Recipe of the Week: Basil & Black Olive Pasta

It's been a pretty intense week! We had a couple of friends from Calgary here for a short visit. Then Pontifex came to hang out with us during his days off. Even though I hadn't been feeling motivated to play much in the kitchen lately, I couldn't feed all this company just crackers and spreads, now could I?

Some of the yummies I've prepared include dolmas, Fajitas, Jalapeno Burgers, pasta with pesto sauce and Rosemary-Garlic Mashed Potatoes served with mushroom gravy. On the dessert front, I still had some Mulberry & Cream Tarts and Black Forest Cherry Cake in the freezer which came in handy. As our friends brought some Thai young coconuts from the city (yay!), I jumped on the opportunity to treat them with Cafe Gratitude's amazing Coconut Cream Pie. They had never tasted young coconuts before, and of course were immediately hooked. (By the way, did you know that CG is releasing a new raw dessert book soon? Woo Hoo!)

We served the pie with a lovely peach sauce Don whipped up.

I also made a strawberry pie on a chocolate crust which I served with Heathy's Chocolate Sauce.

But as you can see, it had a wee bit of trouble holding its shape.
Ah well... It happens!

Since I can't share this recipe just yet as it needs more tweaking, I decided to go with a pasta dish I've been enjoying since my getting sick earlier this month. I couldn't stomach anything tasting too intense for a little while, so I came up with this delicate and lightly flavored combination. I love how simple it is to prepare, not to mention that it's perfect for the abundance of zucchinis at this time of year.


Basil & Black Olive Pasta

Serves 3

2 medium size zucchinis, spiralized into noodles (I used a mixture of angel and spaghetti)
3 or 4 large basil leaves, finely slivered
6 kalamata olives, finely slivered
1/4 cup cubed red bell pepper
1/2 small patty pan or yellow squash, cubed (optional)
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
Tamari or salt, to taste
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 fresh garlic clove, crushed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Pinch cayenne

Toss noodles with other ingredients and serve immediately.

Optional: Serve topped with mushroom slices marinated in a little olive oil, tamari, garlic and tarragon.

Carmella's Notes:
~ I've also made this with chopped tomato. Delish!

~ I'd recommend not adding the salt/tamari until the last minute as it will cause the zucchini to 'weep'.

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Black Forest Cherry Cake

What I didn't tell you last week is that the day I whipped up the Mulberry & Cream Tarts, I was actually on a dessert roll; I also made a raw version of the famous German Black Forest Cherry Cake.

As we were expecting Pontifex from Raw Freedom Community (Mosaica's hubby), I managed to keep the hungry wolves at bay until the arrival of our guest. (No small feat, I tell ya!) They're relocating to our area (yay!) so Pontifex is staying at Ashinah while looking for a new home.

Here's Pontifex in our teeny kitchen...

Anyhoo, the cake was definitely worth the wait! I think I'll just have to make it again when my dear Heathy comes to visit next month. (Yep, you read right... The Raw Divas are getting together again! Woo Hoo!!!)

I made two versions of the cake layer, and I'd be hard pressed to decide which one I prefer. Take your pick!


Black Forest Cherry Cake

This recipe is for a 7" spring form pan

Cake Variation 1
1 cup soft dates, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup raw carob and cacao powder (I used 1/4 cup of each)
1 1/2 cup finely ground almonds or loosely packed left-over pulp from making milk (wet pulp is fine)
1 cup finely ground dried coconut
1/2 cup finely ground cashews
2 teaspoons cherry nuts,* ground in coffee grinder or 1 teaspoon almond extract

*obtained by cracking cherry pits

Place dates in food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. You may need to add a little water.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.

Carmella's Note: If using cherry nuts, grind them along with the dry coconut for easier processing.

Cake Variation 2
4 cups almond flour (I used dehydrated pulp from making almond milk)
1/2 cup figs, soaked for a couple of hours
1/2 cup soft dates, chopped
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup carob powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
2 teaspoons cherry nuts,* ground or 1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons dry coconut

*obtained by cracking cherry pits

If using, grind cherry nuts along with dry coconut in coffee grinder.

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

Cherry Jam
1 cup cherries, pitted
1/4 cup soft dates

Blend in food processor until smooth.

Cherry Layer
1 cup fresh or frozen cherries, chopped

Whipped Cream
1 cup cashews or a mixture of cashews and macadamia nuts
1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh coconut milk (simply blend 1 part dried coconut with 3 parts water in high speed blender)
1/8 - 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (depending on how sweet a tooth you have)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon lecithin powder*

*Lecithin acts as an emulsifier. Look for lecithin (preferably non-GMO), in granules or powdered form. If using granules, make sure to grind them up in a high speed blender of coffee grinder.

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil and lecithin until smooth. Add oil and lecithin and blend until thoroughly mixed. Set in fridge for about 1 hr.

Assembly:
Form an even layer on the bottom of the springform pan with half of the cake mixture.

Top with a thin layer of Cherry Jam, followed with a layer a cherry pieces.

Next, top with half of the Whipped Cream. Set in fridge.

When very firm, form another cake layer, followed with more Cherry Jam and cherry pieces.

Again finish off with Whipped Cream and set in fridge.

When firm, gently remove cake from the pan and place on serving plate.

Decorate with cherries and serve.

Carmella's Notes:
~ It is key that you grind your nuts finely in a coffee grinder or a high speed blender before processing them with the other ingredients. This will ensure that your cake layer has a lovely smooth texture.

~ In order to apply the cake layer, the whipped cream needs to be quite firm (set in the fridge or freezer first). If you find that the cream tends to yield while patting down the cake, try forming the cake layer on a different surface (such as the counter or a plate) then transferring it over to the pan.

~ This is a rich cake so you might want to make small pieces.

Enjoy with your eyes closed! (Yep, it's another one of those! lol)

Recipe of the Week: Mulberry & Cream Tarts

As you can see, I just couldn't stay away from berries for very long.

When Don and I visited the farmer's market over the weekend, someone was selling mulberries; another delicious variety I had yet to try. They look almost exactly like blackberries, except that they are smaller and grow in trees rather than bushes. They are also super sweet... Perfect dessert material!

I considered making a more conventional pie, you know, blending them up with a touch of sweetener and pouring the resulting filling on a nut crust. In the end, I opted for this slight variation of my Strawberry Shortcake. I keep coming back to this one over and over again, as I find that the cake and whipped cream's subtle flavors make for such a great way to enjoy berries.

I'm pleased with my choice as these tarts were sooooo yummylicious!



Mulberry & Cream Tarts

This recipe makes 24 tarts or one 7 " diameter cake

Cake Base
3/4 cup well packed dates, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
Pinch sea salt
1 cup loosely packed left-over pulp from making milk or ground almonds
1 cup dried coconut
1/2 cup cashews

Place dates in food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. You may need to add a little water.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.

If using ground almonds instead of wet almond pulp, you might want to add a couple of teaspoons of water for moisture.

Whipped Cream
1 cup cashews or a mixture of cashews and macadamia nuts
1 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh coconut milk (simply blend 1 part dried coconut with 3 parts water in high speed blender)
1/8 - 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (depending on how sweet a tooth you have)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon lecithin powder*

*Lecithin is derived from soybeans and acts as an emulsifier. Look for lecithin (preferably non-GMO), in granules or powdered form, at your local HFS. If using granules, make sure to grind them up in a high speed blender of coffee grinder.

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil and lecithin until smooth. Add oil and lecithin and blend until thoroughly mixed. Set in fridge for about 1 hr.

Berry Layer and Decoration
2 cups mulberries, de-stemmed

Assembly:
Form an even layer of cake base at the bottom of a silicon cup or muffin pan lined with plastic film.

Top with a layer of mulberries.

Finish with some whipped cream.

Put in fridge to set.

When firm, gently de-mould tarts and place on serving plates.

Decorate with mulberries and if desired, serve with Mulberry Sauce.

Mulberry Sauce
I used about 1/2 cup berries and 1 small Medjhool date blended in my food processor. (You don't need much dates as the berries have such a natural sweetness to them.)

I added a little water until I reached the desired consistency.

Carmella's Notes:
~ If you'd rather make this recipe into a cake, repeat layers once more.

~ You could sub the mulberries with whatever berries you have on hand.

Enjoy!

Blessed With Berries

What!?! No Recipe of the Week?

I was going to post this entry over the weekend, but Life had a different idea (I'll tell you all about it in a bit). It's also too long to fall under the usual 'R of the W' format, so I opted for a regular blogpost.

If I could sum up this past week with a single word, I would pick - you'll have guessed it! - "berries" (no pun intended! lol) It's like Berry Heaven around here... I was stuffing my face with these lovely wild gems for days after my return from Vipassana. For me, there's nothing quite like picking wild edibles. It makes me feel so very close to Nature and in awe of its abundance.

Along the logging road where Don and I walk daily, we've found thimbleberries, raspberries and black raspberries (they look just like the red ones except for the color). One afternoon, I also dropped by the retreat center where we spent close to 6 years, to visit with the good folks there. John was away but I got a chance to connect with Livina, their son Nathaniel, and of course little Angel - Kylo's sweetheart. As a bonus, I even got a chance to pick some huckleberries that grow around there; a real special treat.

I have just discovered saskatoon berries too. Oh My Goodness! These are sooooo yummy! They are delicious and sweet and have a super high pectin content. Saskatoons grow in trees in big bunches which makes for super easy picking. One day, I filled up just under a gallon and a half in no time at all.

Look at those dark beauties!

As I was biking home with my loot, I stopped to capture some of the magic of the Slocan Valley...

Not a bad spot to munch away, eh?

And how could I resist a dip in the lovely Slocan River to cool off a little?

"But what have you been doing with all these berries?", you ask. Well, I have frozen a whole bunch so we can enjoy them this winter. We've also been adding them to our daily smoothies, and on top of Raw Food Real World's delicious Cranberry Maple Granola with a touch of almond milk.


Some also went into Heathy's Triple Berry Cake which has been on my 'to make' list ever since she created it in honor of Raw Freedom Community's first anniversary back in May.

Isn't it just gorgeous?

Here you can have a closer look...

Oh, and just one more so you get a better sense of the sides.

Mmmmmm... I'm loving that blend of purple and cream! Too bad the swirls didn't turn out so well inside the cake itself - my fault! (See my notes)

OK, gotta have at least ONE recipe in this post, right? Here goes...

Triple Berry Cake
By Heathy Pace

This cake is a berry inspired version of Café Gratitude’s mudslide pie – same concept, but with different flavors. 

Crust:
Make a nut crust of your choice (I used 1 cup walnuts/1 cup pecans/ 1/2 cup dates).

Press into the bottom of a 6” springform pan, or into a pie plate.

Filling:
1 1/4 cup almond milk
1 1/2 cups cashews
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted cacao butter
1 tbs lecithin powder
2 cups mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries), set aside

Blend the first four ingredients until completely smooth. Add the cacao butter and lecithin powder. Continue blending until incorporated. Transfer 1 cup of this mixture into a bowl.

Add the berries to the remaining cream in the blender and pulse the berries until they start to break down, keeping some texture. Transfer the berry mixture into a bowl.

Pour half of one cream onto the crust. Pour the other half on top.

Continue, pouring the first cream on top, followed by the second.

Now, with a knife, swirl the two creams together into a pretty pattern.

Chill the cake for a few hours, or until firm.

Carmella's Notes:
~ I used only half the amount of crust as I prefer a thinner crust.

~ I used a mixture of black raspberries, raspberries, thimbleberries and blueberries. Ooops, that's 4; don't tell anyone! ;-)

~ The blueberries were frozen and I didn't bother thawing them. As a result, the berry mixture was much thicker than the cream colored one. (Always something to learn, eh?) Afterwards, I remembered how in Café Gratitude's book, they mention that in order for the different mixtures to swirl properly, it is key that both have the same consistency.


How does it taste? I was told by Don and other willful testers that it's yet another outstanding creation of Heathy's. But what else is new!?! However, I, myself haven't had a single bite! Boohoo

See, this is where things took an unexpected turn...

Three nights ago, I woke up with my body in 'self-cleaning' mode. (Trust me, you don't want to know the details!) Too many berries perhaps? Who knows...

Hard to see that as a blessing, but for me it is. (Yeah, yeah, I know I'm weird!) As I've been progressing on my own health path, I've learned to trust the intelligence of my body. The way I approach it, something was seriously out of whack at a physical, emotional and/or energetic level, so my body has taken proper measures to rectify that balance.

At least, the fever and aches and pains are gone. Right now, I just feel like resting and can't stomach anything but water, juice and fruit (huh, besides berries! lol) A forced fast... Why not? Plus, it's giving me lots of time to meditate. Toxins galore, I tell ya! Consider yourself lucky you're not living in close quarters with me at the moment!

Anyhoo, all this to say that I had every intention of playing around with a berry pie idea which I was planning to share with you as my Recipe of the Week, but once again, I'm reminded of how to make God laugh. By making plans. (I know I've told this one before but I can't help it... It's soooooo true! lol)

So, til next week my friends! Hopefully I'll be back on my feet by then...

Sending lots of sunshine and succulent berries your way!