Raw Wednesdays - Week 3 - Wholehearted Eats

Many of you know about my deep love of muffins and quick breads. I adore the ability to eat a mini cake for breakfast, and completely legitimise it. However, I sometimes find that in summer I just don't want all that refined flour and heaviness weighing me down. So in the midst of this current heat wave we've been having here on the coast (heat wave a la west coast is only about 30 C), I thought it the perfect time to make a batch of no-cook, flourless, muffins. While these aren't muffins in the traditional sense - no oil, no flour, no refined sugar, no tops (sorry Elaine), they make a wonderful treat that perfectly fills the 'muffin void'. I opted for pistachio's for these, but any number of nuts and dried fruit combinations would be devine - think 1. date, raisin, and walnut, or 2. apricot, mango, macadamia, maybe even 3. fig, cranberry, and almonds! The possibilities are limited as your own imagination.
To make these muffins even more powerful, I added some maca and lacuma powder (the first of which balances hormones and the second which is anti-inflammatory), and cacao nibs. If these aren't available to you, simply add a ½ tsp- 1 teaspoon of your favourite spice such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, or fresh orange zest. In lieu of the cacao nibs add some hemp hearts, chia seeds, or ground flax.

Breakfast - Fruit and Fibre Muffin

Recipe: (makes 5) Print it Here

½ Cup Pitted Dates
1 Cup Unsulphered Apricots
½ Cup Pistachios (or nut of choice)
2 Tbsp. Cacao Nibs
1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
2 tsp. Maca Powder
1 tsp. Lacuma Powder
½ teaspoon Vanilla
Pinch Sea Salt

Procedure:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until the mixture holds together.
2. Press the mixture into 5 muffin cups. Store in the Refrigerator.
3. They will last in the refrigerator for several weeks.

I went to California once when I was 14. We were on one of those typical family road trips where you stop in at every state park in between long drives, with endless Mad Libs and BP&J sandwiches while playing with your sisters beany babies. We just dipped into the top of the state so that my dad could visit a bamboo nursery. It was enough of a visit that we were able to see the majestic Red Woods, but we never got a chance to go any further south, to see the beaches, the hills, or the California I had envisioned. Since then, I have had this romanticized idea of Californian sunshine, ocean, and endless fresh produce swimming around in my mind. This salad is the ode to my rose coloured vision of the state of forever summer and healthy lifestyles.

Lunch - California Dreams Salad

Recipe: (Serves 2) Print it Here

A Couple Handfuls of Baby Greens
1 Cup Sliced Cucumber
½ Cup Sprouts (I used lentil, garbanzo, and adzuki)
½ Cup Berries (Blueberries, Raspberries, or Strawberries)
½ Avocado, Diced
¼ Cup Walnuts or Pecans
Mango Dressing (Recipe Below)
Edible Flowers such as Marigold, Chamomile, or Pansy (Optional)

Procedure:
1. Make a bed of baby greens and top with the cucumber, sprouts, berries, avocado, and walnuts. Serve with Mango Dressing.

Mango Dressing

1 Mango, peeled and pitted

¼ Cup Lemon Juice

¼ Cup Water

1 Clove Garlic

1 tsp. Grated Ginger

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ Pepper

A Pinch of Chilli

Procedure:

1. Puree all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Cauliflower rice is a truly amazing and versatile raw food dish (see here), perfect for salads, bowl food, and even sushi. I used a white cauliflower for this recipe, but the coloured ones would make a spectacular choice too. If raw cauliflower isn't your friend (I know many folk like you), then try using all mashed avocado.

Supper - Summer Roll Sushi

Print it Here

Cauliflower Rice (Recipe Below)

½ Avocado, Sliced

½ Mango, Sliced

6 or so Green Beans

A handful Sunflower Sprouts

Black Sesame Seeds

Tamari, for dipping
Nori, or Raw Seaweed Sheets

Procedure:
1. Spread about ¼ cup to ½ of the cauliflower rice onto the bottom ⅓ of the nori, leaving about ½ cm space at the very bottom of the sheet free of rice (so that it will stick together). 2. Arrange a row of veggie slices along the rice. Roll up, and slice. Like the traditional sushi rolls, these are best eaten just after making.

Cauliflower Rice

Adapted From Crudessence

1 Head Cauliflower (about 4 cups)

2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp. Psyllium husk
A Pinch Sea Salt

Procedure:
1. Puree all in a food processor until 'rice like' consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes prior to using.