This Blog's Recipe Index

As you probably know by now, I like to share my favorite recipes. It's occurred to me, though, that it's getting difficult to keep track of what is where. So I thought it was time to do an early spring clean-up in The Sunny Raw Kitchen and come up with a way for everyone (including me!) to find the recipes previously posted here in a snap. The obvious answer was to create a recipe index. (Duh! Why didn't I think of this before?! Would have saved me a LOT of work! LOL )

I've decided to keep it simple and organize the recipes within 2 sections: dehydrator-free and dehydrator-friendly. I'll keep updating this index page as I go along and you will be able to access it easily from the main page.

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Sunny Raw Kitchen Recipe Index

Dehydrator-Free Recipes

Beverages and Breakfast Goodies
Almond Milk 
Amazing Raw Chocolate Shake
Banana Blueberry Brew
Berry Licious Smoothie
Bubble Gum Swirly Smoothie 
Butterscotch Shake
Creamy Strawberry Chocolate Chia Pudding
Durian Vanilla Smoothie 
Green Papaya Smoothie
Hearty Breakfast Cereal
Lion's Roar
Orange Julius Rejuvelac
Our Daily Green Fuel
Rejuvelac
Super Choconana Shake
Trisha's Polar Joe's Frappucino
Vanilla Almond Milk


Soups
'Anything Goes' Miso Soup
Asian Noodle Soup - Variation I
Asian Noodle Soup - Variation II
Blended Salad
Butternut Squash Soup
"Canh Chua" Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Soup
Carmella's Curry Soup
Carmella’s Spinach Cream
Carrot/Asparagus Soup
Carrot Coconut Soup 
Cheezy Corn Chowder
Cheezy Spinach Almond Soup  
Cream of Cucumber Soup
Cream of Leek
Cream of Spinach Soup
Cream of Zucchini Soup
Creamy Italian Soup
Creamy Zucchini and Lovage Soup
Cucumber Avocado Dill Soup 
Cucumber Cilantro Soup
Creamy Miso Soup
Creamy Sweet Pea Soup
Creamy Thai Coconut Soup
Creamy Zucchini & Basil Bisque
Curried Cauliflower Soup
Daikon Dumpling in Miso Broth
Don's Carrot Soup
Fava Bean Soup
Garden Vegetable Soup
Green Spinach Soup
Heirloom Tomato Soup With Olives and Shaved Fennel
Herbed Tomato Soup
Indian Carrot Curry Soup
Italian Spinach Soup
Joz's Corn Chowder
Manu's Creamy Arugula Soup
Maraw’s Spinach & Herb Soup
Oriental Popeye Soup
Popeye Gone Raw Cream of Spinach Soup
Popeye Soup
Raw Fresh Thyme and Celery Soup
Rawssian Borscht
Raw Vegetable Miso Soup 
Red Pepper Curry Soup
Ruby's Smokin' Hot Tomato Soup
Scarborough Fair Vegetable Soup
Simple and Light Miso Soup 
Simple Miso Soup
Spicy Carrot Ginger Soup
Szechuan Carrot Soup
Spicy Cucumber Dill Soup
Spinach Arugula Cream
Thai Coconut Soup
Thai Vege Soup
The Pilgrim's Soup
Warm Sunflower Sprout Soup
Watermelon Soup 
Whole Meal Miso Soup


Dressings
Amazing Cauliflower Orange Dressing
Amazing Tomato-Mango Dressing
Asian Dressing
Caesar Salad Dressing
Carmi's Caesar Dressing
Chia House Dressing
Creamy Peppercorn Ranch Dressing 
Don's Creamy Citrus-Herb Dressing
Green Dill Dressing
Green Onion Dressing
Green Raw Goddess Dressing
Miso-Dill Dressing
Mustard Seed Dressing
Orange Dressing
Ranch Dressing or Dip
Sandy's Charmoula
Sandy's Grapefruit Dressing
Sunflower Dill Dressing
Tomato Dressing


Salads
Asian Cucumber Salad
Asian Spinach Salad
Baby Spinach Salad with Bosc Pear and Pecans
Celery Root Slaw with Cashew Cream Sauce
Chinese Broccoli with Peanuts
Crisp Caesar Salad
Dilled Cucumber Tomato Salad
Earth & Sea Salad
I love Kale Salad
Kelly’s Magenta Salad 
Moroccan Raw Carrot Salad
Not Egg Salad  
Peppered Pineapple & Cucumber Salad 
Quinoa Tabouli
Red Beet Salad
Sauerkraut Salad
Shitake Ginger Salad
Sudo-Burmese Salad
Thai Coleslaw
Thai Salad
Watercress Salad
Wilted Spinach Salad with Marinated Onions and Mustard Seed Dressing


Dips, Spreads and Pates
Almonnaise
Avocado Mayo
Basil Arugula Pesto 
Cheddar Cheeze Spread or Dip
Cilantro-Dill Pesto
Cilantro-Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Cream Cheese
Creamy Spinach Spread
Edamame Hummus
Ginger Sunflower Pate
Guacamole Supreme
Herbin' Ranch Dip
Nacho Cheeze
Not Egg Salad
Not 'Refried' Beans 
Not Tuna Salad 
Nuts for Mushroom Pate (or Mock Liver Pate)
Pate Du Soleil
Refried Beans
Sandy's Charmoula
Spinach Almond Filling (or spread)
Spinach Dip
Spinach Velvet Cream Filling (or spread)
Sunflower Garlic Spread
Tastes Fishy
Tuna Salad
Vegetable Teriyaki Stirred, Not Fried
Wasabi Sunseed Pate
Zucchini Hummus


Nut Cheeze
Almond Ricotta
Basic Cashew Cheeze
Basil & Garlic Cheeze
Brazil Nut Parmesan 
Carmella's Delicious Pine Nut Parmesan
Cashew Cheese
Cashew Cheeze au Poivre
Cheddar Cheeze Spread or Dip
Cheesy Nut Cream 
Cheeze Sauce 
Cream Cheese
Garlic & Dill Cheeze
Garlic Paprika Cheeze
Gouda Cheeze
Herb Cheeze
Mozzarella Cheese
Nacho Cheeze
Onion, Dill & Horseradish Cheeze 
Pinenut parmesan
Rich Cheddar Sauce
Riconutta Cheese
Sour 'Cream'
UnMotza Mac Cheese

Sauces and Condiments
'Aioli Sauce'
Alissa Cohen’s Tomato Sauce
Almonnaise
Almost Nutless Alfredo Sauce
Avocado Mayo
Banana Tamarind Sauce
Barbeque Sauce
Basil Arugula Pesto
Boutenko's Thai Sauce (for Sushi)
Carmella's Pad Thai Sauce
Carmella's Tomato Sauce
Cheeze Sauce
Chimichurri Dipping Sauce 
Coconut Dipping Sauce or Dressing
Creamy Dill (Tartar) Sauce
Creamy Spinach Sauce
Cucumber Sauce
Curry Sauce
Ginger Dipping Sauce or Marinade
Gravy
Herbed Almonnaise
Hoisini Sauce
Hollandaise Sauce
Holly's Marinara Sauce 
Hot and Spicy Kim Chee
Kim Chee
Kitchen Sink Kimchi 
Mango Chutney
Marinara Sauce (Alissa Cohen)
Marinara Sauce (Jennifer Cornbleet)
'Mustard'
Peanut Sauce
Rich Cheddar Sauce
Sage Cream Sauce
Sandy's Charmoula
Sour 'Cream'
Spicy citrus dipping sauce
Tamarind sauce


Entrees/ Main Courses
Angel Hair Pasta in Creamy Spinach Sauce
Basil & Black Olive Pasta
Carrot and Parsnip Pasta with Cilantro-Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Cauliflower Cheese
Curried Butternut "Noodles" 
Easy Chop Suey
Fig Fennel Fettuccini
Holly's Nori Rolls
Kelp Noodles in Peanut Sauce
Linguini Parody with Pine Nut and Cashew Truffle Cream
Live Garden Burgers 
Luscious Lasagna
Mangavo Wraps
Mexican Menu
Nori Rolls with Ginger Sunflower Pate
Pasta in Creamy Alfredo with Mushrooms and Asparagus
Pasta Primavera
Raw Ravioli
Raw Sushi
Red Beet Ravioli
Spicy Noodles in Szechuan 'Peanut' Sauce
Sunny Sushi
Vegetable Satay on Zucchini and Kelp Noodles
Vegetable Teriyaki
Veggies & Rice Bowl


Sides and Snacks
BBQ Strips
Brazil-Broccoli Mash and Miso Gravy
Cauliflower Cheese
Crimini Mushroom & Tarragon Risotto
Ginger Un-Steamed 'Rice'
Marinated Bok Choy
Marinated Bruschetta Mushrooms
Marinated Curry Broccoli
Marinated Portobello Mushrooms
Marinated Portobellos (Asian style)
Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Quinoa Tabouli 
Rosemary-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Stuffed Tomatoes with Asian Veggies
Szechuan Snow Peas 
Un-potatoes
Walnut Cranberry Squash "Rice"
Where is the Beef?


Desserts
Almond Balls or Cookies
Almond Blueberry Cups
Almond Cream
Amazing Raw Vegan Bavarian Vanilla Custard
Apple Pie
Apricot Mango Poppy Fusion
Banana Chocolate Cream Cake
Banana Pudding  
Black Forest Cherry Cake
Blackforest Chocolate Cheesecake
Bliss-full Blueberry Cheesecake
Blondie Cashew Freezer Fudge
Blueberry Dream Pie
Cacao Basic Truffle
Cacao Whipped Cream
Caramel Sauce
Carmella's Simple Coconut Frosting
Carmi's Fruit & Nut
Carrot Apple Kuchen
Celestial Pecan Pie
Cherry Supreme Freeze
Chewy Caramel Turtles with Ganache Topping
Chocolate Balls or Cookies
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate & Cream Parfait
Chocolate Cream Stack
Chocolate-Dipped Date Truffles 
Chocolate Fudge Coconut Dream Bars
Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate Mint Candies
Chocolate Mocha Ice Cream
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate Mousse Cakes
Chocolate Orange Mousse with Almonds
Chocolate & Raspberry Cream Cake
Coco-Chia Snowballs
Coconut Cream
Coconut Creme Filling
Coconut Whipped Cream
Delight-full Chocolate Orange Cake
Divine Caramel Chocolate Tarts
Double Chocolate Cream Tarts
Durian Coconut Pudding
Durian Chocolate Mousse Cake
Durian Mousse (made with Irish moss)
Ferrero Rawcher
German Chocolate Cake
Ginger Maple Frosting
Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Hazelnut Kream Kisses
HoneyMoon Torte 
Italian Chocolate Zucotto
Jaimee's Chocolate Pudding
Jocelyn's Choc-onut Brownie
Koconut Kream Kisses
Layered Blueberry & Cream Cake
Lemon Coconut Bars
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Mango Cake
Mango Coconut Pudding
Maple Coffee Ice Cream Cake with Candied Pecans
Maple Pecan Ice Cream  
Maple Walnut Ice Cream
Mulberry & Cream Tarts
Nutless Strawberry Chocolate Pie
OMG It's A Nestle Crunch Bar!!
Orange Goji Berry White Chocolate
Organic Kent Mango Cream Tart 
Pat's Banana Chia Pudding
Peach Coconut Pie with Chia Nut Pie Crust
Pear Chocolate Tarts 
Persimmon & Coconut Cream Parfait
Persimmon Shortcake
Pineapple Icebox Dessert
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Raisin Walnut Truffles
Raspberry Cheesecake
Raspberry Chocolate Rhapsody Cake
Raw Almond Joy
Raw Easter Chocolate
Rawified Nestle Crunch
Raw Pumpkin Pie with Thyme
Raw Yummilicious Milk Chocolate
Rich Lemon Gnash Pie 
RP’s Brownies
RP's Caramel
Sky High Whipped Topping
Strawberry Crumble Cake
Strawberry Ice Cream 
Strawberry Shortcake
Super Caramel Chocolate Tarts
The Best Banana Split Ever!
The Perfect Chocolate Bar
Tootsie-Rawls
Travis' Superfood Ice Cream
Triple Berry Cake
Triple Layer Chocolate Cake 
Tropical Cheesecake
Turtle Truffles, Chewy Caramels, and Chocolate or Carob Fudge
Yummy Truffles


Holiday Recipes
Apple Cake with Macadamia Cream Frosting
Cranberry-Orange Relish
Cranberry-Pear Relish
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Walnut Kale Slaw
Holiday Nut Nog
Ravy Gravy
Raw Nog
Rosemary-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Snowdrop's Blonde Fruitcake

Dehydrator-Friendly Recipes

Breakfast Goodies
Buckwheat Granola
Cranberry Maple Granola
Sweet Buckwheat Crusts

 
Entrees/ Main Courses
Almond Mushroom Quiches
BBQ Meat(less) Balls 
Bean-less Falafel
Broccoli in Hoisini Sauce with Parsnip "Rice"
Calzone
Cauliflower Samosas
Cheddar & Smoked Veggies Pizza
Corn Cakes 
Falafels 
Fennel & Pear Pizza with Pine Nut Parmesan
Gimme More Pizza!
Holly's Lasagna
Jalapeno Burgers
Jan's Organic Stuffed Peppers 
Kale Patties
Lower East Side Pizza
Luscious Lasagna
Meat Loaf
Mexican Menu
Mushroom Curry with Parsnip Rice & Spiced Mango Chutney
Mushroom Stroganoff
Nut Burger with Marinated Mushrooms
Pesto Pizza
Raw Mama's Pizza
Raw Pizza
RawGuru’s Veggie Burgers
Raw whole food hot dogs
Sesame Nuggets in Sweet and Sour Sauce
Spicy Noodles in Szechuan 'Peanut' Sauce
Spinach & Cream Pasta Casserole
Spinach & Mushroom Pockets 
Spinach Mini-Quiches
Spinach Mushroom Tarts  
Spinach Velvet Cream Pizzas
Stir-dried Veggies and Pasta in Ginger Orange Sauce
Stir Dry
Squash “Beggar’s Purse” with Pomegranate and Sage
Triple Cheeze Pizza
Tuscan Pizza
Vegan Bay "Crab" Cakes
Vegetable Teriyaki
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Viva Italia Pizzas
Warm Me Up Chili


Sides and Snacks
Asian Wild Rice Pilaf
Buckwheat Apple Cinnamon Cookies
Caramelized Onions 
Cheezy Spinach Balls
Dehydrated Durian 
Dehydrated Persimmons
Ginger Un-Steamed 'Rice'
Eggplant as a bacon 
Herb Stuffed Mushrooms
Marinated Curry Broccoli
Marinated Portobello Mushrooms
Marinated Portobellos (Asian style)
'Roasted' Brussels Sprouts
'Sausage'
Seasoned Seeds 
Spicy BBQ Kale Chips
Stir-dried Portobello and Broccoli
Where is the Beef?
Zucchini Roll-ups


Breads, Chips, Crackers & Pizza Crusts
Bagels
Barley Pizza Crust
Calzone (or Pizza) Dough
Coconut ‘rice’ Wrappers
Corn Bread
Corn Tortillraws 
Herb Pizza Crusts
Kamut Bagels 
Mediterranean Almond Bread
Mediterranean Flax Crackers
Mexi Flax Crackers
Pajon Bread
Pat's Banana Crackers
PepperAma Veggie Wraps
Raw Cheeze Itz
Rainbow Flax Crackers
Rosemary Crackers
Sprouted Corn Chips
Sundried Tomato Bread
Sweet Buckwheat Crusts
THE famous Onion bread
Tomato Herb Bread
Zucchini Crackers


Desserts
Banana Chocolate Tart with Caramel and Chocolate Sauces
Banana Cream Trifle
Bartlett Pears with Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce and Spiced Ginger Cream
Buckwheat Apple Cinnamon Cookies
Caramelized Pecans
Celestial Pecan Pie
Chocolate Chewies
Chocolate Kiwi Crepes
Chocolate 'N Cream Charlotte
ChocoNut Bliss Crepes
Cranberry Coconut Biscotti
Creamy Chocolate and Custard Tarts
Divine Caramel Chocolate Tarts
Double Chocolate Cream Tarts
Durian and Coconut Cream Napoleon
Just Like Baked Crust
Lemon Chewies
Mac Macaroons
Mysticat’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mysticat’s Ginger Stars
Nut Crumble Cookies
Peach Cobbler
Pear Cobbler
Persimmon Angel Food Cake
Pumpkin Spice Muffins


Holiday Recipes
Carmella's Thankful Turkey Loaf or Burgers
Celebration Loaf
Mince Pies with Cashew Icing
Mince Pies with Whipped Cream
Noasted Turkey

Splendid Salads

I don't know about you, but when I was growing up, raw foods played a very small part in my family's diet (read infinitesimal!) In spite of my mother's attempts to include some raw (or 'rabbit food', as my dad used to call it) on our table, the choices were rather bleak (the true benefits of raw foods were - and still remain - not well understood.) There'd be slices of tomatoes or cucumbers, a few veggies to dip in some sketchy sauce made out of a package, or a teeny, anemic-looking lettuce salad, drenched in bottled dressing. (Even Caesar salads were a little too exotic for my household...)

Sadly, in terms of diet, that pretty much set the tone for the first thirty years of my life. I was lucky if my daily raw food intake reached 10 % (and I'm probably being generous here!) I mean, how SAD is that, really?! My body sure told the tale. I was anything but 'vibrant' and full of 'Life'. In fact, 'Zombie-like' would probably be closer to the truth.

Not surprisingly, I was never a huge fan of salads prior to getting into Raw. Even then, SILT (Severe Iceberg Lettuce Trauma) had taken its toll and I stayed wayyyyyy clear of plain lettuce salads. For the whole first year or so on the raw diet, my daily fare consisted of a simple salad made of spinach, grated carrot and beet, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, sometimes green onions, with a little flax oil, Braggs, Spike and nutritional yeast. For some reason, I just didn't get tired of the stuff, well, at least for a while anyway. (I guess I was making up for lost time!)

Eventually, I began to include lettuce back into my diet. Still, come wintertime, my body just wouldn't crave cold leafy greens. But that all changed this past year, when I got back to eating fully raw (after 4 years or so on a high raw diet of perhaps 80%.)

Mommy, Mommy, Gimme My Greens!
More often than not, real changes are subtle and gradual, to the point that they may be hardly noticeable on a day-to-day basis. I am always fascinated when, faced with certain situations, I no longer respond the way I used to. And so, this winter, after a few months of being 100% raw, Don and I were surprised to find ourselves actually craving greens.

In her much acclaimed book "Green for Life,"Victoria Boutenko (who will be giving a series of lectures in BC and Alberta this month) explains how greens are absolutely key to optimum health. But that's another story (and a real good one at that!) which I'll keep for another time. Now, it's as though we can't get enough of them: greens in our smoothies, greens in our soups, and of course, major greens in our salads. Sometimes I wonder if we're gonna turn into leprechauns!

Bye-Bye Boring
Salads are the perfect complement to the dehydrated gourmet dishes I now prepare, which have come to replace the cooked meals we used to have in the winter. If you think that salads are boring like I did, think again! In fact, we can turn them into a fun and creative endeavor.

Here are a few tips we have discovered to help make your green salads interesting and keep boredom at bay.

Garden Salads Gone Gaga
The easiest and most effective way of perking up your salads is variety. Happily, the days when iceberg lettuce monopolized the shelves of the produce section are over. As you probably know, you can now find a wide selection of leafy greens in most supermarkets or health food stores, all making terrific salad material. Nowadays, there is also a simple answer to turning your salads into an epicurean dish: Baby field greens aka mesclun mixes. It allows you to enjoy a gourmet salad in a snap, with minimal effort. (The stuff is even pre-washed!)

Surprise Me
As Nomi Shannon points out in her Holiday Celebration Guide, another key to a great salad resides in adding an element of surprise. Fruits, seeds or nuts can really work wonders. Try adding some diced pears, pineapple, or mango, orange or grapefruit sections, or perhaps some walnuts or pecans. There are also so many ingredients that will add both texture and flavor to your salads: avocado, broccoli florets, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, bell or hot peppers, corn, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, olives, marinated veggies, sea vegetables, sprouts, fresh herbs... Just take your pick! So don't be shy to experiment!

The following is one of our absolute favorite, simple salads, and a perfect example of how a few unexpected ingredients can make all the difference:


Baby Spinach Salad with Bosc Pear and Pecans
By Woody Harrelson

1 firm bosc pear, sliced into thin wedges (I used Bartlett)
4 green onions
1 teaspoon celtic or sea salt
4 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar (opt)
½ lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup
1# baby spinach leaves (I just used a blend of fresh spinach, spring mix greens and arugula)
½ cup parsley and cilantro leaves, chopped
⅓ cup chopped pecans
Celtic or sea salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper
Peel pear and cut in to slices, cutting away the seeds and core.

Chop green onions finely. Toss pear and green onions with sea salt, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and honey or maple. Allow to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

Add baby spinach leaves, chopped herbs and pecans and gently toss with salad severs. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Carmella's Notes: You can also use lettuce to replace part or all of the spinach. YUM!


We recently discovered this unusual, yet delicious and beautiful salad:

Sauerkraut Salad
From Kate Wood’s Eat Smart, Eat Raw
Posted on OrganicFood.co.uk

Sauerkraut is cabbage that has been grated and allowed to ferment. A traditional German dish, it is full of enzymes and beneficial bacteria, and wonderful for the digestion.

200 g / 6oz lettuce leaves, torn
200 g / 6oz spinach leaves, torn
1 avocado, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
250 g / 8 oz sauerkraut
30 g / 1 oz dulse, rinsed
30 g / 1 oz alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp kelp
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
a dash of Braggs Liquid Amino’s
a dash of sesame oil

Toss all ingredients together.

Serves two to four

Carmella's notes: If, like me, you don't intuitively relate to these measurements, not a problem! I always just eye it and it turns great every time! I also like to add a 'smidge' of lemon juice for extra tartness.


She's Got The Looks, Babe
As we've seen, the fine art of making truly great salads is about variety, surprise, flavor, and texture, but it is also in the presentation.

Looks are extremely important as we eat with our eyes as much as with our mouths. If something isn't visually appealing to you, chances are you won't be too thrilled about eating it, either. In this regard, I like Frederic Patenaude's approach. In "Sunfood Cuisine," he writes: "Make your meal look so good that you do not want to start eating it."

An easy and fun way to achieve this is to play with color. Why not add a little grated or spiralized beet or carrot to your salad, or some diced red or yellow pepper? Try decorating your salad with thinly sliced cucumber swirls, pomegranate seeds or edible flowers. Turn your salad into a work of art. It will be so much more enticing, especially to non-raw foodists and children.

Dress 'em Up
Almost as important as the salad ingredients themselves is what you're going to dress them up with. Once I'm done preparing the rest of the evening meal though, I usually don't have a great deal of creative energy left for whipping up salad dressings. Fortunately, these normally fall under Don's department. (By the way, he is also in charge of the morning's juice and smoothie, as well as the dogs' partly raw meals, but that, too, is subject for another post...)

Not every raw chef, however, has a full-time assistant in their 'sunny kitchens.' A little trick I read somewhere (and one that always comes in handy) is to experiment and find a few different dressings that you really like. That way, when the time comes to dress up your salads, you don't have to search hi and lo for something suitable.

You may also want to consider investing in a salad spinner (if you don't already have one); a cheap and useful kitchen tool that will drastically improve your success in making wonderful salads. As Nomi Shannon says:"No dressing will ever taste right if is tossed in wet greens."

We usually like to use as little oil as possible in our salad dressings, preferring to use nuts or seeds, or a little avocado instead. If a recipe calls for some fancy vinegar, we simply sub with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Here are a few awesome dressings we've been having lately.

Don's Creamy Citrus-Herb Dressing
½ avocado
1 sm. orange
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs olive oil
½ large lemon, juiced (or to taste)
½ large lime, juiced (or to taste)
1 tbs tahini
1 tsp sweetener

Handful fresh parsley and/or cilantro
Dill or dried herbs of choice
Salt, Braggs or tamari (to taste)
⅓ cup water (or more)

Blend until smooth. Add water until desired consistency is reached.

Yields approx. 2 cups


Miso-Dill Dressing
1 tbs brown rice miso (tamari or Braggs work good too)
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs dried dill weed
1 tbs tahini
1 garlic clove minced

Combine ingredients in a small bowl or in food processor. This dressing is very tangy. I use it on everything.

Carmella's note: I like to at least double this recipe as it's enough for only 2 or 3 servings.


Sandy's Grapefruit Dressing
1 cup chopped tomato
½ cup grapefruit juice
½ cup olive oil (I use less)
¼ cup carrot
¼ cup celery
2 tbs. apple cider vinegar
3 dates
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp poppyseeds
½ tsp salt

Blend until smooth and refrigerate in glass container.


Skinny Dipping... and Dressings Too
Frederic Patenaude, author of the best-selling e-book "The Raw Secrets", has lots of awesome oil-free dressings. In one of his articles, he was sharing his basic method for making them:

"Start with tomatoes. Take 1-2 tomatoes, and put them in your blender, with the juice of half a lemon or some apple cider vinegar. Add in some sort of fatty food such as avocado. Then throw in some herbs of your choice (dill, chives, etc.), and some seasonings of your choice (if desired).

The result will be an incredibly tasty dressing you have spent about 2 minutes and half to prepare!"

Green Dill Dressing
By Frederic Patenaude

3 medium tomatoes
6 Tbs. tahini
2 cups spinach
1 orange, juice of
1/2 cup dill

Blend all ingredients together in your blender until smooth. Season if desired.

Carmella's note: I added the juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove and some Braggs. Yummo!

Here is another fabulous dressing of his which looks and tastes amazing! It actually doesn't contain an once of fat. You gotta try it to believe how awesome it is!

Amazing Tomato-Mango Dressing
From Fred's "Instant Raw Sensations"

In your blender, blend :
1 cup of tomato (in chunks)
1 cup of mango (flesh only)
1/4 cup of water
2-3 Tbs of balsamic vinegar


'Where's the Lettuce' Salads
As you already know, salad doesn't need to contain lettuce at all to live up to its name. We are all familiar with coleslaw or some version or another of cucumber salad. There are tons of interesting lettuce-less recipes that are sure to jazz up any meal.

Have you ever tried a marinated salad? Mmmmmmmm... The marinating process really works magic! We used to not like raw kale, finding it too bitter and tough for our taste. But that was until we finally mustered the courage to prepare a marinated kale salad. You can find many, many variations of it, including Russell James' delicious Wilted Kale Salad with a Creamy Chipotle Dressing.


Here is the first kale salad we tried, and one of my personal favorites:

I love Kale Salad
Posted in RawGuru's Newsletter - Issue 16

1/2 bunch green kale (chopped fine)
1/2 bunch dino kale, aka Russian kale (chopped fine)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup nut butter (almond or cashew butter is best)
1 cup parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup soaked goji berries
1/2 cup sunflower sprouts
1 avocado (chopped)
1 tomato (chopped)
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

How to: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and massage this mixture until soft and creamy. :-)

Carmella's notes: I've been making this salad with only Dino kale and replacing the nut butter with a couple of tbs of olive oil. I also like to throw in some seeds on top such as hemp or spicy dehydrated pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I made it once with goji berries (although I put way less) and it was delish but it's just as yummy without.


Earth & Sea Salad
By Woody Harrelson

A lovely medley of sea vegetables and land vegetables. Arame is a great, nutty, mild-tasting seaweed to use and hijiki is a bit stronger and takes a longer time to soften. Serve on a bed of mesclun greens or field mix.

2 cups dried arame
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 cup sliced mushrooms, crimini, portobello or shitake
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons good olive oil, sesame oil or flax oil (or a combined blend)
2 tablespoons nama shoyu
1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar or brown rice vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1-1/2 tablespoons maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave syrup or raw honey or alternatively: 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup steamed broccoli or (to keep it all raw): 1 cup zucchini, quartered and sliced thinly
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper or shredded beet
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
pinch sundried sea salt

Soak the seaweed in 3 cups of fresh water just until soft. Drain off the soak water. (It is best to drain off the soak water before the seaweed is thoroughly soaked as it will then absorb some of the delicious marinade.) Mix in chopped green onions, minced garlic and ginger, sliced mushrooms, parsley, cilantro, oil, shoyu, vinegar, lemon and sweetener.

Toss together with shredded carrot, broccoli or zucchini, bell pepper or shredded beet, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and a pinch of sundried sea salt. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes for flavors to marry.

Serves 2-6


And last, but not least, another delicious salad with a stunning color, perfect for the Holidays:

Kelly’s Magenta Salad
www.naturalhealthgirl.com

I'll give a rough idea of measurements, but really it's a dump, taste and add type of recipe.

1 beet
2-3 apples
1 carrot
1/2 a cup of raisins
1/2 a cup of walnuts
1 tbsp. Olive oil
1 lemon juiced
1/2-1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp. Raw Honey

I like to use an electric chopper or a food processor. I shred or finely chop the beet and the carrot. The apples I dice up by hand so that the textures vary. I finely chop the walnuts. Add these all together in a bowl. Then add the raisins, olive oil, cinnamon, raw honey and juiced lemon.

If it is too dry add more olive oil or lemon depending on your likes and tastes. If the apples are really sweet you may want to leave out or cut back on the honey. Depending on your likes, you can add more raisins and or walnuts.

Beets are generally pretty strong in flavor, so you want to have a greater ratio of apple and carrot.

This is a very pretty colored salad and looks beautiful in a crystal bowl.

Another really great tasting and beautiful variation on this is to use yellow beets (Can't quite call it Magenta Salad though! ). I grow them in my garden and they are awesome. They have a milder sweeter flavor than red beets. The yellow is really pretty against the orange carrots.

Even if you are not a beet fan, you may find yourself liking this recipe. I have fooled many people by not telling them it was a beet salad. They just thought it was a great fruit salad.


These are just a few ideas to help brighten up your salad bowls. The great news is that there are virtually thousands of great dressings and salad recipes available on the net, as salads are enjoyed by Raw and SAD Chefs alike. As always, the resource-full Raw Food Talk Forum is a good place to start.

Sunny Raw Tip
We keep a constant supply of dehydrated seasoned pumpkin and sunflower seeds. To make them, simply soak seeds overnight, then spice them up with your favorite seasonings and dehydrate until very crunchy. A simple, tasty addition to any salad.

Here are a few yummy seasoning ideas:
- Garlic & Herbs: a few squirts of Braggs or salt, garlic powder, dill
- Italian: a few squirts of Braggs or salt, your favorite Italian herbs
- Mexican: a few squirts of Braggs or salt, cumin, chili powder
- Curry: a few squirts of Braggs or salt, cumin, curry, dash of cayenne

*******
Photo Credits:
Eat Your Greens by Kemaha
Garden Salad by GreenPixel
Avocado Citrus Salad by photomaven
Spiralized beet and avocado salad by RawVeganMom
Grapefruit by uncommonmuse
Sesame seeds by Nate Steiner
Wilted Kale Salad by Russell James

Enter Fairygirl's World

Do you still believe in magic?

As Spring is just around the corner (Yippee!), and Nature is slowly waking up from its long sleep, I am, once again, reminded of how the world is a truly magical and mysterious place and how little I really do know about Life.

Once in a while, the magic manifests itself through someone put on our path. Everyone we meet is unique and has his/her own gifts to share (that alone is amazing!) There are times, though, when you meet someone who's talent has a special impact on you. The fact that she sometimes calls herself 'Fairygirl' is just icing on the cake...

From Fairygirl to Raw Goddess!
Fairygirl, Heather, Gymgal, Heathy... You may know her under different names, but don't be fooled - she is one and the same: a dazzling and promising young raw chef who has been working her magic on the Raw Food Talk Forums.

Getting a little confused as to which name to use? I was too! So I simply asked her. "I like Raw Goddess Heathy." she replied. "It's fun!"

And a Raw Goddess she is! Beauty, health and aliveness just radiate out of her, while her raw creations are absolutely divine!


Playing With Food
At 23, Raw Goddess Heathy is a personal chef and yoga instructor, but most importantly, she's doing what she loves to do. "Creating food is more than a job for me," she says. "It's one of my main passions in life. I especially love preparing raw food for people!"

"I've always believed that a person should do as their work what they are passionate about," she continues, "because then, it's really never like work." She has found a way to do just that and she's "a happy person!"

In fact, her passion and enthusiasm are contagious! With her light and generous spirit (not to mention her scrumptious and mouth-watering creations!), Raw Goddess Heathy has charmed the Raw Food Talk community. (Believe it or not, there's even a 'Fairygirl Fanclub'! LOL)

Like many members, I instantly fell under her spell. I couldn't resist taking a closer peek at her world, well, you know, just to see how deep the rabbit-hole goes...

The Rawdventure Begins...
Heathy briefly heard about the Raw Food Diet after starting a vegan lifestyle, but "didn't take too much note of it at the time." Then one day, when she was 16, she stopped at a juice bar and cafe in Winnipeg which "turned out to be a Raw Food cafe."

"I was intrigued immediately," she remembers, "and asked a ton of questions. I then tried raw pizza, an amazing salad, and carob truffles." She was hooked. It prompted her to find out more about the raw lifestyle and "to start getting into it, playing around with recipes."

At 18, Heathy went on a 1 month raw retreat in California, where she got to brush shoulders with well-known Raw Food Chefs such as Victoria Boutenko, David Wolfe, Paul Nison, Elaina Love, Fred Bisci and Dr. Doug Graham. "I had such a great time and felt so good on the diet!" she says. Once back home in northern Canada, she tried to maintain the raw diet but found it challenged, due to social pressures and low availability of fresh produce in the winter.

"These days I'm 100% raw and have been for 2 months," she says. "I'm hoping to keep it up, although I don't believe in being overly obsessive. If in the future I happen to eat a piece of cooked food, I will do it and then carry on."

Carmella: You being a SAD chef, it looks like food preparation has been a serious interest of yours for some time. Can you tell me a little about how this talent burgeoned in you?

Raw Goddess Heathy: My passion for food prep began when I was 14. After reading "Fit for Life," I adopted a mostly vegan diet and started cooking for myself. I loved to experiment and was always coming up with new things. While friends at high school were eating chips and burgers for lunch, I was the one bringing my homemade vegetable soup and grain bread. lol

I knew that after high school I wanted to attend holistic nutrition and cooking school, but ended up going to a regular culinary program instead. It was challenging cooking meat and unhealthy French dishes, yet I still loved preparing food for other people. I worked in a bakery during high school, and once I finished college, quickly got different cooking jobs.
I find that my passion for creating food keeps growing as I move forward.

C: What's your creative process like? Do you just improvise, "a little of this, a little of that," or do your recipes evolve from someone else's creations?

RGH: I find that my inspiration to create comes in all different ways, and at all different times. For example, I will get an idea in the shower, while doing yoga, while going for a walk, watching TV, or even in my dreams. I may also see a specific piece of fruit or a different ingredient and an idea will flash through my mind based on that.

Once an idea fills my head, it's as if I need to put it into action or it doesn't go away.
I write it down, tweak it a bit, and then create it when I have the chance. The funny thing is, it usually ends up a bit differently than I originally planned - but that's what I love about the process. I try not to become too attached to the outcome, as I know that what is meant to be will be. My style is definitely "a little of this, a little of that." I never used to measure anything, but I am making a point of it lately, because I realize that not everyone operates this way and, when I get asked for a recipe, it's hard to share when I can only give an ingredient list.

C: What raw dishes do you most enjoy preparing and which of your creations is your absolute favorite?

RGH: Hmm...that's a tough one. I guess I'd have to say that desserts are my favorite thing to make, probably because I love to eat them! (he he)
I always find that I'm able to be so creative with desserts, using beautiful fruits and other interesting ingredients.

My personal favorite is my Double Chocolate Cheesecake... It's a chocolate lover's dream! Although ask me again in a few weeks and it might be different!

When I asked her how she feels about the Raw Food Diet in general, she replied with a candor and maturity that astounded me. Such a refreshing perspective in these days where one gets trapped so easily in ideals and "isms" of all kinds, especially when it comes to diet!

RGH: I always feel fabulous while eating raw foods and I'm happy to see that it is becoming more mainstream. I feel that the more education we in the raw food community can deliver, the better. People are ready for it. I never push "raw" on anyone... I usually wait for someone to ask me about it and I'm finding that, these days, many people want me to teach them how to prepare living foods.

I also feel that everyone is different, and a diet that works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. Maybe some people DO need some cooked foods (healthy ones) in their lives. It's important not to be obsessive.

I think if a person is craving cooked food, they would be better off eating a piece than to stuff raw foods down their throat in a negative frame of mind. Take care of the root of the problem: where is the craving for the cooked food coming from?


Oh... Sweet Thing

Although everything Raw Goddess Heathy makes looks delectable, desserts are her specialty. Apricot Ginger Cookies, Chocolate Tarte, Apricot Almond Crepes, Mango Cream Pie Stack, Raw Nanaimo Bars... Each one more luscious looking than the next. Oh, and did I mention her cheesecakes? See what I mean about falling under her spell?

To give us a glimpse of the raw delights she'll be including in her upcoming ebook, Heathy has agreed to share with us two of her delicious dessert recipes...

Chocolate Cream Stack
A scrumptious cheesecake with a thick carob-banana layer. Divine! The measurements are mine, as Raw Goddess Heathy hasn't yet put hers down on paper. So if something doesn't seem to quite work out, please blame me! LOL They are designed for a 6" diameter margarine tub, if you're planning on using a 9" spring form pan, you may wish to double the recipe.


Crust:
1 cup of pecans, soaked and dried (or dehydrated)
5 or 6 soft dates
a dash of salt

Process the ingredients in a food processor until they are crumbly and will hold together. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan* and set aside.

* If you don't have a spring form pan, you can use one of those margarine tubs and line it with saran wrap.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups cashews soaked for a few hours
1/4 cup honey or agave (less if you don't like it too sweet. Remember that you'll have the sweetness from the crust and chocolate layer as well!)
4 tbs lemon juice
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 " piece of vanilla bean (or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla)
1/3 cup of water

Blend everything in a high power blender or food processor until smooth. If using a FP, stop to let it rest a few minutes so as not to stress the motor.

Chocolate layer:
2 bananas
½ cup of soaked raisins
2 soft dates
¼ cup carob
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1 or 2 tbs of soak water

Blend everything until smooth. Make sure not to use too much water as you don't want it to be too runny.

Assembly:
Pour the filling on top of the crust, followed by half of the chocolate mixture. Then sprinkle a few pecans pieces, and finally the rest of the chocolate layer.

Put the whole thing in the freezer for several hours to set. Then gently transfer the cake onto a serving platter and let it thaw in the fridge.

Serve topped with fresh fruits. Heavenly!



Chocolate Kiwi Crepes

Crepes:
3 medium bananas
1 tbs raw honey
2 tbs carob
1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Spread on entire teflex sheet and dehydrate at 105F until it can be peeled off in one piece. Flip over onto the mesh sheet to continue drying on the other side.

Note: only dehydrate a short time after flipping. It should still be pliable.

Filling:
3 kiwis, peeled, and chopped or sliced
Whipped Cream

Whipped Cream:
2 cups soaked almonds
1/2 cup raw honey
juice of 2 oranges
1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend in a food processor or blender until fluffy and smooth.

Assembly:
Cut the sheet of chocolate crepes into 6 rectangular pieces.

Spread some nut whipped cream on the crepe (leave a few inches furthest away from you bare).

Next place a few kiwi pieces along the top edge (closest to you), and roll up like sushi.

Continue with the rest of the crepes.

Refrigerate 8-12 hours (or overnight), until the crepes have softened.

Spoon a dollop of whipped cream on top, along with some more kiwi slices.

And most of all, enjoy!!!!!!!


Ready to Rawk the World
Heathy would like to eventually focus all of her energy and time on exploring her passion for Raw Foods. When she returns from her trip 'Down Under' next summer, she will be teaching a series of raw food prep classes. She also intends to publish a raw recipe e-book which she is really excited about. (And she's not the only one!) "Friends and various people have been asking me for ages when I'm going to bring out a book," she says, "and I always answer 'when the time is right!'"

In the fall, she's hoping to attend the Living Light Culinary Institute in California where she has "wanted to go for years!"

Any other future projects in mind? "I have always, always wanted to open a raw food cafe/juice bar and yoga studio," she explains, "so that too is on my list! I also would like to develop a number of uncookbooks."

Well, she's got the creative fire going and she certainly has the talent, so we better keep a close eye on Raw Goddess Heathy, for she's surely gonna Rawk the World!

*~*~*~*
All photos by Raw Goddess Heathy

Technorati Tags: Fairygirl, Interview, Raw Chef, Raw cheesecake, Raw crepe