Frugal Raw Gourmet

Quick and Easy

Time-saving Recipes

Taco "Meat" Used as a Salad-Topping, Served with Sun-Breads.

(All ingredients are organic, non-corporate and local as much as possible.)

Here are Q & E ideas:

Use Taco Left-overs to make Taco Salad

I always make extra of the super yummy Taco "Meat" and squirrel it away. It freezes well and can be "reheated" in the dehydrator. Also, you can dehydrate it to a crunchy state, which is an awesome salad topper, as is. Or, reconstitute it with water or tomato juice for an easy moist filling for wraps.

Add Olives, chopped onion, or not-cho-cheeze as a garnish. Or if you are ready to change favors from "tex-mex" to KC BBQ top your salad or wrap with raw BBQ sauce. Careful, it's addictive!

Have an un-baking day each week. Sun breads and zucchini wrappers are super easy to make. You can make un-cookies at the same time. (Come to my un-cookies and mylk workshop for a fun secret recipe!) When ready to serve, sun breads and zucchini wraps can be re-heated at the same time as the Taco "Meat" in the dehydrator at 105 degrees.

I served the breads with humus and a big salad for proper food combining! And it's delicious!

Keep Humus On-hand in the fridge AND the freezer. Use it as a spread, dip, base for salad dressing, easily "up-darted" with a dash of curry or garlic or fresh herbs like cilantro, dill or basil. A I make a big batch of humus (not raw) and save some of the sprouted garbanzos for salad toppings. They keep in the fridge for about 4 or 5 days.

Raw BBQ Sauce for 2:

• 1/2 cup grade B maple syrup
• 2 to 3 TBS of homemade ketchup
• 1/8 tsp of smokey paprika
• 1/2 tsp (or more to taste) ground dehydrated citrus rind*
• ground black pepper and or cumin to taste

Whisk ingredients together, adjust seasoning. Dip or pour onto taco "meat". Great to "paint" onto eggplant bacon or dehydrated pears.

*Place orange, lemon and line peel in the dehydrator and just leave it there throughout the week as you make other things. soon it will be dried to a crisp. Put a small amount of course ground sea salt in the spice mill with the citrus rind and grind to a powder. If there are a few "chunks" remaining, sift them out. Or, not. I like the chunks, myself. Citrus rind with dehydrated coconut is a good seasoning to have on hand too. Dehydrated orange peel retains much of the vitamin C and beneficial acids. YEA! We need those this time of year --and it makes for award-winning BBQ sauce!

Naked Wraps

or with Taco "Meat" Crumbles

Use what's in the box from Fresh Connect

Having avocados on hand makes my life simple. Great source of plant protein and essential fatty acids. They have lost much of their mineral content in transport. However, combining fresh winter crops with dehydrated food helps balance the mineral content of the meal. Dehydrated foods have a higher concentration of minerals. You can munch on some dehydrated sea veggies or include them in the salad dressing to balance out the missing minerals in salad greens due to soil depletion. This is true year-round. Even organically produced veggies have 40% less vitamin and mineral content than food grown 40 years ago. Sad. The good news is, we can assimilate a combination of dehydrated and fresh foods to make meals that taste great and make us feel great!

Make your own cereal with sun-bread ingredients.

I save some of the sprouted buckwheat grouts from the sun-bread recipe and make dehydrated granola cereal with it. Add some maple syrup or honey and a pinch of pink salt to the wet buckwheat, spread on a teflex sheet and dry at 105 degrees until crispy. Mix with fresh fruit, sprouted almonds and mylk of choice.

Green drinks are a no-brainer and you can find an unlimited supply of raw green drink suggestions on line.

See "Raw Soups" for other quick and easy recipes.

"High-Raw" Means A High Percentage of Raw Foods

So, What Do We Eat as Cooked Foods? Potatoes!

These LOVELY fingerling potatoes are dug out of the Missouri soil only a few miles from me. Thank you Fred and Hellen Mesner for having a root celar extrodinair! (You can get these lovely fingerlng potatoes in the KC metro area through Freshconnect.kc. Use "Trader St. Joe's" as the discount code and recieve $5 off your first order.)

I like to bake them at 375 degrees, in a covered stainless steel dish lined with organic rock salt and bay leaves. I also tuck the bay leaves in between each little darling. If you can't find one of these awesome high-quality 1970's Dansk Design stainless dish-and- lid sets, use a glass dish with a parchment-paper and foil lid. Use the parchemnt paper to protect the potatoes from coming into contact with the aluminum foil. (Not to scare you, but I advise you to stop using foil and anodized cookware to cook your food. Alumninum + high heat = dementia and Alshiemers disease.)

After they are baked, I remove the bay leaves, open each sexy little node with a fork

and pour a rice mylk into each opening. Use the fork to "stir" the rice mylk into the potato flesh. Then, slather the tops with Earth Balance Soy-free Buttery Spread or Goat Butter or and pop the dish back into the oven for a few minutes to melt and stay warm for a dinner. Toppings of sunflower- seed-sour 'cream', eggplant bacon and vegan 'parmesiano', chopped green onions or chives, herbs and cracked pepper or nutmeg can be added. Serve with a large salad and a raw soup, seed crackers and sun breads. It doesn't get much better than this!

Live Vibe: Rainbow Salad

Eat the Rainbow!

Cut up the beat greens, chard or spinach into "noodles" using the French chiffonade-method. (Wash, then roll leaves together and slice on the bias with a Chef's knife.)

Cut celery, carrots, onions, beats and anything else colorful, raw and edible you have on hand, at an angle and slightly thiner than you would for soup. Top with sprouted dehydrated Almonds and Beet Vinaigrette.

Beet Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup of fresh Lemon juice of Apple-cider Vinegar
• 1/2 cup of oil of choice (I like first press extra virgin olive oil or raw almond oil)
• 1/4 cup of diced beets
• 2 TBS of diced onion or shallot
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed or diced
• 2 TBS of clover honey or grade B maple syrup
• 2 or 3 pieces of dried California Sea Palm Frond, diced (optional)
• 1/2 tsp of Himalayan pink salt (or less, if using olive oil and/or sea veggies)
• 1 tsp of mild curry powder
• Fresh ground nutmeg or peppercorns, to taste
• Fresh herbs, when you’ve got um” (rosemary, thyme and sage are all wonderful with this dressing)

Mix ingredients together in a glass jar with a lid. Shake. Marinate overnight for best results. Keeps at room temperature for a day or so, indefinitely when refrigerated.

Sprouted Dehydrated Almonds

Soak raw (Sicilian or Spanish) almonds over night in clean source water with a 2 to 3 inch piece of sea vegetable of choice until plump and looking like they want to burst out of their skins.

Drain and wash almonds and sea veggie 2 times each day. Return to a clean bowel, covered, at room temperature, away from light for 8 to 24 hours.

Wash again and soak for 1 to 2 hours in clean-source water. When skins are loose, “pop” almonds out of skin. Not all will want to come out. It’s oky, you can give them a rub later when they are dry to remove stubborn skins. Discard the skins and any discolored almonds to the compost pile.

Soak the skinned almonds in a salt-water bath for at least 2 hours at room temp. Refrigerate, if it will be longer than that.

Drain the salt water. Do not wash this time. Shake the strainer to remove excess water. Place the wet almonds and sea veggie on a screen in dehydrator at 105 degrees until crisp and dry. Store in a glass jar refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Green Banana Salads

Celebrate Green Bananas!

The Bananas are Green because they have not been gassed! This is a very good thing. Bananas will ripen on a sunny windowsill or in a paper bag. Allowing the bananas to have sun exposure increased the nutrient value.

We use the firm flesh of green bananas as often as we do the ripe ones. Green bananas have a lower glycemic index because many of the sugars have not yet formed. They also have more tannin that promote digestion and have anti-microbial properties. Slightly tart, they make a great topping for green salad or filling for wraps with orange pumpkinseed vinaigrette or as a snack with Greek or goat yogurt and honey. (Vegans can substitute cashew cream cheese and Agavi.)

Green Banana Snack

Peel and slice bananas

Add Cashew cream or yogurt

Add fresh herbs (Choose one or mix: fresh cilantro, sorrel, mint, fennel tops, or lemon balm)

Drizzle with Clover Honey

Add blueberries when you’ve got um!

Green Banana Salad Topping or Filling for Wrap

Peel and slice green bananas

Sprinkle very sparingly with Himalayan pink salt and a squeeze of lemon juice

Toss to coat. (Keeps refrigerated for several hours.)

Serve in a lettuce leaf with choice for fresh herbs or pea sprouts or place on top of a bed of mixed greens. Add dressing with whole seeds.

Orange-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

• Juice of one orange
• Zest of ½ an orange
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed or minced)
• ½ a small onion or large shallot, diced
• 1 TBS live apple cider vinegar
• 1TBS of Namu Soyu (raw soy sauce)
• 2 TBS of raw pumpkin seed oil (substitute raw sunflower oil)
• 1 TBS of grade B maple syrup (optional)
• 2-3 TBS of raw pumpkin seeds

Marinate overnight for best results

Live Vibe: Desserts & Treats

Secret Stash

Vanilla Peanut-butter Fudge

A tribute to My Dad, Earl Stephan Jacobson, a “Black Norwegian” from Duluth, MN who made KILLER FUDGE on Christmas and whenever we asked him to …all winter long. He always made a ton of chocolate fudge with black walnuts for all of us AND a small amount Vanilla with Peanut butter, for himself. His recipes were buried with the cane sugar long ago.

Here is my raw-modern-version. You can make a larger quantity. But, you might eat it all and make yourself sick. It's so good; you'll be fighting over who gets to lick the spatula!

Secret Stash Vanilla Peanut-butter Fudge Recipe

Ingredients:

for the : Base"Add equal amounts of the following to the food processor:

• Raw honey
• Coconut oil
• Coconut butter

Blend in the flavoring(I use 3/4 cup each with seasonings as follows):

• Scrapings from one whole split vanilla bean
• 1/4 tsp of liquid almond extract
• 2 TBS of peanut butter from New Mexico
• Very scant 1/2 of a pinch of Himalayan sea salt (optional)

Instructions:

Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass dish. Refrigerate until firm.
If you can keep yourself from "tasting it" with a spoon every 20 minutes, you will have fudge in about an hour.
Slice with a warm knife. Serve on chilled plates.

For a full Batch of the Dark Rich Chocolate Version:
Add equal amounts of:

• Raw honey
• Coconut oil
• Coconut butter

to the food processor
(For a full “batch” to fill a 9 X 13 glass dish, you will need 2 cups of each)

Season as follows:

• Scrapings from 4 whole split vanilla bean
• 1 tsp of liquid almond extract
• 3 TBS of carob powder
• 1 tsp of raw cacao powder
• 1 cup of black walnut pieces (divided)
• 2 tsp of grade B maple syrup (optional)
• A pinch of Himalayan sea salt (optional)
• Home-made Chocolate Chips (optional)

Blend until smooth. Stir in a little over half of black walnuts. Pour into a glass dish. Refrigerate until almost firm, sprinkle with more black walnuts and homemade chocolate chips.* Press down with a spatula, if needed to stick to the top. Refrigerate until firm. Slice with a warm knife serve on chilled plates.

*Homemade Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut or cocoa butter
• 1 TBS of Grade B maple syrup
• 2 TBS raw carob powder
• 2 tsp of raw cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp of Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp green stevia powder
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 TBS of warm water

Instructions:
(This makes a very dark rich bitter chocolate chip. For a semi-sweet, only use 1 tsp of raw carob; increase the raw cocoa powder to 1 TBS and add 1 TBS of white agavi nectar. You might not need the water.)

Process until smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag with the tip cut or a pastry bag with a small tip. Squeeze out “chip shapes” onto parchment paper. They don’t have to be perfect. (To get around this step, simply spread the chocolate batter like frosting on a sheet of parchment and then crumble into chips after it freezes.) Put in freezer until firm. Remove from parchment. Store in a glass container in the freezer until ready to use.

How is THIS Healthy?

Here is an excerpt from Jim Fly's newsletter that answers many questions about coconuts:

Our emphasis this week is on coconut products, which have proliferated in recent years as more and more research validates the healthfulness and unique properties of this tropical tree fruit.

I recall going to a seminar in Las Vegas several years ago given by Dr. Bruce Fife, N.D., the individual who has written the most about the often-misaligned coconut--(it's high in saturated fat, for example).

At that time, coconut oil and various other products were just being introduced to the health food industry. Previous to this, coconut, due to its high content of saturated fat, was being partially blamed for the high rate of heart disease. Remember the movie popcorn scare? But, as Dr. Fife pointed out it was precisely partially or fully hydrogentated coconut oil that was the real culprit, just as other healthy oils become dangerous when subjected to the hydrogenation process, which produces transfats, or plastic fats, that oxidize LDL cholesterol and set the stage for hardening of the arteries...

South Sea Islanders and other people living in the tropics, when eating a traditional diet that relies heavily on coconuts, have one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world. And, here's why, according to Dr. Fife:

Coconut's saturated fat is a unique type of fat composed of Medium Chain Triglycerides, which the body mainly burns as fuel instead of storing as fat! Coconut also contains lauric acid which the human body turns into monolaurin, an antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial substance. Another MCT in coconut is capric acid, which converts into monocaprin, another antiviral. So, the theory goes, Coconut can possibly function as a metabolizer and immune system booster. At any rate, it is not the skull-and-crossbones fat of culinary paranoia. Oh, and by the way, pure coconut and coconut oil is one of the most hypoallergenic foods there is--most people with food allergies do not react negatively to coconut.

Cool Coconut Soup and Sun Breads

Super Simple Super Soup!

(Serve with Sun Bread or Un-cookies)

In raw-foodie world, anything you can obliterate to a liquid is considered a "soup." I have many "soup" recipes up my sleeve. This is the all-time favorite. Beautiful first course; elegantly refreshing any time of year; and a crowd pleaser that takes seconds to make! It is fresh and delicious without any seasoning at all, or you can make it into a raw version of an Indian curried soup. (The golden-beat version definitely shines better with the spices.) All ingredients are organic.

Inspired by Heidie Van Pelt's recipe for Sunny Coconut Chi, this soup is slightly sweet with subtle exotic seasonings

You will need a Vitamix or other high-speed blender.

Ingredients:

1 Fresh fennel bulb and tops

16 ounces of frozen coconut mylk* (or more, if you have a crowd)

2 TBS raw honey

A pinch of sea salt

1/2-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger (optional)

1 cup of clean-source water

Stop there or make an Indian curried soup by adding exotic blend of any or all of fresh ground seeds listed below (I recommend keeping it light!)

Fresh Grind the following seeds in a spice grinder or clean coffee mill with 1/4 tsp of course ground sea salt. It helps powder the seeds:

• A pinch of Cumin
• A pinch of Cardamon
• A pinch of Clove
• A pinch of Star Annis

Instructions:

Wash fennel. Place all ingredients in Vitamix, blend on high until smooth. Adjust for seasoning. Pour into glasses or bowls and serve immediately. (Reserve left-overs, add extra honey, process again and place in the freezer and serve as sorbet later.)

*You can open two 8 oz cans of organic coconut mylk and pour the contents into a plastic zip-lock, then, freeze overnight. Or you can purchase frozen coconut mylk in 1 pound bags from most Asian and Indian grocery stores.

Variation: Super Sunny Super Soup!

Substitute golden beats and the beat stems, leaves removed, for the fennel. Add a pinch of cayenne with the spice blend listed above. (Inspired by beautiful organic golden beats brought to a "stump the chef" session by Cynthia Wilson of Topeka, a fine foods aficionado who also inspired my Chocolaty Cheeze Cake recipe with her lovely mouse!)

Sun Breads with Honey "Butter"

You will need a food processor and a dehydrator, or 8 hours of direct sunlight and a bug screen.

You've had sprouted grain breads. However, in the raw food world, breads made with grains and their gluttons are a drag on the system. What to do instead! Make sprouted SEED breads! Seeds are not mucus-forming. the breads are dense, like cookies, but they are glutton-free raw bread substitutes. I make them sweet, sour-dough, savory and plain. We love them all!

Inspired by Katrina Blair's recipe for Savory Pumpkin Seed Bread (made with oats), these palm-sized, grab-and-go snacks have become a staple recipe for people on the go and a great accompaniment to any meal. Saundra Debella offers to crawl across cut glass for my Chocolate Almond Bagels! (recipe listed as "variation" below)

Basic ingredients:

• 2 cups of sprouted buckwheat grouts
• 2 cups of sprouted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 a large onion or 1/2 a small zucchini or 1/2 cup of pumpkin flesh
• a pinch of sea salt
• clean source water (for "soda bread" use bottled naturally sparkling water. It also makes it fluffier)
• 1 TBS of sunflower oil (optional)

Flavors of choice:

• garlic and fresh herbs
• honey, cinnamon and shredded carrots or apples
• honey mustard curry
• carob maple ginger
• date, raisin, yucan syrup
• raw cacao maple walnut

Experiment! It's fun.

Instructions:

Wash and drain sprouted seeds and grouts 2 times daily until ready to use.

If using garlic or whole ginger, add to the food processor first with salt and other seasonings. Add the wet seeds and grouts process until smooth, adding a bit of water at a time to form a dough. Use wet hand to form small loaves or use a large spoon to dolop a cookie-sized blobs onto tefex sheets. Dehydrate at 105 degrees, flipping once. Store refrigerated. Re-warm at 115 degrees prior to serving.

Variations:

For Chocolate Almond Bagels, use the basic recipe with the pumpkin or zucchini flesh, add 3/4 cup ground almond pulp, 1 tsp of almond extract, seeds scraped from a vanilla bean pod, 1/2 cup of soaked flame raisins, 2 to 3 soaked dates and enough raw cacao to turn the mix black-brown. Sweeten with raw honey AND maple syrup to your liking. Stir in whole sprouted almonds, skins removed. Spoon onto teflex sheets, form bagel shapes with wet hands. To really spoil yourself, serve with Almond butter or Peanut-butter frosting! (Nut butter mixed with equal parts basic honey butter) YUM! Have a warm tea near by.

For Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, use the basic recipe with the pumpkin or zucchini flesh, add 3/4 cup ground raw rolled oats, 1/2 cup of soaked flame raisins, 2 to 3 soaked dates, tsp of almond extract, seeds scraped from a vanilla bean pod, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste. Stir in whole home-made chocolate chips. (Melt cocoa butter in a double boiler, stir in raw cacao or carob powder and grade B maple syrup, with a pinch of live sea salt. Pour onto parchment paper, chill, break into chips.) This recipe can be dehydrated, or chilled!

Tip: Put "toppings" on the bottom by placing a small amount of pumpkin seeds, almonds or other toppings of choice on the teflex sheet first, then plopping a serving of the dough on top. It makes it easier to flip the breads over later. Flipping the breads allows for a more even "crust." Some breads are wonderful with a gooey center (especially the sweet ones). But, you defiantly want to flip them to avoid a soggy bottom!

Honey "Butter"

You will need a food processor or Cuisinart Smart Stick hand-blender. Make at least 3 hours in advance to allow time to set into a spread.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup raw honey (room temp)
• 1 cup of raw sunflower oil
• 1/2 tsp fine ground living sea salt
• a pinch of turmeric (optional)
• herbs of choice or ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

Blend ingredients until smooth transfer to a small stainless steel or glass container. Place in the refrigerator to set.

How can all that coconut oil be healthy?

Here is an excerpt from Jim Fly's newsletter that answers many questions about coconuts:

Our emphasis this week is on coconut products, which have proliferated in recent years as more and more research validates the healthfulness and unique properties of this tropical tree fruit.

I recall going to a seminar in Las Vegas several years ago given by Dr. Bruce Fife, N.D., the individual who has written the most about the often-misaligned coconut--(it's high in saturated fat, for example).

At that time, coconut oil and various other products were just being introduced to the health food industry. Previous to this, coconut, due to its high content of saturated fat, was being partially blamed for the high rate of heart disease. Remember the movie popcorn scare? But, as Dr. Fife pointed out it was precisely partially or fully hydrogentated coconut oil that was the real culprit, just as other healthy oils become dangerous when subjected to the hydrogenation process, which produces transfats, or plastic fats, that oxidize LDL cholesterol and set the stage for hardening of the arteries...

South Sea Islanders and other people living in the tropics, when eating a traditional diet that relies heavily on coconuts, have one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world. And, here's why, according to Dr. Fife:

Coconut's saturated fat is a unique type of fat composed of Medium Chain Triglycerides, which the body mainly burns as fuel instead of storing as fat! Coconut also contains lauric acid which the human body turns into monolaurin, an antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial substance. Another MCT in coconut is capric acid, which converts into monocaprin, another antiviral. So, the theory goes, Coconut can possibly function as a metabolizer and immune system booster. At any rate, it is not the skull-and-crossbones fat of culinary paranoia. Oh, and by the way, pure coconut and coconut oil is one of the most hypoallergenic foods there is--most people with food allergies do not react negatively to coconut.

Live Tacos!

(also see Live Taco Salad Below)

Taco Shells

You will need a food processor and a dehydrator with teflex sheets. Or you can make a nearly live version by placing parchment-paper lined cookie sheets in a low-heat oven (170 degrees with the door propped open).

Adding whole sprouted flax seeds and chopped cilantro gives the shells texture and character. However, you can skip that if you are in “get-er-done” mode. (The recipe works without these garnishes.)

All or part of these steps can be made in advance. You will want to allow 1/2-day for the "shells." Humidity is unpredictable. Have a back-up plan or make them a day ahead.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup zucchini meat, diced
• ½ cup sprouted golden flax (wet)
• plus 2 TBS (wet), divided (optional)
• ½ a small onion, diced
• 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil or sunflower oil
• 1 tsp of Grade B maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (I use fresh whole cumin seed and grind it fresh with ¼ tsp Sicilian course-grind natural sea salt in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill)
• Pinch of chili powder, cayenne or taco seasoning (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar or a squirt fresh lemon juice (about 1/4 teaspoon) (optional)
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

Reserve 2 TBS or golden flax and ¼ cup of fresh chopped cilantro. Process all other ingredients until smooth, add ing clean-source water, 1 TBS at a time, to form a batter that can be poured but is not too watery.* Stir in whole sprouted flax seeds and cilantro. Use a ladle to form taco-shell sized puddles on teflex sheets. Dehydrate at 115 degrees until you can flip them over (2 to 4 hours), Then, lower the heat to 105 until pliable, but not dry. Store in single layers or stacked with parchment paper dividers until ready to use. You can re-warm at 105 degrees in 10 minutes just prior to use.

*If you screw it up, and it's too watery, don't panic! Add 1 or 2 TBs of dry ground flax seed and wait 15 minutes or until wateriness subsides.

The Taco “Meat”
You will need a food processor. This part is SUPER EASY! You can make this and serve on "Taco Salad" or in lettuce wraps when you don't want to bother with the zucchinni shells.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw activated walnuts, washed
• ½ cup sprouted pumpkin seeds, washed
• 5 or 6 soaked unsulferated apricots (or substitute 5 or 6 thick slices of dehydrated plantain meat plus 1 tsp of Grade B maple syrup) Reserve soaking liquids for another recipe to sweeten a smoothy or nut mylk
• 1/2 a small jalapeño pepper, diced
• ½ a small onion, diced
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil or walnut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (I use fresh whole cumin seed and grind it fresh with ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt, fine ground
• ½ to 1 tsp chili powder or taco seasoning
• ¼ tsp smoky paprika (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar or a squirt fresh lemon juice (about 1/4 teaspoon) (optional)
• 1 tsp carob powder (optional)
• 1 TBS of organic Catsup or 1 medium sun-dried tomato soaked in oil (optional

Instructions:
Process ingredients to a course grind in the food processor – think, "crumbly meat” texture. Refrigerate for use later or spread out on the dehydrator tray and warm it at 115 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes while you prepare “Not-cho-chez” and toppings of choice like: shredded lettuce; sliced avocados, sprouts; chopped onion, peppers and cilantro; home-made salsa; and cashew sour cream.

Leaving the mixture in the dehydrator for an hour or two will produce "loose meat" crumbles that can be refrigerated and used on taco salads. I try to make enough to eat for dinner and have left over for wraps or salads the next day. It can be re-warmed in the dehydrator with each use, if you prefer. However, it's yummy cold too!

Not-Cho-Chez Sauce
You will need a food processor or a high-speed blender.

Golden, gooey and wondefuly "cheesy". If you use a red bell pepper you won't need the tumeric powder. It turns and unmistakable cheese-wiz gold! (I learned this from sweet Gretchen of the low lands, my Costa-Rica livin' gal pal. Missin' you!)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sprouted sunflower seeds, washed
• ½ a small red or golden bell pepper
• ¼ cup raw sunflower oil (Cold-pressed oil can be substituted)
• 1 Tsp Namu Soyu
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 to 2 tsps turmeric powder (optional)
• A pinch of chili powder (optional)

Instructions:
Use a high-speed blender.

Blend ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cashew or Sunflower Seed Sour “cream”
You will need a food processor or a high-speed blender

Ingredients:

• ½ cup soaked cashews or sprouted sunflower seeds, washed
• ½ a small white onion
• 1 TBS of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tsp raw clear agavi
• Pinch of sea salt
• Clean source water added 1 TBS at a time.

Instructions:
Use a high-speed blender. Blend ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Put it all together and you have: Live Taco Night! I swear, my family gobbles these up! No complaints. No, "What-ever-happened to the good old days of meat and cheese?" They love this recipe!

Live Taco Salad Bowl or Wrap!

with fun and versatile

Spiral Zucchini Noodles!

If you want a quick and easy meal? Use the Taco "Meat" recipe above to make a hearty salad or wrap. Skip the zucchini shells. Spiralize them fresh instead. (This is optional to the toco salad or wrap, of course. But it adds a nice texture and "toothiness" missing from winter and spring lettuce.) Stuff about 1/3 of a cup of the "noodles" into a lettuce leaf and fill the rest of the space with taco "meat," cooked or sprouted beans (optional) and dressing, salsa and toppings of choice.

A Spiralize is a fun kitchen gadget that costs $30 or less, is easy and fun to use. Kids dig it. So, you wont have any problem involving them in Spiralized salads. You can spiralize any firm veggie: carrots, turnips, beats, radishes, sweet potatoes, betternut squash, pumpkins...

I make extra "noodles" and serve as a side dish with orange ginger vinaigrette. The oil inthe dressing helps stop oxidation of the thinnly sliced veggies. (If you spiralized a whole bunch of zucchini noodles you can make angle-hair "spaghetti" by coating with extra vergin olive oil and adding your favorite raw tomatoe sauce. Or, creat a chopped vggie and Spiralized "Pasta Salad" by marinated zucchini "noodles" with chooped vegitables and Itallian seasons. Toss in some garbonzo beans for variety. Yum!)

(also see Live Taco Salad Below)

Taco Shells
You will need a food processor and a dehydrator with teflex sheets. Or you can make a nearly live version by placing parchment-paper lined cookie sheets in a low-heat oven (170 degrees with the door propped open).

Adding whole sprouted flax seeds and chopped cilantro gives the shells texture and character. However, you can skip that if you are in “get-er-done” mode. (The recipe works without these garnishes.)

All or part of these steps can be made in advance. You will want to allow 1/2-day for the "shells." Humidity is unpredictable. Have a back-up plan or make them a day ahead.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup zucchini meat, diced
• ½ cup sprouted golden flax (wet)
• plus 2 TBS (wet), divided (optional)
• ½ a small onion, diced
• 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil or sunflower oil
• 1 tsp of Grade B maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (I use fresh whole cumin seed and grind it fresh with ¼ tsp Sicilian course-grind natural sea salt in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill)
• Pinch of chili powder, cayenne or taco seasoning (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar or a squirt fresh lemon juice (about 1/4 teaspoon) (optional)
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions:
Reserve 2 TBS or golden flax and ¼ cup of fresh chopped cilantro. Process all other ingredients until smooth, add ing clean-source water, 1 TBS at a time, to form a batter that can be poured but is not too watery.* Stir in whole sprouted flax seeds and cilantro. Use a ladle to form taco-shell sized puddles on teflex sheets. Dehydrate at 115 degrees until you can flip them over (2 to 4 hours), Then, lower the heat to 105 until pliable, but not dry. Store in single layers or stacked with parchment paper dividers until ready to use. You can re-warm at 105 degrees in 10 minutes just prior to use.

*If you screw it up, and it's too watery, don't panic! Add 1 or 2 TBs of dry ground flax seed and wait 15 minutes or until wateriness subsides.

The Taco “Meat”
You will need a food processor. This part is SUPER EASY! You can make this and serve on "Taco Salad" or in lettuce wraps when you don't want to bother with the zucchinni shells.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw activated walnuts, washed
• ½ cup sprouted pumpkin seeds, washed
• 5 or 6 soaked unsulferated apricots (or substitute 5 or 6 thick slices of dehydrated plantain meat plus 1 tsp of Grade B maple syrup) Reserve soaking liquids for another recipe to sweeten a smoothy or nut mylk
• 1/2 a small jalapeño pepper, diced
• ½ a small onion, diced
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil or walnut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (I use fresh whole cumin seed and grind it fresh with ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt, fine ground
• ½ to 1 tsp chili powder or taco seasoning
• ¼ tsp smoky paprika (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar or a squirt fresh lemon juice (about 1/4 teaspoon) (optional)
• 1 tsp carob powder (optional)
• 1 TBS of organic Katsup (optional)

Instructions:
Process ingredients to a course grind in the food processor – think, "crumbly meat” texture. Refrigerate for use later or spread out on the dehydrator tray and warm it at 115 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes while you prepare “Not-cho-chez” and toppings of choice like: shredded lettuce; sliced avocados, sprouts; chopped onion, peppers and cilantro; home-made salsa; and cashew sour cream.

Leaving the mixture in the dehydrator for an hour or two will produce "loose meat" crumbles that can be refrigerated and used on taco salads. I try to make enough to eat for dinner and have left over for wraps or salads the next day.


Not-Cho-Chez
You will need a food processor or a high-speed blender.

Golden, gooey and wondefuly "cheesy". If you use a red bell pepper you won't need the tumeric powder. It turns and unmistakable cheese-wiz gold! (I learned this from sweet Gretchen of the low lands, my Costa-Rica livin' gal pal. Missin' you!)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sprouted sunflower seeds, washed
• ½ a small red or golden bell pepper
• ¼ cup raw sunflower oil (Cold-pressed oil can be substituted)
• 1 Tsp Namu Soyu
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 to 2 tsps turmeric powder (optional)
• A pinch of chili powder (optional)

Instructions:
Use a high-speed blender. Blend ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cashew or Sunflower Seed Sour “cream”
You will need a food processor or a high-speed blender

Ingredients:

• ½ cup soaked cashews or sprouted sunflower seeds, washed
• ½ a small white onion
• 1 TBS of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tsp raw clear agavi
• Pinch of sea salt
• Clean source water added 1 TBS at a time.

Instructions:
Use a high-speed blender. Blend ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Put it all together and you have: Live Taco Night! I swear, my family gobbles these up! No complaints. No, "What-ever-happened to the good old days of meat and cheese?" They love this recipe!

Live Taco Salad! (with fun and versatile Spiral Zucchini Noodles)

If you want a quick and easy meal? Use the Taco "Meat" recipe above to make a hearty salad or wrap. Skip the zucchini shells. Spiralize them fresh instead. (This is optional to the toco salad or wrap, of course. But it adds a nice texture and "toothiness" missing from winter and spring lettuce.) Stuff about 1/3 of a cup of the "noodles" into a lettuce leaf and fill the rest of the space with taco "meat," cooked or sprouted beans (optional) and dressing, salsa and toppings of choice.

A Spiralize is a fun kitchen gadget that costs $30 or less, is easy and fun to use. Kids dig it. So, you wont have any problem involving them in Spiralized salads. You can spiralize any firm veggie: carrots, turnips, beats, radishes, sweet potatoes, betternut squash, pumpkins...

I make extra "noodles" and serve as a side dish with orange ginger vinaigrette. The oil inthe dressing helps stop oxidation of the thinnly sliced veggies. (If you spiralized a whole bunch of zucchini noodles you can make angle-hair "spaghetti" by coating with extra vergin olive oil and adding your favorite raw tomatoe sauce. Or, creat a chopped vggie and Spiralized "Pasta Salad" by marinated zucchini "noodles" with chooped vegetables and Itallian seasons. Toss in some garbonzo beans for variety. Yum!)

Raw "Cheeze Cake" : better than the real thing!

Inspired by Cynthia's Winter Solstice Chocolate Moose, this delicacy has many variations but one thing in common: Avocados. Yup. I didn't believe it until i tried it. It's smooth, silky, chocolate yumminess without a clue to the main ingredient. Not that I don't love avocados, BOY, do I?! However, this is worth sacrificing the guacamoli or purchasing extra. They are in abundance this time of year. You can add-on Organic Avo's to your Fresh-Connect home delivery for $1.50 each. worth it! They are twice that in the store.

Turn's out, it's fairly common in raw food circles to whip up a batch of coaco-enhanced avo-meat. Check the dessert section of any reputable raw foodie un-cookbook. you will find at least one raw chocolate or carob dessert made with the secret ingredient: alligator pear!

Avocados are a healthy fat, complete protien and packed with: vitamins E and K, dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, trace minerals, oleic acid, (a monounsaturated fat that may help lower cholesterol.), potassium (a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure)

All ingredients are organic.

Start with a Nut-Crust of Choice. My two favorites are Peanut/Pumpkin Seed and Hazelnut Date

Peanut/Pumpkin Seed Nut-Crust

You will need: 1 glass dish or pie plate, flat-bladed food-processor (Cuisinart), refrigeration.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of dry or soaked pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup roasted peanut stock (from New Mexico)*
• 3 or 4 soaked majool dates (soaking water reserved)
• Soaking water from the dates, as needed
• ¼ cup grade B maple syrup
• ½ tsp of living sea salt
• ½ cup coconut butter
• ¼ cup coconut oil plus a bit more the oil the glass dish
• ¼ cup wild-crafted mesquite pod meal (optional)
• seeds of a whole cured vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla caviar (optional)
• ½ tsp of pure almond extract (optional)

Process in flat-bladed food processor to desired consistency. Add small amounts of the soaking water from the dates and scrape down the sides of the processor bowl frequently. You can pulse it into a course and crunchy crust, or a consistently smooth dough. I like course and crunchy and it’s easier to work with. Use wet hands to press crust into a glass dish. Pop it in the freezer while you make the filling.

Option #2: Hazelnut-Date Crust

Same as above. Substitute 2 cups of soaked or dry hazelnuts for the peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Or use half pumpkin seeds, half hazelnuts or any fraction you’d like. It’s a very forgiving recipe as long as you keep it fairly sticky, but not too dry. Avoid too much liquid. If it does become to wet, add lucuma powder or tocol trinols to desired consistency. It will firm up when chilled.

Chocolate Filling

• 2 or 3 pitted medjool dates, soaked (soaking water reserved)
• seeds of two whole cured vanilla beans or vanilla caviar, in a pinch, natural vanilla extract
• Fruit meat from 3 or 4 ripe mashed avocados
• 1/4 cup grade B maple syrup
• 2 to 3 TBs of raw honey
• 1/4 cup of coconut butter (optional, but, will have a lighter texture without it)
• 2 TBs of coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of raw carob powder
• 2 to 3 TBS of raw cacao powder (For color. Carob alone makes a murky greyish green color pie.)
• soaking water from the dates

Place the dates, maple syrup, coconut butter and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado, 2 TBs coconut oil, raw honey, carob and cacao powders. Blend until creamy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Add the date-soak-water as needed. Take out 2 to 4 small protions to eat as “mousse” at room temp. Fill crust with the rest. Chill until sliceable. Will keep for three days in the refrigerator or two weeks in the freezer.

Variations: Omit the water and use as mouse as a frosting for uncookies. Double the water to use as chocolate sauce. Freeze for 4 hours then thaw 15 minutes to use as frozen custard.

Top with fancy stuff that you like!

Other Cool Stuff to Do with Avocados Disguised as Chocolate Mousse:

Mesquite Almond Spoon Truffles

Add mesquite pod meal and sprouted almonds in amounts to your liking to the Chocolate Filling recipe above, eat by the spoonful! Be creative, you can ad whatever you want! Who's going to argue with that!? Here, have a whole spoonful of goodness for goodness sake!

Fancy Freezer Truffles

Use a melon-baller dipped in oil to form little round globes of Chocolate Filling. Decorate with fancy stuff like: sprouted almond "leaves", black walnut bits, candied flower pedals and berries of all types. Serve chilled. Don't worry if you forget to pass out the napkins. There will be finger-licking, even among the most polite.