Oh My Sweet Fig Pudding

It seems that fig season is coming to a close and I am still at a loss for a honorable recipe. These wonderful pockets of goodness need no adornment and try as I might they are simply best on their own. This delicious fruit is botanically speaking not a fruit at all, rather a seed encasement, correctly termed "synconium ", an inside-out flower. Why does it hide its flower from the world? Possibly because the intoxicating nectar alone is enough to lure even the most particular wasp.(their necessary pollinators) I personally have been stock piling these mineral rich gems(high in calcium, iron magnesium, zinc, etc..) drying and freezing an ample supply. Frozen figs are great in smoothies, pudding, or other dessert recipes. This recipe is a tasty breakfast option and although light it keeps you satisfied from the incredible chia seed. Spirulina, bee pollen, Vitamineral greens maca, cacao, or other nutrient powders can also be added to your liking.

Oh Sweet Fig Pudding Recipe

-1 pint fresh figs(any variety) leave out 2-3 for topping
-1/2 cup frozen blackberries or blueberries
-1 ripe banana(fresh or frozen)
-2 TBLS chia seeds soaked in 8 TBLS hemp, cashew, or almond milk*
-1 tablespoon coconut oil(optional)

Place figs, chia gel, banana, berries, coconut oil, and any additional powders in high speed blender and pulse until creamy velvet consistency is reached. Top with quartered figs or any other fanciful decor. Serves one to many!

Hemp Cashew or Almond Milk recipe:

-1/2 cup nuts/seeds
-2 1/2 cup water
optional: vanilla bean/extract, 1 date

Blend above ingredients in high speed blender and strain through nut milk bag if using almonds but not necessary for cashews and hemp seeds.

Mexican Gazpacho

I bought a young coconut this afternoon and was set on making some sort of raw soup out of it. First, I was thinking Thai curry... but I didn't have curry seasoning, noticing the vegetables I did have on hand lend nicely to a fresh Mexican sort of soup. As of late I am making massive vats of soup which I consume within a couple days. It's the perfect meal at work, being filling and easily assimilated. It's also great after a long day to have a glistening jar of fresh soup waiting in the fridge. This soup has a great balance of sweet and spicy, perfectly refreshing on a summer day. As I always note, this recipe can be easily adapted to your liking, if your using fresh, organic, and seasonal produce you can't go wrong.

Mexican Fusion Soup:

-1 young coconut meat and 1/2 water
-2 large carrots
-1 pint of sweet orange cherry tomatoes (red are OK too)
-1 large cucumber
-2 green onions
-2 stalks celery
-1 red bell pepper
-juice of one lemon
-juice of one lime
-1/2 bunch cilantro
-1 teaspoon cumin
-pinch of chipotle(optional)
-pinch of cayenne(optional)
-3/4 cup water
Topping: avocado, green onion, diced mango, shredded carrot, etc..

Place coconut meat & water, carrots, cucumber, celery, red pepper, lemon juice, lime juice, and water in high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and spices and pulse very gently/quickly as to leave chunks of tomatoes and not turn the soup green from cilantro. Chill soup for at least one hour, top with desired ingredients, and serve in chilled dishes.

Cacao-Berry-Nut Towers

I am not usually one to find a recipe and then seek out all the components hither and yon, especially when each ingredient can be very expensive on its own. having a small surplus of staple ingredients, like nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and fresh fruit allows for impromptu concoctions. I instead get excited over single ingredients that a recipe could revolve around. The ingredient this week is one I wait all year for, and this year has been weeks late to ripen... wild northwest blackberries! It's a bad year for these precious gems, as bizarre spring and early summer weather threw them off. However, the berries I have managed to pick are not in vain, and I am cherishing their beauty more than ever. This recipe is rich and decadent, and the pairing of intense dark chocolate, bursting berries, and rich coconut and cashew butters make for a divine combination. The berries could be substituted for any seasonal berry, preferably a similar cane berry such as raspberries, marion berries, or blackcaps.

Cacao-Berry-Nut Towers:

Crust:
-1 cup sprouted buckwheat
-1 cup shredded coconut flakes
-6 majool dates
-1 teaspoon water


Pulse buckwheat, coconut, dates, and sea salt in food processor until a crumbly mixture forms that holds together when pressed. Add water one teaspoon at a time if needed. Press in the bottom of a greased 8 inch square dish and set aside.

Nut-Butter layer:
-1 cup Artisana cashew butter(or one cup walnuts processed in high speed blender)
-1/2 cup shredded coconut
-10 medjool dates soaked at least an hour


Place all ingredients into food processor and blend until a very creamy mixture is formed, It should be thick but spreadable. Spread mixture over the buckwheat crust evenly with a spatula, and set aside.

Berry Layer:

-1 cup fresh blackberries

Mash the berries slightly with a fork, while leaving some berries whole. Spread this layer over the nut butter and set aside.

Cacao Layer:

-3/4 cup raw cacao powder(carob can be substituted)
-1/2 cup shredded coconut
-10 medjool dates soaked at least an hour
-1/4 cup manuka raisins
-1.4 cup coconut oil
-pinch of sea salt

Place cacao, coconut, dates,and raisins, in food processor and blend until well mixed. The raisins should be well blended and appear as flecks of black throughout. Now add the coconut oil and blend until creamy fudge texture is reached. Spread this layer over the berries and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set. They can also be kept in the freezer but it is easier to cut the bars before they are frozen.

Strawberry-Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Cake

The first time I made a raw "ice cream" cake I was quite intimidated. Anticipating all the tedious steps and worrying that it would turn into a soupy mess. To my surprise, the cake set up nicely and I decorated it in fancy form. I was making the cake for a special occasion and was a little hesitant to share a first attempt. Having a visually appealing dish is over half the battle in my book, so I boldly served it to many. It was a hit, and by my second cake I scrapped the recipes and just went for it. It is easier than it sounds to make a raw cake, and hard to mess up completely when you are starting with such tasty fresh ingredients. The layered cakes look complex but the additional step is easy once you know how to make a good "ice cream" base. Next time I make this cake I will go for more chocolate, perhaps a chocolate crumble layer in between the strawberry and vanilla... any other ideas?

Strawberry Vanilla Icebox Cake Recipe

Coconut Almond Crust:

-1 3/4 cup raw almonds
-1/2 cup dried shredded coconut
-4-6 pitted Majool dates
-juice of 1/2 small lemon plus zest


Put nuts, dates, lemon, and zest into food processor and blend until a crumbly texture forms. The mixture should look loose and crumbly but stick together when pressed between fingers. If mixture is too dry add a couple teaspoons of water and pulse.
Set aside roughly 1/2 cup of mixture for decorative topping. Place mixture into 8" spring-form pan(I line mine with wax paper for easier removal) and press crust into bottom and build up onto sides a half an inch or so. Set covered into fridge or freezer while the filling is prepared.

Strawberry layer:

-2 pints of fresh organic strawberries(keep out a few for topping)
-1 cup raw cashews
-1/4 cup coconut oil
-1/4 cup raw honey
-pinch of sea salt
-squeeze of lemon juice

Place all ingredients into high speed blender(or food processor) and blend until a smooth creamy texture is reached. At this point I try the batter to see if it is sweet enough or needs a little something else... more lemon juice? Lastly, put the coconut oil in, pulsing it just to mix, as over blending the oil will heat it and do strange things to the batter. Pour this mixture over the crust and set aside(I usually don't put it into the freezer unless I think I am going to take a while on the next steps...)

Vanilla Layer

In reality this is more of a "banana layer" but the banana flavor is quite subtle when blended into a frozen sorbet with honey and vanilla bean.

-3 frozen bananas
-3 tablespoons of raw honey
-1 vanilla bean pod seeds
-3 tablespoons coconut oil

Blend frozen bananas, honey, and vanilla bean in high speed blender(or food processor) until creamy and smooth. Put in oil and pulse just to mix. Taste and add more honey if desired. This layer can then be poured over the strawberry. It is also fun to add a layer of nuts or fresh fruit between the two, but not necessary. The cake can then be decorated in desired fashion. I drizzled with a chocolate sauce made of roughly 1 tablespoon cacao,2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon honey. A berry sauce would also be a nice option.

Cover well, and place into freezer over night. Before serving let thaw for at least ten minutes.

Cauliflower Mishmash

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that I forget about for a while and then get a real craving for. This recipe came about after a peruse through RawVolution by Matt Amsden, as he showcases a "Cauliflower Couscous", a spin off of the Mediterranean tabbouleh. I so rarely follow recipes to pat, but found this inspiration enough for a similar cauliflower dish. This salad has a great texture similar to a rice or quinoa dish, but retains the distinct flavor of cauliflower, which some find unappealing.(If that's you, by-pass this recipe). I personally think the bold taste of cauliflower paired with loads of garlic, lemon, parsley, and olive oil are unsurpassable. I threw in some pungent diakon radish and sweet yams to balance out the flavors. Topped with some sprouted sunflower seeds, this was a substantial meal in itself. The yams can be omitted for a completely raw dish, many suitable raw substitutions abound!

Cauliflower Mishmash:

-I large head of cauliflower, finely ground in food processor
-1 green onion chopped
-1/2 small red onion diced
-1 medium yam cubed, steamed, and cooled
-1/2 cup diced diakon
-4 stalks celery diced
-1/2 head chopped parsley

Dressing:

-1 TBLS olive oil
-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
-4 garlic cloves minced
-2 tablespoons coconut vinegar

To prepare the cauliflower, first chop into small pieces and then proceed to place in food processor, pulsing until a fine rice texture is formed. Do not over blend, or it will turn into cauliflower mush. Place in large bowl and mix in green onion, red onion, diakon, celery, yam, and parsley. Set aside. In separate small bowl whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over cauliflower mix and combine thoroughly. Serve right away or within 24 hours, as finely chopped cauliflower does strange things when left too long. :)

Cacao-Go-Rounds

I recently made a sweetly indulgent fudge that is, in my opinion, a bit over the top. A simple recipe of raw cacao, coconut oil, cashews, and honey... that's it, only each ingredient is in massive amounts. This is all good and well on special occasions, but I wanted to devise a recipe that satisfies a chocolate craving without the gluttony of fat and sugar. This recipe is akin to the chocolate "Larabar", an energy bar and chocolate satisfaction in one! It is a simple base recipe that can be made into a multitude of concoctions... I am thinking orange zest, vanilla bean, and various essential oils

Cacao-Go- Rounds:

-one cup of soaked cashews,almonds, or walnuts
-one cup raisins
-4 majool dates
-4 tablespoons cacao powder
-4 tablespoons cacao nibs

optional: fine coconut shreds and hemp seeds for topping

place the cacao nibs in a high speed blender and pulse very briefly. Set half of the cacao nibs in small bowl to be used for rolling the cacao rounds into. Place the remaining ingredients in blender and mix until smooth. The mixture should be slightly sticky and easily rolled into desired spheres. Spread desired topping onto flat surface such as a cutting board or large plate and roll rounds through. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Sunny Sprouted Granola

After many raw granola attempts I found a near perfect concoction. Making granola, even raw, is no science, but it can be finicky to get it to stick together just so and not be overly sweet. I was previously relying on honey to bind and sweeten the mix but decided to try fresh date paste in its place. This made for a perfect sticky granola mess,binding together nicely with sweet clumps of date morsels. I love that this recipe doesn't have any wheat or nuts and is easily digested with the sprouted buckwheat and sunflower seeds. The tropical medley of flavors could easily be substituted for any ingredients desired, although the bright "sunny" flavors in this recipe are quite nice. Note* This granola is quite addicting and I find it best to share it around quickly, so as not to consume the whole batch alone:)


Sunny Sprouted Granola

-2 cups sprouted buckwheat
-1 cup sprouted sunflower seeds
-8 soaked dates
-1/4 cup coconut oil
-1/2 cup shredded coconut
-1/4 cup dried mango
-1/4 cup goji berries
-1 teaspoon sea salt

Place sprouted buckwheat and sunflower seeds in large bowl and set aside. Blend soaked dates and coconut oil in high speed blender until creamy texture is reached. If a sweeter granola is desired, simply add more dates. Fold this mixture, plus sea salt into the buckwheat and sunflower seeds and coat well with spatula or better, warm hands. Place in dehydrator for 6-8 hours. I found that dehydrating it for less time makes a yummy soft granola where longer time gives you the more traditional crunchy stuff. Lastly, remove from dehydrator and mix in the shredded coconut, mango, and goji berries. Serve fresh and warm from the dehydrator with cool nut milk, or store in sealed container for up to a week.

Serves one to many