Category: Raw

Marinated Olives

1/3/2014

Family has come into town for the Holidays and we made some marinated olives together. Olives for friends and family has become a tradition, and Pappa D. has been asked so many times how he makes them, that we decided to make a big batch and write it down to share. Hope you love them as much as us. Spicy and tangy, they're perfect as an anti-pasta or snack. They take 2 weeks to marinate, but well worth the wait.

We made 10 bottles, but I this recipe for 2.

2 jars of 35 oz. Olives with pimentos (I recommend organic, but these were bought in bulk from Costco)
1/3 of an Onion
1 cup Pickled Jalapenos (or 1/4 cup fresh jalapenos)
8 cloves Garlic

2-4 tbs. Dijon Mustard (depending on the strength)
2/3 cup Lemon Juice
2/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2/3 cup White or Champagne Vinegar
1 cup Olive Oil
1 cup Avocado Oil

Open your jars and pour the olives through a strainer so you have empty bottles to work with.

Add 1/2 cup of jalapenos to each jar.

Then slice the onion and add 3-4 slices to each jar.

Press 4 cloves per jar. Then fill the jar half way with olives.

Prepare your marinade:
(This also makes a great salad dressing.)

Take 2-4 tbs. of Dijon. Dijons can vary in strength. If you use Grey Poupon use 4 tbs. If you use a strong one like the one in the picture, I suggest you use more like 2 tbs.

Whisk the lemon juice and mustard together. The citric acid helps hold the oil and vinegar together.

Then whisk in the vinegars and the oil.

Pour enough marinade in to cover the 1/2 filled jar and place the top back on.

Toss or shake the jar to mix the olives with the peppers and onions.

Pack the jar with olives back to the top.

Pour enough marinade to fill it all the way and replace the lid. Refrigerate for 2+ weeks.

If you like live pickles, you can leave them out of the fridge for 1-2 days with just cheese cloth over each jar. Then lid and refrigerate. Great gifts. We made 10 jars!

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Avocado Pudding Pops

12/2/2013

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Do you have kids, or are you a kid at heart yourself? These are a fun treat that are full of good fats and chocolate flavor without all the junk. This is a summer recipe unless you have kids... They seem to be able to eat frozen snacks all year round!

They are quick to make and kid approved.

2 cups Ripe Avocados (about 3)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
6 Majool Dates
6 Tbs. Cocoa Powder, dutch process or raw
2 pinches Sea Salt
2 tbs. Cocoa butter (or coconut butter or oil)
1 Ripe Banana
1/3 cup Water
Optional: 1-2 tbs. Maple syrup for some kids that need it sweeter

Popsicle molds

Melt your cocoa butter in a pot over small flame.
If you don't have cocoa butter, you can use coconut butter (no need to melt) or coconut oil. The cocoa butter is the best choice, though as it reminds you that it's chocolate your eating!

Place all in the blender and blend smooth.

Pour into molds and freeze for 2+ hours.

Thoroughly enjoy!

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Tropical Sunrise

11/17/2013

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Man is this a tasty drink! Super fun for a party, and anti-inflammatory from the turmeric root! I categorize this under fun food, not daily juice. Add the beet and greens to balance the fruit a bit. I was surprised at the WOW factor of the turmeric...

2 Oranges
1/2 Apple
1 cup Pineapple
10 or so Carrots (about 3 cups juiced)
2 inches Turmeric Root
Optional:
1/2 Beet
Kale or Parsley to taste

Juice and mix together.

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Pressed Salad

11/16/2013

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What the...?! Why would you want to press a salad? Most people like them un-wilted. In Japanese style macrobiotics, the pressed salad is used for live enzymes from raw food, but adding a pickling quality to make it more digestible. This is particularly useful for those with poor digestion that are sick or weak. I'm neither, but still love the crunchy, wilted style of this salad.

Hard veggies of choice (just choose 3):
Examples:
Cabbage (green or Napa)
Red Radishes or Daikon
Red Onion
Broccoli Stems
Cucumbers

If you like, something green (just choose 1):
Examples:
Root Tops for color (carrot, radish, daikon...)
Arugula
Collards

Ume Vinegar or Sea Salt
Large Bowl
Small Plate
Something Heavy

The trick to a good pressed salad is that you need to slice all your vegetables very thin. This way the pickling process happens quickly.

Here I've used Cabbage, Red Onion...

...and Radish.

But this dish is a great way to use those pesky broccoli stems that they make you buy with the tops! They're tender and have a light broccoli taste.

Take the tops off for use in another dish.

Peel the hard fibrous skin off with your knife.

Slice on a thin diagonal.

And then into a thin matchstick.

Place all your sliced veggies in a large bowl and knead in ume vinegar or salt. I can't tell you exactly how much as there are too many variables, but make sure that the veggies glisten or actually have water drip off them when you squeeze them. This amount of wetness will vary depending on the vegetable you choose.

Place a small plate on top of the veggies and then something heavy on top of the plate. This is where pressure and time help the salt to change the energy and start the pickling process.

After 15 minutes you should see water rise above the vegetables. If you don't then you need more ume or salt.

Then let it press for 30min to an hour depending on your choice of veggies. Harder veggies can have a longer time.

Strain the excess water and squeeze the veggies.

Taste them, too. If they are too salty, then rinse them and squeeze the excess water off.

Ready to eat as is or with your favorite dressing.

I like my dairy-free ranch. It makes it taste like coleslaw.

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Fresh Coconut Cream

11/2/2013

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Missing the fun of Dairy Whip? This Coconut cream is a raw, more nutritious version. It might take some muscle, but it gives you all the good fats and protein to create more!

I don't even need to suggest where to use it... You'll find all kinds of uses (especially spooning it in your mouth when no one's looking)!

2-3 Young Coconuts (when picking, the heavier for their size the better)
Vanilla
Sea salt
Sweetener of choice (I really like stevia as the coconut is already sweet)

Small but strong spoon
Large Cleaver (or unimportant knife)

The reason I mention an "unimportant" knife, is because you are going to chop at this coconut like your splitting a log for firewood. You don't want to use your sharp, expensive, vegetable knife for this. Just a big, barely sharp clever or knife like in the photo.

It's quite a talent to picking a good coconut. And then it's a crap shoot, too. I'll rate them from A-F like a school teacher:

A: Thick, white flesh with clear, light yellow, nutty smelling water. It will pull away from the sides with nothing sticking to the inside of the shell.
B: Less thick and the flesh sticks a bit to the side.
C: Little bit translucent at places in the flesh. Kind of liquidy as you peel away from the shell.
D:Very thin translucent flesh with a red tinted water.
F: No flesh, only pink water.

For this recipe you want C or higher. The lower the score the less flesh, and so you may need more coconuts to make enough cream (is there ever really enough cream?).

The one in the picture above is a B.

Here is the difference between a B and an A.

B

And this was the bigger coconut!

A

This one was heaver even though it was smaller.

Pour out the water for drinking. Just leave some for blending.

Two coconuts gave me 3 cups of coco water. Perfect for a hydrating drink after exercise or beverage to offer guests.

Scoop out all the flesh (It's helpful to use the back end of your spoon for leverage.to separate it at the top due to the curvature of the shell).

Make sure you don't have bits of the shell attached to the flesh.

Add to blender. Season to taste with vanilla, sweetener, and enough coco water to make it the consistency you like. I prefer a super thick cream and have a blender that is like a food processor. Your blender will play a roll in how thin you need to make the cream.

Can you hear the angels singing?
Ahhhhhhhh ahhhh...

Coconut cream is nice to keep on hand for:
Smoothies
Fruit Dip
Pumpkin Porridge (click here)

Click here for a grain-free pancake recipe.

Grain-free crepe recipe to come...

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Aioli

10/26/2013

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This condiment has become my favorite over the years because it add the aroma of a light summer Italian dish to anything you put it on. Its super fast to make and well worth keeping around for those pesto moments. Oh! you don't have those? Maybe it's just me... So I've included some other versions here as well.
Buon Appetito!

Pesto Aioli:
This pares great with beef:
Roast beef, hamburger, salad with beef salami...

1 cup Mayo (click here for home made recipe)
1/2 cup Fresh Basil
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
Salt to taste
dash Lemon Juice

Follow the same procedures below for all the aioli recipes.

Sun Dried Tomato Aioli:
1 cup mayo
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes packed in oil
Salt to taste

Chipotle Aioli:
1 cup Mayo
1 clove Garlic, minced
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Smoky Paprika
1/2 tsp. Chipotle Powder
1 tsp. Tomato Paste
Splash of Vinegar or Lemon Juice

Chop your garlic.

I use fresh basil from my garden.

Clean, and roughly chop your basil.

Grind with a mortar and pestle or suribachi. You can also use a food processor or just stir together with the mayo. Grinding just makes it more flavorful.

It will be nice and thick (especially if you use my recipe for mayo)

If you'd like to make it into a dressing, I suggest you follow these instructions substituting your aioli of choice for the mayo in my ranch dressing.

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Quality Mayo

10/26/2013

Separate the yokes and save the whites for your next omelet or egg white recipe.

3 Quality Pasture Raised Egg Yolks
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Melted Butter and/or Coconut oil (see note below)
1 1/4 cup Avocado Oil (I also like this recipe with 100% walnut oil)
Salt or Ume vinegar
1-2 tbs. Lemon Juice
(Optional) Vinegar to taste

A Food processor
or Whisk if you'd like a work out ;-)

The procedures and timing are important in this recipe. Please read first then do.

Boy! Do I love Mayo. When I was vegan, my go to was the soy-free vegannaise, but now that I've learned about how they process most vegetable oils with hexine, I looked into how to make it from scratch. It soooooo easy! and takes next to no time at all. I love the one I make better anyhow, as I notice the feeling that better quality fats give. It lasts about 2-3 weeks in the fridge, but usually doesn't make it that long! Use as the base of dressings and condiments for your favorite "sandwiches."

NOTE: If you don't want your mayo to taste like coconut, don't use Virgin Coconut oil. Expeller pressed is odorless.

Can you tell which egg is pasture raised?
And which is store bought Organic?

Add the egg yolks and mustard only. Whisk or blend together for a minute until well incorporated. Blenders are not best for this recipe. Food processors are ideal. I have a Ninja so it acts like a food processor. Those hand immersion blenders with or with out the food processor attachment are perfect, too.

Start the coconut oil or butter to melt. Be sure not to burn them. I stir them frequently and let them cool a bit before adding to eggs.

Add your Avocado oil slowly, slowly, slowly while the processor is on high. Do not add all the oil until you give this part enough time to start the process of combining slowly.

Now add the melted oil or butter. No need to do it as slowly. Just a steady stream.

(Pay not heed to the measurements in the cup. I make a lot of mayo!)

Once all the oil is in and the mixture has become thick, then add your salt and lemon juice. Taste to be sure it meets your approval. A little vinegar is nice, too. Pulse a few times to make sure its mixed in.

Store in a wide mouth jar in fridge for about 2-3 weeks. It will thicken considerably because we used coconut oil or butter which are both solid when cold. If you don't like it that thick, add more avocado and less butter/coconut.
This recipe is also very nice (and cheaper) with 100% walnut oil.

What else can you do with mayo?

Click here for Aioli recipes.
And here for Ranch Dressing.

Caramelized Onion Pate

10/17/2013

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Dips are such a great way to enjoy your veggies! This is one of my favorites, and it's so easy to do. You can make it raw or roasted. Dip veggies, or spread on your favorite crackers. Either way, its a crowd pleaser.

The difference between these 2 recipes is time and time! Raw will take a lot more time, but if you prefer your dip to not be cooked, then the description is to the right!

Roasted:
2 cups Raw Cashews, we will roast
2 large Onions
1/4 pinch salt
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
3 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar(I really like to use flavored ones. Fig is my preferred)
3 Tbs. Sweetener like coconut nectar or date syrup
1 Tbs. Sea Salt
1/4 cup water

1. Place all the ingredients except water into a saute pan and saute on med low flame until the onions are golden and gooey. Add water during the browning just to make sure they don't burn.

While your sauteing, place your cashews on a sheet pan and Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15min or until golden and aromatic.

Raw:
1 1/4 cup Raw Cashews, Soak for 2-8 hours
2 large Onions
1/4 pinch salt
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
3 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs. Sweetener like coconut nectar or date syrup
1 Tbs. Sea Salt
1/4 cup water

1.Thinly slice your onions into half moons and toss in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Let sit for 1-2hours to marinate.

Then drain and place in dehydrator at 115 for 5-6 hours. Save the marinade for the blender.

Now, follow the same directions for either roasted or raw.

Separate your onions in half.

one half will go in the blender and the other will either be garnish or mixed in to the final product.

(Don't be alarmed if you have more onions than in this picture. I made a small batch this day)

Blend your cashews with all the ingredients (except half of the onions for garnish.

You want a thick pate, not a pourable texture, so add a little water if needed. This is best accomplished with a food processor or the type of blender that I have called the Nija. It has 6 blades as opposed to just on the bottom like traditional blenders, so it acts like a food processor.

Pour into your serving or storage bowl and either top with the remaining onions or stir them in.

YUMMMMMMMmmmmmmm!

One of my cracker recipes to come soon...

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Kale Chips Red Pepper

10/12/2013

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4 bunches Organic Curly Kale
1 Organic Red Bell Pepper
2 cups Organic Cashews, raw
(or 1 cup sunflower seed butter if nut-free)
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Paprika
2/3 cup Lemon or Lime Juice
2 tsp. Lemon or Lime Zest
1/2-1 tsp. Sea Salt

Mmmmmmmmm Chips!

Who cares if they are green... They're yummmmmmy and hit the spot when you need crunch! They are so packed full of nutrition, too!
For some of my clients, they are a weekly must have!

Cut this recipe in 1/2 if you have a small dehydrator.

Roast your cashews in a 300 degree oven until golden brown and aromatic. If you prefer your kale chips to be raw, then soak your cashews overnight instead.

Clean and sanitize your sink. Be sure to also get the stopper for the drain. Fill with water and dunk your kale to clean off all dirt and bugs. You can add some vinegar if you like. I de-stem at this point, too. Drain the water and fluff the kale to get as much excess water off as possible.

Blend all your ingredients well. I like to make this a thick pate as the kale will be holding quite a bit of water from washing. Use the Kale to clean out the blender so you get every little bit! Knead the mixture into the kale to cover it all evenly.

Place evenly on dehydrator trays.

Dehydrate at 135 degrees for 5-8 hours.

Or if you prefer your Kale raw:
Dehydrate at 130 for 45 min and then down to 105 until done. This could take up to a day or two to get crispy.

You will know they are done when they are crunchy like potato chips and have no more wet leaves. They will darken in color.

Dig in! This made 4 big bags!

But that doesn't mean they last very long!

One of my favorite snacks of all time...

Kale chips... Come and get 'em!

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Paleo Quality Flours

10/12/2013

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After making any kind of nut milk, you have a lot of quality pulp left over like this. I love to make macadamia nut milk and flour as it has really satisfying fats in it and tastes sweeter than almond. But I often make Almond milk for one of my clients, so I always have both around. You can purchase organic almond flour at nuts.com

Veggie Flour:

This process can also be applied to left over pulp from juicing. I call it veggie flour. Try to stick with sweeter veggies and not alot of bitter greens in it. If you wan to add greens, I suggest HFN "Greener Grasses". Its a pure way to get a dry greens powder into a dish.

Place on a rack lined with parchment paper into the dehydrator. Dehydrate until dry. (about 5-6hours at 130 degrees. Or longer at 105 if you want it to be officially raw.)

Then grind in a coffee grinder until its a flour. Be mindful not to go too long for macadamia nuts, as they will turn into butter quickly.

For veggie flour, grind till fine and sift if needed and blend larger particles again. Store in an air-tight container. Ready to add to recipes

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Marinated Olives

Avocado Pudding Pops

Tropical Sunrise

Pressed Salad

Fresh Coconut Cream

Aioli

Quality Mayo

Caramelized Onion Pate

Kale Chips Red Pepper

Paleo Quality Flours

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