Raw food desserts
I have recently read an interesting article in some local magazine about raw foods. As a food enthusiast, I wanted to try it. Raw food according to many researches detoxifies the body and makes you more energetic. The chef at The Delicious Revolution and Rocking Body Raw Food, Joy Houston, says that for the most people first raw cuisine experiments are dessert recipes. Here are a couple of Joy's raw food sweets recipes interesting enough to be incorporated in a regular diet.
I have to warn you that you may be pleasantly surprised if not shocked, with a taste of these strangely combined ingredients.
Also, I added here my version of one very unusual Japanese recipe for an ice-cream, made from tomatoes. It belongs here, because it's made from raw tomatoes.
Very refreshing!
Tomato Ice cream
Ingredients:
1 pound ripe tomatoes
3 tablespoons lemon and lime juice
2 tbsp brandy
(If you want it sweet: 1/4 cup water + 3 tbsp honey)
Freeze the tomatoes for several hours. Use fresh tomatoes if possible. Defrost, peel, seed, and puree the flesh in a blender. Measure 2 cups of tomato puree and find another use for the rest. If you opt for a sweeter version, boil the water and honey in a small pan, and simmer 5 minutes. Cool, add the tomato puree and lemon/lime juice, mix well and refrigerate until well chilled. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker, if you have it and process according to manufacturer's directions. Let the sorbet soften slightly before serving.
Living Lemon Bars
Crust:
¾ cup macadamia nuts (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
½ cup cashews (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
1 cup dried pineapple, diced
½ cup dried coconut
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Rind from 2 lemons
Topping:
Rinds from 2 lemons
¾ cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw honey
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Dash of sea salt
To make the crust, combine all ingredients except lemon juice in a food processor and pulse. Slowly add the lemon juice through the top until a dough-like consistency is formed. Process until the dough is free of chunky nut pieces. Scrape down and stir the mixture to achieve the doughy consistency. Place the crust mixture in an 8” by 8” square glass pan. Press the mixture into the pan to form a crust of even thickness.
To make the tangy frosting, add all topping ingredients to the processor. Pulse until a relatively even consistency is achieved. Process until the mixture becomes creamy and a little fluffy. Do not over process or the mixture will melt and become soupy. Pour the topping onto the crust. If necessary, spread to distribute evenly. Cover the pan and place it in the fridge until the topping sets. It will be firm and waxy-feeling. Slice the bars into small squares and serve.
Brownies:
1 cup almonds (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
1 cup cashews (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
1 cup chopped dates, pits removed
¾ cup raw cacao powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-15 mint leaves or ¼ teaspoon organic mint extract
¼ cup maple syrup
Pulse all brownie ingredients in the food processor until well combined. Process until mixture becomes a dough of uniform consistency. Transfer the mixture to an 8” by 8” square glass pan. Press the mixture into the pan to form an even surface. Top with the Cacao Pudding and refrigerate until the pudding sets to form a creamy, light frosting. Serve garnished with mint leaves. Grab one for yourself before you serve them or you may not get one!
Frosting:
A full batch of the Cacao Pudding.
Cacao Pudding:
2 ripe avocados
¼ cup raw cacao powder
½ to ¾ cup maple syrup or agave
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dash of sea salt
Put all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend. Stop to scrape down sides. Blend again until warm. Serve warm. This make a great pudding parfait. Layer with slices of ripe banana and sliced almonds or your choice of fresh seasonal fruits. Variations on this recipe can be made by adding mint, or by reducing the amount of sweetener slightly and replacing it with fresh squeezed orange juice. The possibilities with this pudding base are endless. It also makes a fabulous frosting as you will see with the Mint Cacao Brownies because it firms to a totally different texture when refrigerated.
I have to warn you that you may be pleasantly surprised if not shocked, with a taste of these strangely combined ingredients.
Also, I added here my version of one very unusual Japanese recipe for an ice-cream, made from tomatoes. It belongs here, because it's made from raw tomatoes.
Very refreshing!
Tomato Ice cream
Ingredients:
1 pound ripe tomatoes
3 tablespoons lemon and lime juice
2 tbsp brandy
(If you want it sweet: 1/4 cup water + 3 tbsp honey)
Freeze the tomatoes for several hours. Use fresh tomatoes if possible. Defrost, peel, seed, and puree the flesh in a blender. Measure 2 cups of tomato puree and find another use for the rest. If you opt for a sweeter version, boil the water and honey in a small pan, and simmer 5 minutes. Cool, add the tomato puree and lemon/lime juice, mix well and refrigerate until well chilled. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker, if you have it and process according to manufacturer's directions. Let the sorbet soften slightly before serving.
Crust:
¾ cup macadamia nuts (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
½ cup cashews (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
1 cup dried pineapple, diced
½ cup dried coconut
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Rind from 2 lemons
Topping:
Rinds from 2 lemons
¾ cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw honey
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Dash of sea salt
To make the crust, combine all ingredients except lemon juice in a food processor and pulse. Slowly add the lemon juice through the top until a dough-like consistency is formed. Process until the dough is free of chunky nut pieces. Scrape down and stir the mixture to achieve the doughy consistency. Place the crust mixture in an 8” by 8” square glass pan. Press the mixture into the pan to form a crust of even thickness.
To make the tangy frosting, add all topping ingredients to the processor. Pulse until a relatively even consistency is achieved. Process until the mixture becomes creamy and a little fluffy. Do not over process or the mixture will melt and become soupy. Pour the topping onto the crust. If necessary, spread to distribute evenly. Cover the pan and place it in the fridge until the topping sets. It will be firm and waxy-feeling. Slice the bars into small squares and serve.
Mint Cacao Brownies
Brownies:
1 cup almonds (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
1 cup cashews (soaked 8 hours, drained and rinsed)
1 cup chopped dates, pits removed
¾ cup raw cacao powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-15 mint leaves or ¼ teaspoon organic mint extract
¼ cup maple syrup
Pulse all brownie ingredients in the food processor until well combined. Process until mixture becomes a dough of uniform consistency. Transfer the mixture to an 8” by 8” square glass pan. Press the mixture into the pan to form an even surface. Top with the Cacao Pudding and refrigerate until the pudding sets to form a creamy, light frosting. Serve garnished with mint leaves. Grab one for yourself before you serve them or you may not get one!
Frosting:
A full batch of the Cacao Pudding.
Cacao Pudding:
2 ripe avocados
¼ cup raw cacao powder
½ to ¾ cup maple syrup or agave
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dash of sea salt
Put all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend. Stop to scrape down sides. Blend again until warm. Serve warm. This make a great pudding parfait. Layer with slices of ripe banana and sliced almonds or your choice of fresh seasonal fruits. Variations on this recipe can be made by adding mint, or by reducing the amount of sweetener slightly and replacing it with fresh squeezed orange juice. The possibilities with this pudding base are endless. It also makes a fabulous frosting as you will see with the Mint Cacao Brownies because it firms to a totally different texture when refrigerated.
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