or date syrup, or sweetener of your choice)

For the crust, process the walnuts, coconut and salt until they resemble coarse, dry crumbs. Do not overprocess or it will become oily. Then add the dates and raisins until the crumbs begin to stick together. Press the crumbs firmly into a pie plate or square cake pan, making sure it is even. Warning - this crust is seriously yummy - I use it as a crumble topping for fruit all the time! So quick and so easy!

For the filling, put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy. A blender will result in a smoother texture. Pour filling into the crust. Chill until set (a few hours in the fridge).

The great thing about raw desserts is that you can taste as you go and really tweak it to your liking. It is so easy to whip together a crust and fill with something simple like fruit or get fancy with chocolate banana cream!

Yum!

[jeebling]

WoW! That looks and sounds delicious. My mother will be town and she loves blueberries. I am also looking for ways to add blueberries to my diet because I have noticed tiny vericose veins beginning in my ankle and fingers. I understand berries, and especially blueberries are very good for the vascular system.
Thanks for the recipe!
all the best,
Jim

[CathyA.]

I HAVE to make that blueberry cheese cake. I'm drooling.:o Thanks for starting this thread. You have great ideas.

[CrazyDelicious]

Thanks CathyA and jeebling!!

I actually make the blueberry squares quite often (couple of times a month) because OH loves it and blueberries are so good for you! I usually vary the amounts I use for the filling, so I would switch it up depending on what consistency you are looking for. More cashews makes it creamier and also gives it a better consistency when frozen, whereas more blueberries will give a looser filling and makes it icier when frozen.

But I got around to photographing another frozen treat I often keep on hand in case of immediate hunger (like when I get back from exercising and dinner is too far away) :)

These aren't very fancy, but I really like them because they aren't too sweet and have a cookie-dough like taste. I find it's the the walnuts that give them that cookie dough flavour. These look really snazzy if you roll out the dough and cut them into circles, but I'm way too lazy for that - I just roll them into balls and throw them in the freezer. The amounts I use are approximate though - as sometimes 8 medjool dates are enough and another time they are smaller and I need more. Also I only use almond flour if I have some on hand that needs using - otherwise I just use all ground almonds!

Almond Butter Balls

3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almond flour (I dry the pulp from almond milk, or you can use finely ground almonds or just more raw almonds!)
2 tbsp almond butter
8-10 medjool dates
small handful of raisins
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt

Grind almonds, walnuts and salt in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add remaining ingredients (except the raisins) and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Add the raisins at the end and process until just combined. If you like your cookies sweeter, you can add date syrup or the sweetener of your choice. If the consistency doesn't seem right, you can play with the wet/dry ingredients until you have something you like. Also you can process more or less for a finer crumb, but overprocessing will make them oily, as the walnuts will start releasing their oils. I also have omitted the vanilla and grated in lemon jest/juice to make lemon cookies - or added cacao (though I don't eat cacao normally) to make them chocolatey.

Roll mixture into balls and put in fridge or freezer until hungry! :)

[CrazyDelicious]

I just noticed I have been posting all desserts!

Really - I don't eat just desserts :D , it's just that I think of pulling out the camera when I am eating something fancy. I always forget to snap a pic when I'm just eating my normal meals. But I was intrigued by another one of DebB's posts and am going to see if I can't make a zucchini pasta salad next!

Stay tuned!

[CrazyDelicious]

So I made some eggplant bacon. This is something I have never made before since the idea never really appealed to me, but I thought I would try it out. It is dehydrating right now, and doesn't smell that appetizing. But we'll see! Hope the ume vinegar doesn't make it too salty!

I will post a pic when it's done! :)

[CINDY A]

Everything looks good!

[CrazyDelicious]

Thanks CINDY A!

Here's that pic of the completed eggplant bacon! It is very very crunchy and does have that salty smoky flavour, but I'm not sure if I am really a fan of it. I guess the taste somewhat reminds me of bacon bits, but I'm not sure how much I like that LOL ... I haven't tried it with anything though - just a bite on its own, so I will have to try out an ELT. The flavour might be less strong and enhance the other ingredients. I will let you know!

Sorry - the pic is a bit dull - just of the eggplant and not a beautiful dish. I will take some pics of the ELTs that I make - maybe tomorrow!! :)

I got this recipe from renees thread that cited an old thread from 2007 - she raved about it so I thought I had to try it out!

Eggplant Bacon

1 large eggplant - peeled and sliced with a veggie peeler
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons date syrup (or maple syrup or honey)
3 Tablespoons Ume Plum vinegar
2 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
1 Drop liquid smoke

Whisk together all marinade ingredients. Marinate eggplant slices in marinade for an hour or two. I marinated for 2 hours and I found the flavour very strong! I do like the crunchy texture of the eggplant though. I might try and make a few more recipes with eggplant, as I basically haven't eaten them since going raw. Maybe a new door has been opened! :)

Edit: This recipe made a ton of marinade - I think next time I will cut it in half!

[Basenjimamma]

Looking good. I made some eggplant bacon a while back, but added some chipoltle pepper to the marinade for smokey taste..I added way to much ,so now my bacon is like little strips of fire..yummy, but way to spicy for me, my hubby loves them.
I love the blueberry thing as well..yum-o.

[CrazyDelicious]

Thanks Basenjimamma - I still haven't tried the eggplant bacon on a sandwich or salad. I am eating a salad now, but I feel like the bacon would add a weird taste. Does your husband just eat it as is or does he add it to something?

[xPIXIEx]

I make ELT's on onion bread. SO tasty.

[CrazyDelicious]

Here is another recipe inspired by DebB! I was looking at her pasta salad thread and thought I would try it out - so delicious! Her original thread can be found here (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=58898)! This makes enough for 1 serving for me - hee hee:rolleyes:

Pesto Pasta Salad

1 zucchini
1 tsp dried Italian Seasonings
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
1 tablespoon pesto
1 tomato, chopped
1 mini-pepper, sliced
1 green onion, chopped
10 small basil leaves, torn

I used my mandoline to slice the zucchini into fettuccini strips and massaged with a little oil and sea salt (tiny pinch of each) and let sit out for about an hour. Then I mixed the seasonings, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and pesto in the bottom of a bowl. I then added the remaining ingredients and zucchini. Toss and serve!

I really liked this as an alternative to marinara. I have had zucchini with pesto before, but liked the very small amount of pesto in this - it works really well with the basil leaves, but doesn't overpower the flavours. The end result is light and refreshing! Thanks DebB! :)

[CrazyDelicious]

xPIXIEx - I will have to try that! I haven't made onion bread in a long time. I think I have the recipe - is it in RAWvolution?
I will have to try it out soon! :)