Pumpkin Cheesecake [raw]

This “pumpkin” cheesecake actually has no pumpkin at all, but you wouldn’t know it! Spot the secret ingredient. We enjoyed this deliciously spiced cheesecake for Dan’s birthday, during our October raw food detox. I use exactly the same spices in a non-raw version of this cake but I think I prefer this version over the traditional baked one.

Makes one 10” [25cm] cheesecake, 12-16 servings. Use a 6” tin and halve the recipe for a smaller cake.

Pastry layer

• 1 cup raw pecans, soaked in water and drained
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted 

Process until the mixture holds together. Press onto the base of a lined or nonstick 10” [25cm] round cake tin. I use one with a removable base.

Filling

• 6 cups desiccated unsweetened coconut, soaked in water for at least an hour, then drained
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup maple syrup 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBS vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups raw carrots, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup raw cacao butter

Melt the last two ingredients in a glass jug sitting in a bowl of warm water. Blend coconut, water, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, spices, carrots, melted oil and cacao butter in a blender until thick and creamy. Pour into the pastry base and freeze 4-5 hours until firm. Remove from freezer an hour before serving. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the cheesecake before slicing and serving.

Raw October: week 4

 We’ve been experiencing an unusually balmy October, but the weather is gradually changing. After a few nippy days, I'm really missing hot drinks. During cold weather I can usually be found alternately clutching or losing my cup of tea or coffee, whether I’m working around the house or sitting down during our reading times. This is the first week on the detox that I’ve been craving warm food and drinks and it feels as if this directly relates to the weather! I was definitely running out of creative energy for making raw food by the end of the week, and it shows in our repetitive meals.

Friday

Breakfast: mixed berry cacao smoothies

Lunch: dates & walnuts with almonds and lime cashew bites

Tea: rainbow carrot and green cabbage coleslaw with sprouted mung beans and greens

Saturday

Breakfast: muesli with strawberries, blueberries, mango, apples, bananas, & Brazil nuts, coconut milk

Lunch: leftover coleslaw with sprouted wild rice and kale marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, & raw honey

Tea: raw taco salad with taco mixture, cashew cream, homemade raw salsa, & green olives

Sunday

Breakfast: muesli with apples, banana, mango, Brazil nuts, coconut milk

Lunch: leftover raw taco mixture in romaine leaves and red pepper, marinated kale, avocados

Tea: raw tabbouleh & marinated kale over green salad

Monday

Breakfast: mixed berry cacao smoothies 

Lunch: leftover raw tabbouleh with avocados

Tea: green salad with grated rainbow carrots and beets, red peppers, cucumber, cashew dressing, salsa, and avocados

Tuesday

Breakfast: purple smoothies

Lunch: carrot sticks, chocolate chia bites, green salad with guacamole

Tea: salad of mixed greens, red onions, kalamata olives, red peppers, lemon & olive oil dressing

Wednesday

Breakfast: mixed berry smoothies

Lunch: greens with grated beetroot and carrot, sprouted mung beans, sprouted wild rice, cashew dressing with mustard

Tea: purple cabbage and rainbow carrot coleslaw, avocados

Thursday

Breakfast: mixed berry smoothies with cacao

Lunch: green salad with purple cabbage and rainbow carrot coleslaw, sprouted mung beans

Tea: salad of greens with beetroot and red onion, cashew lime bites

Friday

Breakfast: mango, peach & carrot smoothies

Lunch: green salad with grated beetroot, sprouted mung beans, & cashew dressing with mustard

Tea: green salad with grated beetroot, sprouted wild rice, cherry tomatoes, & cashew dressing with mustard

Saturday

Breakfast: purple smoothies

Lunch: curried cabbage salad with cashews and sesame seeds

Tea: leftover curried cabbage salad, green salad, guacamolé, salsa

On Sunday we had muesli for breakfast but friends were round for lunch and I made a roast dinner: chicken, roast potatoes, gravy, veggies, and blackberry crumble with pouring custard. Dan and I both ate cooked food but also had green salad with our meal. 

Even though we’re no longer detoxing, we continue to eat raw breakfast [either muesli or smoothie] and often keep to a raw lunch as well. It’s much easier to do a full detox when you’re already used to eating a large proportion of raw meals!

Raw October: week 3

 Friday

Breakfast: cacao & mixed berry smoothie

Lunch: green salad with carrot, walnuts, green apples, oil & vinegar, sprouted wild rice

Tea: salad of spring greens, sprouted mung beans, pea shoots, sprouted wild rice, walnuts, dried cranberries, & cashew dressing

Saturday

Breakfast: muesli with Brazil nuts, bananas, and apples

Lunch: snacks (nuts, dried fruit)

Tea: raw taco filling in romaine lettuce leaves with cashew cream, chopped coriander, limes, and fresh homemade salsa

Sunday

Breakfast: muesli with bananas, apples, & mango

Lunch: snacks (nuts, dried mango), coconut lime bites

Tea: salad with greens, leftover raw taco filling, beetroot, carrot, peppers, olives, & cashew dressing

Monday

Breakfast: smoothies with oranges, mixed berries, & cacao

Lunch: salad with greens, sprouted wild rice, cashew dressing, & kalamata olives.

Tea: salad with greens, romaine lettuce, homemade salsa, cashew cream, fresh jalapeño, & walnuts

Tuesday

Breakfast: smoothies with mixed berries 

Lunch: greens with walnuts, sprouted wild rice, cranberries, cashew dressing, 

Tea: salad with greens, romaine lettuce, grated carrots & beets, avocados, sprouted mung beans, cherry tomatoes, olives, cashew dressing with mustard

Wednesday

Breakfast: mango, carrot, pineapple smoothies

Lunch: salad with greens, grated purple carrot, sliced cabbage, walnuts, dried cranberries, & cashew dressing with mustard 

Tea: green salad with raw tabbouleh

Thursday

Breakfast: purple smoothies

Lunch: salad with greens and romaine, grated rainbow carrots, sprouted mung beans, cashew dressing, garden tomatoes, & red onions

Tea: salad with greens, grated rainbow carrots, sprouted wild rice, cherry tomatoes, & cashew dressing

Snacks: dried fruit and nut mix, dried mango, coconut lime bites, chocolate chia energy bites, bananas, apples, raw ice cream.

Creamy Cashew Dressing & Sweet Coconut Cashew Cream [raw]

This deliciously creamy dressing has been our family’s go-to salad dressing for many years. I like to use it for coleslaw, green salads, and as a substitute for sour cream. Even if you’re not eating raw or vegan, it’s just one more way to lower your dairy consumption in a meal.

Creamy Cashew Dressing

• 1 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked overnight or for at least a few hours
• 2-3 Medjool dates [when not eating raw you could use a few TBS maple syrup instead]
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 TBS lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Blend to a cream, adding water until the consistency you want is reached. For a sour cream substitute, obviously you want to use less.

Additions

• Italian-style creamy dressing: add a few handfuls of fresh basil and oregano or a tsp each of dried, as well as 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• Mustard: add 1 TBS wholegrain mustard [can add 1 TBS raw honey too, for a honey mustard dressing]

Sweet Coconut and Cashew Cream

1. Soak one cup raw cashews and 1 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut in water overnight or for at least a few hours
2. Pour out most of the soaking water and add 4 TBS maple syrup [or 6 Medjool dates if you’re keeping it raw] and 1/2 tsp almond extract
3. Blend with either a hand blender or standalone until creamy.
4. Store in fridge for up to five days.

Use as a dip with any fruit or as a raw icing.

Raw October: Week One

This is the first time we’ve done a raw food detox with two of our older kids joining us, for this first week at least! Fortunately our twin who’s NOT doing the raw food detox helpfully shouldered most of the responsibility for cooked food this week. 

We used old recipes and I created a few new ones. One of my favourite things about food preparation is the opportunity for creativity. I love thinking about which flavours I want to experience in a meal and how to craft recipes that reflect that. 

 Friday, 1st

Breakfast: mixed berry smoothies

Lunch: spinach and kale salad with plenty of sunflower seeds, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and creamy cashew dressing

Tea: Carrot pasta bowls [carrot ribbons marinated in olive oil and lemon juice with olives, leeks, and basil] eaten with mung bean sprouts and pea shoots

Saturday, 2nd 

Breakfast: “purple” smoothies [with dragonfruit & blueberries]

Lunch: broccoli salad with red onions, sunflower seeds, raisins, green apples, and cashew dressing

Tea: raw tacos with cashew cream and fresh salsa

Sunday, 3rd 

Breakfast: muesli with almonds, almond milk, apples, and bananas

Lunch: curried cauliflower and cashew mash, green salad with cashew dressing, raw sprouted chickpea hummus with carrots, peppers, celery sticks

Tea: smoothies with mixed berries and cacao

Monday, 4th 

Breakfast: muesli with almonds, almond milk, apples, bananas, and mango

Lunch: smoothies with mixed berries and cacao

Tea: chef’s salad with mung bean sprouts, romaine, rainbow carrots, onions, tomatoes, radishes, sunflower seeds, kalamata olives, coconut meal leftovers from homemade coconut milk, & cashew dressing

Tuesday, 5th

Breakfast: peach & carrot smoothies 

Lunch: red cabbage and carrot coleslaw with cashew dressing & sunflower seeds

Tea: sweet & sour stir “fry” with sprouted mung beans and sesame seeds

Wednesday, 6th

Breakfast: mixed berry smoothies

Lunch: leftover coleslaw with cashew dressing, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, & chopped apples

Tea: garlic lover’s salad with sprouted mung beans

Thursday, 7th 

Breakfast: muesli with Brazil nuts, almond milk, apples, & bananas

Lunch: raw vegetable chilli with green salad and almond meal leftovers from almond milk

Tea: smoothies with mixed berries & cacao

Snacks: dried fruit and nut mix, raw Lara bars, apples, bananas, carrot sticks with raw hummus, chocolate chia bites, watermelon.

Almond Milk & Coconut Milk Recipes

There’s a creamier version of homemade almond milk in the raw breakfast recipe here. But another version I use nowadays, making raw milks in larger amounts, is this one:

• 1 cup almonds, soaked overnight
• 5 cups water

For coconut milk:

• 1 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
• 5 cups water

Blend until creamy, about two minutes on high speed, depending on your blender.

Both coconut or almond milk can be poured through a bag that removes the meal to make them smoother. Use the meal to top green salads, in raw snack balls, in raw pie crusts, or in cooked food like cookies or pancakes.

Freshly made milk can be stored in mason jars in the fridge for as long as they last-- not long around here! Both coconut and almond milks, stored in a closed jar, will stay fresh for at least a week in the fridge.

Breakfast Smoothies 2

This is an updated version of our old smoothie recipe, which you can find here.  This newer version is the one we’ve been using for the past six years or so. The fruit content has changed slightly and I’ve removed some of the nuts. This is a basic recipe, but below it I’ve included some yummy ideas for combinations. Use your imagination!

Currently, our morning batches of smoothie are quite large, but I’ve written this recipe in single serving quantities so you can double, triple, or quadruple as needed! You can also multiply the recipe and save extra in a mason jar in the fridge for the next day.

Makes one portion

The night before you plan to have smoothie, soak in a jar or glass jug (either in fridge or covered on the countertop):

• 2 heaping tablespoons steelcut oats
• 2 heaping tablespoons desiccated unsweetened coconut 
• 1 Brazil nut (optional)
• 1/2 pitted Medjool date

In the morning, add the soaking mixture to a blender container along with 1/3 of an apple and 1/3 of a banana. Add 1/4 cup of another fruit: berries or anything else you like, really. [see below for additions to change the flavor!] All fruit can be either frozen or fresh; whatever is most available. Add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed. Fill the blender container to the 2-cup mark and blend well. [about 6-8 oz water, measured]

1. Blueberry Cacao - 1/4 cup blueberries, small piece of avocado, small piece of fresh pineapple, 1/4 cup homemade almond milk, one heaping tablespoon cacao powder, few drops of vanilla extract.
2. Blueberry Lemon - 1/4 cup blueberries, handful of greens like spinach or kale, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon rind, piece of fresh pineapple, one tablespoon grated fresh beetroot, few drops of almond extract. 
3. Carrot Cake - two pecans, 1/4 cup homemade almond milk, one piece of pineapple, 1/4 cup grated fresh carrot, a bit of lemon peel, 1/4 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon, 1 tsp maple syrup, a few drops vanilla extract.
4. Mango Strawberry - three or four strawberries, 1/4 cup mango pieces, one tablespoon grated fresh carrot.
5. Peach & Carrot - 1/3 peach, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, one tablespoon grated fresh carrot, few drops vanilla extract.
6. Pineapple Cream - (add two pecans & two Brazil nuts to the soaking mixture) two large pieces fresh pineapple, 1/4 cup homemade almond milk, a few drops almond extract.
7. Pineapple Strawberry - three or four strawberries, 1/4 cup fresh pineapple pieces, 1/4 cup homemade almond milk.
8. Purple - 1/4 cup blueberries, one piece of frozen dragonfruit, one small piece of pineapple.

Chocolate Chia Energy Bites

 Makes about 18.

These are yummy (if you can’t tell by the name) but you do need a food processor to prepare them! 

• 2 TBS chia seeds
• 1/4 cup plus 2 TBS water
• 10 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 TBS coconut oil
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder or organic cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup raw walnuts, soaked overnight and drained
• 3/4 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 1/3 cups dry desiccated coconut [unsweetened, no additives]
• spices [optional]: 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Soak chia seeds in water. Let seeds absorb water--about 5 minutes.  Once absorbed, place in food processor with the dates and coconut oil; process until smooth.  Add salt and cacao or cocoa and process.  Add walnuts and almonds and stir in the coconut.  You will have to use your hands as the mixture will be quite thick at this point! Form into balls.  Roll in extra coconut [optional].  Store in a tin in the fridge.

Raw July: Week Four

This winds up our month of eating raw!  We did four weeks, and then gradually began to add in some cooked food.  I waited to have coffee until the month was over, and will be staying with decaf for the time being.  We buy amazing Swiss water decaf beans from Suma so it's not a hardship.  I'm also still trying to avoid dairy for a while but I'm definitely looking forward to eating eggs again!

Thursday, 25 July

Breakfast: smoothies with strawberries

Lunch: green salad with leftover raw vegetable chilli

Tea: rocket and mixed leaf green salad; fresh salsa; avocados; sprouted lentils and beans; raw creamy cashew dressing with hemp seeds

Friday, 26 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: snacks

Tea: romaine leaves with fresh salsa, raw taco filling, and guacamole; raw chocolate banana coconut cream pie

Saturday, 27 July

Breakfast: chocolate banana avocado smoothies

Lunch: salad leaves, carrot sticks, cucumber, apples, pistachios, cashews, dried mango and pineapple

Tea: rocket leaves with olive oil, kalamata olives, hemp seeds, and cherry tomatoes; green salad

Sunday, 28 July

Breakfast: mango pudding with cashews

Lunch: raw snack bar, pistachios, cashews, dried mango and pineapple

Tea: small amount of cooked wholemeal spelt spaghetti with raw basil cashew pesto

Monday 29 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: sprouted lentil salad with avocados and creamy cashew dressing

Tea: fresh salsa, guacamole, green salad, brown basmati rice with pinto beans in a wholemeal tortilla wrap

Tuesday, 30 July

Breakfast: smoothies with mango

Lunch: snacks

Tea: raw purple cabbage coleslaw, green salad, pinto beans and brown basmati rice

Wednesday, 31 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: green salad with sprouted lentils and leftover raw purple cabbage coleslaw

Tea:  vegetable chilli with brown basmati rice, green salad

Snacks: Fresh pineapple and mango, dates, cashews, apples, carrot sticks, walnuts, watermelon.

Raw July: Week Three

Wednesday, 17 July

Breakfast: smoothies with mango

Lunch: green salad with tomatoes; guacamole; leftover piri piri houmous

Tea: raw purple coleslaw; salad with little gem lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, sprouted mung beans, and olive oil

Thursday, 18 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: leftover salad; carrot sticks, apples

Tea: leftover purple coleslaw; radish and alfalfa sprouts

Friday, 19 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: raw piri piri houmous, carrot sticks

Tea: piri piri houmous; romaine lettuce leaves; tomato, sweetcorn, courgette salsa with coriander, red pepper, and lime juice

Saturday, 20 July

Breakfast: smoothies with mango

Lunch: leftover piri piri houmous and salsa; fresh mango; chocolate chia energy bites

Tea: watermelon

Sunday, 21 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: salad with spinach, rocket, and watercress, dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil; olives

Tea: salad with lambs leaf lettuce, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, tomatoes, avocadoes, and pumpkin seeds; fresh fruit

Monday, 22 July

Breakfast: smoothies with strawberries

Lunch: avocado, mango, and banana smoothie

Tea: raw vegetable curry with hemp seeds and various sprouted beans and lentils; rocket [arugula] salad

Tuesday, 23 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: green salad with sprouted mung beans

Tea: rocket [arugula] salad with kalamata olives, plum tomatoes, hemp seeds, and fresh basil; lemon bars

Wednesday, 24 July

Breakfast: smoothies with mango

Lunch: green salad with sprouted mung beans, hemp seeds, lime juice & avocado oil, and fresh coriander

Tea: salad of pea shoots mixed with raw vegetable chilli, eaten rolled up in romaine leaves

Snacks: cashews, dates, walnuts, carrots, pistachios, dried mango, chia chocolate energy bites, fresh beetroot + carrot + apple juice

Raw Piri-Piri Houmous

On the rare occasion that we take our loud, hungry, and not exactly table-trained family of six out for a meal, we like to visit Nando's, a restaurant that specialises in African-style chicken.  They have plenty of meat and dairy free options.  My favourite meal there is a salad with pumpkin seeds, green beans, and avocado; eaten along with a starter of houmous with pitta bread and piri-piri sauce.

It was that addicting, delicious piri-piri flavour I was trying to achieve in this yummy corn and cashew-based houmous.

Using a hand blender, blend together:

• corn from two ears of fresh sweetcorn, sliced off the cob
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
• juice of two limes, or of one lime and one lemon
• 2 TBS sesame seeds
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2-4 tsp ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp dehydrated chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt   
• splash red wine vinegar

Add more seasoning according to your personal tastes.  This is delicious eaten with raw veggie sticks, rolled up in romaine lettuce like a wrap, or in raw sushi.

Raw July: Week Two

After our second week of eating raw, I'm wishing the entire family were doing the same, mainly because I end up preparing two meals every evening.  I'm really enjoying this adventure of making raw food, and cooking feels unnecessary and routine now.  Righty has already said he'd like to eat raw with us next time we do this, and I think Lefty would probably join in too.  They love food so much they just don't care how it's served!

Tuesday, 9 July

Breakfast: smoothies with fresh mango

Lunch: pea shoot and beetroot leaf salad with avocado, walnuts; dressed with lime juice and olive oil

Tea: tomato, red and green pepper, courgette salad with fresh basil cashew nut pesto

Wednesday, 10 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: raw taco salad eaten with fresh spinach leaves

Tea: sprouted lentil curry with alfalfa and broccoli sprouts, served over fresh spinach leaves

Thursday, 11 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: leftover sprouted lentil curry with alfalfa and broccoli sprouts; fresh mango

Tea: mango salsa with sprouted mung beans, green salad

Friday, 12 July

Breakfast: smoothies with fresh strawberries and raspberries

Lunch: leftover mango salsa with sprouted mung beans

Tea: "raw stirfry" salad with hot and sour mango sauce

Saturday, 13 July

Breakfast: smoothies 

Lunch: snacks

Tea:  watermelon and honeydew melon

Sunday, 14 July

Breakfast: smoothies with blueberries

Lunch: green salad with avocado, sprouted lentils, broccoli and alfalfa sprouts, hemp seeds; extra-virgin olive oil and lemon dressing

Tea: fruit salad of mangos, strawberries, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds

Monday, 15 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: watercress, spinach, and rocket salad with sprouted mung beans, radish and alfalfa sprouts, hemp seeds, and hot and sour mango sauce

Tea: raw taco salad with sweetcorn, tomatoes, and courgettes; guacamole; romaine lettuce

Tuesday, 16 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: leftover salad with sweetcorn, tomatoes, and courgettes; guacamole; romaine lettuce

Tea: raw summer sushi rolls; garden salad leaves

Snacks: cashews, raisins, dried mango, dates, walnuts, carrot sticks, watermelon, raspberries, strawberries, chocolate banana walnut ice cream

Summer Juicing

Six large carrots + five apples + two large beetroot = delicious purple juice.

Raw Taco Filling

I've seen quite a few recipes for this raw Mexicali favourite, but this is the way I like to make mine.

For one serving, stir together the following and marinate for a while.  Then eat over a green salad of fresh spinach leaves or romaine lettuce!  This is also delicious eaten as a taco, rolled up in romaine lettuce with fresh guacamole and salsa.

• 3 TBS walnut halves, chopped
• 3 TBS sprouted mung beans
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• Drizzle of avocado oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 small or 1/2 large clove crushed garlic
• 2 TBS water

Raw “Stirfry" with Hot and Sour Sauce

Serves 2

• 1 cup fresh pineapple juice [omit if using pineapple]
• 1 small mango, peeled and cut into pieces [or 2 handfuls fresh pineapple pieces)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 one-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tsp organic tamari
• 1 TBS lime juice
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 2 medjool dates
• sea salt, and dehydrated chilli flakes to taste

Blend. Set sauce aside to chill in fridge. 

Later, just before serving, thinly slice the following:

• 1/4 purple cabbage
• 1/3 head broccoli
• 1/3 cauliflower
• 1/4 large red onion
• 3 medium-sized carrots
• 1/4 green pepper
• large handful of sugar snap peas

Stir well, adding in a few teaspoons of organic tamari sauce, 2 TBS sesame seeds, 1 cup of sprouted mung beans, and a few large handfuls of fresh pineapple pieces.  Serve with the hot and sour sauce and additional sesame seeds on the side.

Raw July: Week One

This "let's do a raw food detox in July" was Dan's idea.  I reminded him of that a few nights ago when he mourned over the sight of the chocolate cream pie that I'd made for our friends and our kids.

We've just finished our first whole week of raw food.  I've never eaten fully raw for this long before, but Dan did so for an entire month back in February 2012, with encouraging results for his health.  I've made many raw food recipes over the last two years, so it wasn't difficult to find inspiration for our month-long detox menu.  

This is a wonderful time of year for raw food.  Organic berries are in season, and everything tastes so fresh and delicious. With the warmer weather, I don't really miss hot food or drinks, either! Even coffee. Yes, I am completely coffee free for the month of July!  It's been difficult sometimes because coffee is my comfort blankie, but our heat wave is helping, as is the fact that I feel so full of good food that I don't mind as much.  Of course I'll go back to it in August, but it never hurts to break a little addiction now and then, does it?

This menu may appear rather sparse but we are eating large quantities, as well as at least one or two snacks a day in addition to the meals --snacks are listed below the menu.

For our basic breakfast smoothie recipe, see here.

Monday, 1 July

Breakfast: smoothies with mango

Lunch: salad of spinach, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, avocado, alfalfa and radish sprouts, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice

Tea: carrot, coriander, and sprouted mung bean salad; green salad

Tuesday, 2 July

Breakfast: smoothies with fresh pineapple

Lunch: fresh green juice [pineapple, spinach, carrots, apples, lemon]

Tea: raw vegetable chilli with mung bean sprouts and green salad

Wednesday, 3 July

Breakfast: smoothies 

Lunch: leftover raw vegetable chilli; avocado

Tea: rocket salad with kalamata olives, cashews, tomatoes, fresh basil, dressed with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper; sliced apples with cinnamon and raw banana watermelon ice cream

Thursday, 4 July

Breakfast: smoothies with strawberries

Lunch: avocado with lemon juice and black pepper; handful of cashews and dates

Tea:  sprouted lentil salad with beetroot , green salad

Friday, 5 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: green salad with avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, and ground black pepper

Tea: mango salsa with mung beans, green salad

Saturday, 6 July

Breakfast: smoothies with fresh mango

Lunch: leftover mango salsa with extra tomatoes and the addition of an avocado; carrot sticks; fresh pineapple

Tea: tomato, carrot, fresh corn, fresh coriander salad dressed with avocado oil and red wine vinegar; green salad; lots and lots of cold watermelon

Sunday, 7 July

Breakfast: smoothies

Lunch: Raw Summer Market Pasta from Fragrant Vanilla Cake --minus the mushrooms and the hempseeds; I didn't have any.  This recipe was delicious and very easy to make.

Tea: Fruit salad --mango, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, raspberries

Monday, 8 July

Breakfast: smoothies with strawberries

Lunch: Pea shoot and beetroot leaf salad with avocado, pumpkin seeds, tomato, dressed with olive oil, lime juice, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes

Tea: Raw vegetable chilli with green salad

Snacks: 

cashews, raisins, walnuts, dates, carrot sticks, fresh berries, watermelon, dried mango

If this sounds too difficult, let me tell you: it's not!  We are not full-time "raw foodies", and do not own a dehydrator, fancy blender, or any of the other accoutrements that normally assist a typical raw food kitchen.  I use a hand [stick] blender for all our smoothies and salad dressings.  On the rare occasion that I want to make anything more extravagant, I borrow my mother-in-law's incredibly effective food processor.

Neither are we 100% accurate with our raw foodism.  We are eating olives once or twice a week [are they fully raw --who knows?], small amounts of dried herbs, chilli flakes and fruit [not necessarily dried at temperatures low enough to be considered raw], and drinking herbal tea made with hot --though not boiled-- water.

If the skies are grey and pouring rain on us next week instead of beaming with sunshine as they have been, I may be less chirpy about our raw food detox.  But right now, in spite of the extra thought I've had to put into our menu, I'm loving it!

Breakfast Smoothies

In a large glass or jar, measure out:

• 2 TBS oats
• 1 tsp dried [desiccated] unsweetened coconut
• 3 whole brazil nuts
• 5 almonds

Pour over enough water or coconut water to submerge.  Cover and leave overnight.

In the morning, add:

• one small ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• 3/4 large apple or one small apple, quartered and cored but not peeled
• two teaspoons chia seeds
• any other handful of fruit you want to add: mango, pineapple, and fresh berries are some of our favourites [optional]
• 1-2 cups coconut milk, homemade almond milk, or coconut water

Blend well, stopping often to make sure all ingredients are being incorporated.  Add more coconut or almond milk as necessary to liquefy the texture.  

I make our smoothies in the same jars that we drink from.  These are incredibly handy as we can put a lid straight on to take our breakfast with us if in a rush, or pop in the fridge if we can't finish it all right away.

I did not take a photo of these smoothies as they are fairly unimpressive visually. Their taste is wonderful, though, and with all their wholesome ingredients, will keep you full until lunchtime!

Happy American Independence Day [+ a raw food recipe]

It's been thirteen years now since I've spent my Fourth of July in the United States.  The traditional festivities blur in my memory, so it helps to see the photos posted by friends on social networking sites: of parades, cook-outs, face-painting, and fireworks.

Dan and I are back to eating raw for the month of July, so we weren't able to take part in the apple pie and ice cream feast that the kids inhaled to celebrate their half-American genetics.  And boy, did they enjoy it!  Between the four of them they polished off an entire pie today.

Eating raw doesn't mean subsisting on a few green leaves at every meal.  We eat those too, but along with plenty of other yummy raw foods. Tonight, we enjoyed this sprouted lentil and beetroot concoction.

SPROUTED LENTIL SALAD WITH BEETROOT

[serves 2]

1 cup sprouted lentils
Four small carrots, topped, tailed, and grated
Two medium beetroot, peeled and grated
One small onion, sliced thinly
Two large handfuls fresh parsley, chopped

Mix together.  Add dressing and stir well: juice of one lemon, two teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, salt and ground black pepper, two teaspoons maple syrup.

Is Your Extra-Virgin Olive Oil the Real Thing?

Over the last few years, the natural foods industry has been full of reports of adulterated extra-virgin olive oil. Even some organic brands have been found to contain a percentage of vegetable oils.  Apparently more than two-thirds of common olive oil brands are not what they claim to be, according to this report.

Here are three simple checks you can do to find out if yours is the real thing.  

1. Look for the IOC certificate of authenticity on the label.  Yes, I know, maybe they've paid the Mafia to have it certified, but... just see if it's there, anyway.  Apparently olive oils with this certificate are more likely to be authentic.
2. Is it flammable? It should burn when a lighted match is touched to it --preferably not when the kids are watching! If it doesn't burn, it's probably adulterated with cheaper oils.  
3. Note the olive oil's appearance after refrigeration. Real olive oil appears cloudy and thicker in texture after being stored in a cold place. If your olive oil's consistency remains the same, it is most likely not pure extra-virgin olive oil. Real olive oil will not necessarily turn solid in the refrigerator.  Read this blog post for more information about the reliability of the olive oil solidity test. 

Usually, I buy Sunita extra-virgin, cold-pressed, organic olive oil.  However, we're long overdue for a wholesale food order, so I had to make do and purchase this from our local Sainsbury's.  

It's cold-pressed and unfiltered, so there's a powdery residue at the bottom of the glass bottle.  The colour is beautifully green, and when I popped the lid, the first thing I noticed was the rich green smell.  Just like olives.  Which is reassuring, to say the least!  

Did it pass the test? 

1. There's definitely an IOC certificate, though it's blurred in the photograph above.
2. It was flammable.  I tried to light it [in the kitchen sink, sans children]... It worked!
3. After being in the refrigerator overnight, this olive oil thickened and maintained a texture similar to molasses, as well as displaying a slight wisp of cloudiness.

I think it's safe to say that this particular olive oil, though not organic, is what it claims to be. Which is a great thing, because I use it for everything: salad dressings, cooking, frying, baking.  Sometimes I blend it with more expensive unrefined, organic coconut oil; other times I just use it on its own.

Use the three steps detailed above and check the authenticity of the olive oil in your cupboard!  You don't want to be fleeced into paying extra-virgin olive oil prices for what actually turns out to be a lesser quality, cheaper oil.  For more information about olive oil, visit Olive Oil Source.  If you're REALLY into this, you could try reading Extra Virginity: the Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil.

For more eco-friendly consumer advice, recipes, and green ideas, visit Beth's blog and follow the links to other bloggers' articles.

Garlic Lover's Salad [100% vegan/optional raw]

A long-loved favourite in my family is "Potato Lover's Salad".  Friends gave my parents the recipe when we lived in upstate New York.  I've adapted it slightly and here offer a vegan, optionally raw, very garlicky, immune-boosting version of my family's best summer salad recipe!

GARLIC LOVER'S SALAD

[feeds six as a main; we usually have soup on the side, too!]

Creamy garlic dressing [blend with a hand blender until smooth]:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight or for a few hours
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1-4 cloves garlic, crushed [I use four --spicy hot--mmmn!]
• enough coconut milk [Koko] to thin the dressing [or coconut water]

Potatoes:

• six medium-large potatoes, scrub well but don't peel, cut into one-inch cubes
• 1 TBS paprika
• salt and pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil

Toss the potato cubes in the oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Roast in a baking tin for 45 minutes at gas mark 8/450F/220C. Stir frequently. These can be done well ahead of time; often, I will pop them into the oven in the morning and use them later to make the salad for our evening meal.  

[alternate raw recipe, minus the potatoes]

• one large courgette or two smaller ones [zucchini]
• 1 TBS paprika
• salt and pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil

Grate or cube the courgette and toss in the paprika, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Marinate for a few hours in the fridge before adding to the salad.

Make an enormous green salad.  I use a mixture of rocket [arugula], spinach, lamb's lettuce, other dark green leaves, and some sprouted beans or lentils for extra protein --just whatever is available and looks good.  Stir the potatoes or courgette into the green salad and pour over the dressing.  Mix well and eat right away.  Delicious with a tomato-based soup!