in need of good recipes for...

[exurb]

for dinner at my husband's boss' house! :o

We are supposed to bring appetizers and a cookie or dessert.

I am gonna bring all raw stuff but not make a big deal about it being raw (until maybe later :cool: ) I need stuff that will taste good to non-raw types.

For the appetizers I really need a couple good cracker recipes. (or "bread" recipe). I am gonna bring a black olive tapenade, as well as a recipe from Charlie Trotter/Roxanne Klein's book Raw (three peppercorn cashew cheese with balsamic), I need some crackers/bread to serve with them. I'm especially after something that has a different base than flax, ok to have some flax in them but hoping for something that isn't like 90% flax.

Any other recipes for cookies or amazing desserts please let me know. (If you just want to refer me to one in a book that you've made and know is really good, I have many raw books or can get them from the library.) I need something tried and true.

Can anyone help?

[sweetgoddess]

Alissa's date-nut torte recipe is always a hit for me at non-raw get togethers!
Here is a link to her recipe.
http://www.alissacohen.com/recipes.html#date

Have fun! :)

[exurb]

thanks sweetgoddess!

does anyone have a good cracker recipe, maybe buckwheat based?

[Rawkinlocs]

As far as desserts go, so far the one's I think would be a hit with non-raw eaters (aside from the torte) are Alissa's Blueberry Cheesecake and the Pecan Pie! I've also read here that her Black Forest Cherry Cake is good and decadent, but I haven't personally made it yet.

If you make the cheesecake, a little tip I do that to me makes the crust more like a graham crust is to process the almonds AND about 1/4 c. of oat groats and maybe half the amount of dates (I think the recipe calls for raisins in the crust, but I prefer dates) and process just until crumbly, but sticky enough to press into the pie plate. If you need to, add a little more dates. OH...and add a dash or two of sea salt for the "butter" effect and maybe even a drizzle of coconut oil IF you have one that tastes really good like the Virgin De Coco brand!

As for cracker/bread...here is one that is flaxless and they're good, but not sure how well the flavor of it will go over with what you're serving on them:

"Bell Pepper Crackers

1 whole bell pepper (not green)
1/4-1/3 C cashews (can also use pine nuts)
salt to taste
spices (opt)- I used a little onion powder, garlic powder, and a dash of paprika
1 slice of jalopeno -Thankfully I had some that I had dried and stored!
1-2 TBS of nutritional yeast flakes (opt)

blend all ingred till smooth. pour onto a teflex and dehydrate over night, flip over onto the mesh sheet and dehydrate until done (not moist and a bit crispy).

AND here is Serena Allison's Energy Flatbread which I'm sure can be dried longer into crackers. It's more of a basic cracker that doesn't have much flavor to clash with what goes on the crackers.

Energy Flat Bread
From Rejuvenate Your Life by Serene Allison

7 ½ c. sprouted buckwheat
3 ¼ c. soaked flax seeds (measured after soaking)
3 ¼ c. carrot pulp
4 big T. raw honey
¾ c. extra virgin olive oil (can leave this out)
1-1 ½ T. sea salt

This makes about a month’s supply or maybe a week’s worth for large families. Mix in batches in food processor. Spread onto five Teflex sheets about 1 cm thick. Score into desired sizes. Dehydrate below 105 degrees for a few hours until a crust is formed on one side and then flip them onto mesh screen and dehydrate until thoroughly dry—about 12-16 hours. If there is any hint of moisture, store in refrigerator. To recrisp later, you can stick it back into the dehydrator for 20 minutes or so.
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Another idea is to make Alissa's basic flax cracker recipe (the one with the ginger and lemon) but perhaps add some ground oat groats or ground (sprouted then dried) buckwheat in the place of some of the flax. I've never done it, so I can't tell you it's a sure winner...just thinking off the top of my head as to what you can serve that isn't mostly made of flax!

[exurb]

Thanks for the tips and recipes Rawkinlocs.

I am gonna make those bell pepper crackers for with the black olive paste, I think they would go great! Do they just have pretty much peppers and cashews as the base or is there something else missing?

Hey, Rawkinlocs, while you mentioned Serene Allison, is that a good book to get, I had never heard of it until you mentioned it with those pecan rolls, and I'm still thinking about those :o .

[Rawkinlocs]

Yep, that's pretty much it as far as the base of those crackers! You may want to spread them a little thicker than you do most crackers as they sometimes tend to want to crumble on ya! Or, maybe add a "little" bit of flax just in case to better hold them together!

I don't own the book, I've only seen various recipes shared from it here and other places on the 'net. But I've heard it was a pretty good book. Only thing is, she had a family of like 8 I think and her recipes are LARGE servings based on what she prepared for a month or so worth of food for her family!! :eek: So, you would find yourself halving or even quartering much of her recipes from what can see just from the ones that have been shared!

I'm going to PM you, so check that in about 5 minutes or so!