Recipe of the Week: Popeye Gone Raw Cream of Spinach Soup

I adore spinach. I can eat the stuff by the handful - something I usually do while shopping at the local HFS. People look at me with this funny expression on their face, no doubt thinking I'm some kind of health wacko. (Who? Me?) I usually smile back and joke that I must be Popeye reincarnated. lol

Actually, I can even be a little compulsive about buying spinach. If it happens to be looking particularly fresh and vibrant, I almost have to restrain myself in order to be 'reasonable' and buy no more than we can go through in a week. (Hum, is there such a thing as a spinach junkie? Guess so...) No doubt that I'm making up for all those years where the only spinach that would enter the house was the frozen packaged variety.

I've already shared a number of great recipes calling for spinach (see my Angel Hair Pasta In Creamy Spinach Sauce, my Spinach & Cream Pasta Casserole or my Gimme More Pizza! to name but a few), but one of my favorite ways to enjoy spinach is also one of the simplest: in soup. I've been making variations of the following for months, and it always hits the spot. And no, I'm not being biased here, just ask Don!

Try it; you might become a convert too! ;-)


Popeye Gone Raw Cream of Spinach Soup

Serves 2 to 3

1/2 avocado
4 cups spinach
2 cups cucumber
1 cup zucchini
1 cup tomato
1 celery stalk
1 garlic clove
1 green onion
1 tbs lemon juice
Handful parsley (1/4 cup)
Handful cilantro (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon miso
Salt to taste
2 cups water, or until desired consistency is reached

Blend all ingredients in high speed blender until smooth. If desired, warm up gently on the stove while stirring constantly.


Here's a couple of yummy variations:

Spinach Dill Variation
Follow recipe above, replacing parsley and cilantro with 1/4 cup fresh dill.

Spinach Orange Variation
1/2 avocado
4 cups spinach
2 cups cucumber
1 cup zucchini
1 green onion
1/2 small orange, peeled and seeded
Juice of 1/2 orange (or 1 whole small orange)
Lemon juice
Handful parsley
Handful cilantro
1 teaspoon miso
Salt, to taste
Water until desired consistency is reached

Blend all ingredients in high speed blender until smooth. If desired, warm up gently on the stove while stirring constantly.

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Angel Hair Pasta In Creamy Spinach Sauce

Dinnertime was approaching quickly the other day, yet I was still clueless as to what to make. So I did what I often do, I turned to my dear friends on RFC who suggested pasta. But of course! What was I thinking? (Actually, that was part of the problem... my brain wasn't functioning properly! lol)

All I had to whip up was a sauce to serve it with. As we had tons of spinach in the fridge, my original idea was to make a pesto. However, it evolved into a delicious creamy sauce with a hint of nutmeg and thyme. In fact, it was so good, it inspired me to also make a batch of Pine Nut Parmesan which I thought would complement it beautifully.

Don goes to me: "I like this sauce better than the one you usually make" (referring to this sauce.) Having yet to take a bite, I looked across at him in disbelief. He had a point; the result was deeeeeelish! Although I must say, I still have a weak spot for my Spinach & Cream Pasta Casserole.

Angel Hair Pasta In Creamy Spinach Sauce

Serves 4

Angel Hair Pasta
Zucchinis, peeled and spiralized using the smallest setting


Creamy Spinach Sauce
4 cups spinach
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup water
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp thyme

Blend in high speed blender until very smooth.


Pine Nut Parmesan
1/2 cup macadamias
1/2 cup cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 Tbs lemon juice
1Tbs flax meal
1 clove crushed garlic
1Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt

First process macadamias and cashews until ground. Then add the pine nuts and process briefly. Follow with the rest of the ingredients and process until well mixed.

Carmella's Note: You don’t want to overprocess the pine nuts as they release a lot of oil.


Assembly
Toss the noodles with the sauce. Top with red bell pepper cubes. Sprinkle with Pine Nut Parmesan and serve.

Here it is once the sauce was mixed in.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, this is a single portion which explains why it seems to have shrunk so much.

Enjoy!

RAWgasmic Delights

Can food be better than sex?

Hum, an interesting question that seems to have been popping up a lot lately.

Alright. Let's try this!

Close your eyes and imagine:

Candlelight...

Soft music in the background...

The faintest aroma of delicate flowers floating in the air...

... and one of the following luscious creations lying in wait:

White Chocolate-Strawberry Cheesecake

Mudslide Pie

Layered Blueberry & Cream Cake

After experiencing such decadent raw desserts as these, perhaps now it's not so hard to conceive of the possibility?

There is no doubt that some foods have the ability to awaken pleasures beyond those of the mere taste buds. Just think of cacao and its aphrodisiac properties, for instance. Shazzie would probably argue that durian would fit in that category too; a point made loud and clear in her controversial video.

OK, so let us agree for a moment that both food and sex can take one to the summits of sensuous delights, making you want to blissfully close your eyes so as to better savor the moment. (And, if we're lucky, briefly forget our painful lot!)

Lord knows I've been enjoying my share of sexy and decadent raw delights in the last few months. Actually, I've even managed to lure a few adventurous souls over on Raw Freedom Community to come along for the ride! They recently took on the challenge of making my Delight-full Chocolate Orange Cake as a Project RAW, and more to the point, trying to decide whether it's up to its ecstatic claim.

Going Worldwide
But before I get into the juicy details (What? Me teasing? Nah!), let me tell you a little about Project RAW. The concept arose one day when one of our members, Aisah, was feeling unnerved at the prospect of making her first gourmet dessert: Vanessa Sherwood's Blackforest Cheesecake. Spontaneously, I offered Aisah to make it on the same day as her as a sort of moral support. Was she ever grateful! The idea became an instant hit among RFC's community. Hence "Project RAW- Raw Around the World" was born and has developed into yet another way of exploring the power of cooperation while having a blast in the process!

We've had a number of Project RAWs since, including for my Delight-full Blueberry Chocolate Cake, Snowdrop's Blonde Fruitcake, and Heathy's Mango Cake. Oh, and a couple of savory projects too: Russell James' 'Spinach & Wild Mushroom Quiche' and my Fennel & Pear Pizza with Pine Nut Parmesan. It's so awesome and so much fun to compare notes on tweaks and variations, give support, and share pictures of our renditions of particularly intimidating recipes.

Rawk 'n Rollin'
Things were taken to a new level in the last week when 'RAW' came to stand for "Roll Around the World". This latter refers to my comment that "Don was rolling around on the floor moaning in ecstasy" as he ate my Delight-full Chocolate Orange Cake. It's been a 'hot' and, at times, on-the-verge-of-triple-X-rating discussion. Actually, I can't resist sharing a few of the comments posted on this colorful thread. If only to show you what you've been missing...

Snowdrop:
"i couldn't wait for the march 30th date, as we will be out of state attending a family bridal shower. so i made it last nite and had my first taste of ecstasy today. OMG it's everything everybody said it was.

OMGOMGOMG

carmella you are my sunshine my only sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you for giving us this heaven in our mouths"

*~*~*
Rawbie:

"Since my plan is to fast earlier than expected, I went ahead and made the cake yesterday. Whoa! The recipe is definitely a keeper, as the cake is amazingly delicious. However, I am still trying to figure out if it is better than sex."

*~*~*
WyJoz:

"he's divine !!!!! hehe; now I'm looking for my Wayne !!! hehe!

got to compare !!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

*~*~*
Aisah:

"Oh maaaaan!! Hmmm this is truly a delightful experience!! I must tell you guys that I am one who (usually) will NEVER touch an orange flavored chocolate so to say this is nice (says it all)!!! I especially liked the batter. It is still cold hard though as I am not allowing it a little thawing!! All in all - tis was a good union with "Mr Delight"!!! Every bite a lovely tantalizing play for the taste buds!!"

*~*~*
Peaches4Ever:

"Finally, I poked and prodded and he seemed just right. The first bite…. Ooooooooooooooooooh Oooooooooooooooooooooh Oooooooooooooooooooh, luscious, creamy, fruity chocolate melting in my mouth. Wow, Wow, Wow…. Oh yeah… This is soooooooooooooooooooooooo goooooooooooooood!!!. So worth the wait!

Better than sex??? Well, I have yet to decide that. Definitely a mouth-gasm for sure."


Sexy Flashes
While everyone was busy playing with "Mr. Delight", I had a mission of my own, investigating Shannonmarie's “Rawifed” and Sexy Eclair Dessert which was also reputed to be of the "better-than-sex" variety.

Since I had the graham crackers all ready, a few days ago I got to work on the rest.

As I had run out of nut butter, I decided to take a deep breath and try making my own. What a success! I ended up with a lovely and smooth cashew butter (read the details of my adventure here) which I used to make the chocolate topping. I also threw in more cacao powder, as I preferred it slightly on the bitter sweet side. For the vanilla pudding, I didn't have enough young coconut, so made up with more cashews instead. I also used part coconut oil and cacao butter instead of just the cacao, and added 1tbs of lecithin to the mixture for good measure.

I assembled the Eclair in a bread pan we had lying around which I lined with plastic film. Then began the wait...

Finally, it was all set and ready to be enjoyed.

Here it is, out of the wrap.

Getting darn close to chow down time now, the minutes are a-ticking!

Don caught in the act.

Mmmmmmm...

Don, Manu and I all agreed this was pretty yummy stuff. We served it to a friend of ours who thought it was delicious, especially the chocolate topping. For my part, I found the Eclair perhaps a bit heavy to my taste. Actually, I think I got a little overexcited, and cut the pieces too big, as I didn't manage to finish mine.

So where does that leave us? Have we found an answer to the question of the hour?

When presented with it, Manu offered that "it depends on the quality of the sex" (and of the food too, I would add!)

Good point.

Jozzie's words of wisdom on the matter?

"Food is 'always' better than sex !!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much variety, so many different tastes! So much pleasure planning, preparing, eating!

Sex is Sex! Wham bam not even a 'thank you mam', it's done! That's it! hehehe"

Hum... I think I'd tend to agree, especially when it comes to 'normal' sex. Tantra, however, might be a different story...

Well then, I suppose it's yet another one of those "it's all in the eye of the beholder" issues.

Are y'all drooling yet? I know I am! Time to go get dessert ready! ;-)

Here's to RAWgasmic delights! Keep 'em coming!

*~*~*~*
Photo Credits
White Chocolate-Strawberry Cheesecake by Vanessa Sherwood
Mango Cake by Heathy/Fairygirl
Delight-full Chocolate Orange Cake by Joz
Delight-full Chocolate Orange Cake by Aisah