the happy raw kitchen

Fudgie Hemp Balls

2011-03-09T16:28:00.008-05:00

Hello everyone! Just a quick hello and recipe idea today. You don't even want to know how busy we have been since the big move!

Of course, we all have to eat no matter how hectic our lives may be. Isn't it wonderful that even the simplest raw foods can be beautiful and nourishing? I have been living on smoothies, juice, salads, and an occasional treat:)

Sometimes around 3p.m. I need a little "pick-me-up". Often it is in the form of chocolate hehe. The following recipe is an estimate, hope you don't mind!

Fudgie Hemp Balls

For fudge balls:
8 Pitted medjool dates
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder, or carob
1 heaping tablespoon hulled hemp seeds (aka, hearts)
1 heaping teaspoon coconut oil
few drops extract such as hazelnut or vanilla, optional

For decoration:
1-2 tablespoons hemp seeds for rolling

1. Process first 5 ingredients in food processor fitted with an "s" blade until mixture starts sticking together.

2. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in extra hemp seeds. Fudgies can be refrigerated about 1 hour to firm up. These are very soft and chewy if eaten right away. Recipe makes about 6 balls.

Another quick burst of energy recently came from this frozen treat...reminded me of a hazelnut mochachino...

The mug was drizzled with chocolate syrup (coconut syrup mixed with cocoa powder) and the frosty drink was a couple of frozen bananas blended with one packet of microground coffee:) 1/4 cup hazelnuts, a drop or two of hazelnut extract, 1 Brazil nut, sweetener, and a splash of water to blend. This had me going until midnight! Ya might not want to drink this the same day you eat the fudgies, just sayin':)

Now, if there are any gardeners out there, I would really appreciate your help! I am attempting my very first garden:) I would love if you could share your favorite online resources with me in a comment or email. I have started some seeds...

and really need specific details on organic gardening. Google searches have led to information overload. BTW, my gardening accomplishments include a pitiful herb garden in a pot last year...lol!!!

'Lil sprouts are so cute:)

Hope you are all having a wonderful day!!! Love ya:)

This Post Is For The Birds:)

2011-02-06T13:00:00.005-05:00

Hello my sweet friends! I hope you are all well and happy.

Sorry it has taken me a while to get back to you. Thank you very much for your awesome blog comments, twitter DM's and e-mails. It means so much to me!

We have finally finished our move from upstate New York to the capitol region of Florida.

Yes, it took several months...lol! We made a total of 9 round trips, each about 2800 miles. Every trip took about a week, 2 days to go one way, a few days there to either pack or unpack, and 2 days back. We brought almost all our food to eat while traveling in coolers, and only slept about 4-5 hours (in the truck) each way.

Um....yeah. :)

We did take a few days off from moving here and there to explore our new home state of Florida, though:)

The only "thing" I was nervous about moving was my sweet little parrot, Nikki-bird:)

I had nothing to worry about, though. She was absolutely wonderful on the trip, and enjoyed sharing almost all my food with me:) Her favorite treats were raspberries and a raw pizza flavored cracker. BTW~ Nikki-bird is a thirty-something Blue-fronted Amazon parrot.

Although we still have tons of boxes to unpack, I wanted to say hi and share a little treat I have been making lately, but it is literally for the birds!

Our new backyard had a bird feeder and we have really enjoyed watching all the beautiful feathered friends in our new neighborhood. We added a new feeder, and also a seed cake made with suet. After the store bought seed cake ran out, I made a vegan version:)

Simply melt about 1/2 a cup of coconut oil, stir in a spoonful of nut butter, and add some birdseed. Fill the empty tray you were smart enough to save from the store bought suet;), and chill until firm. It pops right out when cold,

and fits perfectly in the holder.

The best part is that the birds seem to like it even better than the store bought one!

It is the favorite of the red-headed woodpeckers:)

The treat in the picture only lasted about 2 days, so I made another one, and also a bowl shaped one with all kinds of seeds, millet, and almonds. I also used some of the more frugal (aka cheap) coconut oil from the supermarket for this bird treat. It will most likely melt when the weather gets warm, so this is a winter treat for our feathered friends:) Do you feed the birds in your area in the winter? How many of you have made the classic pinecone spread with peanut butter and rolled in birdseed version?:)

It actually gave me the idea to someday try a raw treat for us with coconut oil and nut butter as the base...hmmmm:)

Well, that's it for today. We will soon be updating the kitchen here so I might not post anything too fancy for a while. I hope to be back to regular blogging before ya know it:)

Wishing you all tons of love, health, and happiness, always:)
Angela

Hello From Sunny Florida!

2010-11-06T14:53:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone! Remember me? :)

First, I wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who contacted me about my raw Halloween recipes. I appreciate so many lovely people linking to my blog and asking to feature my recipes and ideas the last few weeks.

It was also very awesome to find out my little boo~nanners had actually appeared on T.V. and that many Whole Foods also featured them at in-store demos for the kiddies:) It made me so happy to think that lots of little ones were enjoying a nice healthy treat this year:) Thanks so much everyone for letting me know!!!

I am in our new home in Florida (just outside Tallahassee), although we are still in the process of moving. The hubs is about to make the fifth trip from New York! I will probably return to New York after next week to finish packing the house there.

Of course the big move is taking longer than expected, but we are not stressing out about it and are actually having fun most times:) I finally got a computer hooked up here, and couldn't wait to "see" you all again! I have missed you so much. The four digit number on my Google reader is a bit overwhelming though, lol!

During the move, it's been very easy to stay raw. Most of the food while traveling is on the simple side. This is a variation of my Raw Cranberry Salad, using a honeycrisp apple in place of the pear. Check out the neat little travel spork:)

So many things are new for me right now, including a new raw food book! I am sure many of you have Alissa Cohen's latest book, Raw Food For Everyone.

I am loving it so far, and can't wait for the rest of my happy raw kitchen to arrive so I can try more recipes.

Today I made the Asian Cucumber Salad...

...and the Bromelain Brew.

Both were fantastic. I was so happy to have a juice combination that I have never tried after many years of juicing. Thanks, Alissa!

My favorite part of this gorgeous hard-cover book is the 300 recipes. In the following photo, the entire right side of the open book shows the recipe section.

Awesome, huh? Many of the recipes are from Alissa's famous Grezzo restaurant in Boston, which is now closed. I can't wait to try the Grezzo Cheese and some of the fancier recipes in the book, like the incredible looking Avocado Skins, Gnocchi Carbonara, and Land and Sea. I hope to post more about this book in the near future:) I would love to know if you have tried anything from it yet...any recommendations?

Well, as you can imagine there are a few hundred:) things to be done right about now, just wanted to say hi!

{{{Hugs}}} and love to all,
Angela

A Short, Sweet Post:)

2010-09-27T11:16:00.008-04:00

Hey everyone! Hope you are all doing well. First, allow me to apologize for being MIA the last few weeks. I really thought it was only about a week, but realized today it's been a bit longer. I hope to catch up with all my favorite blogging buddies ASAP:)

Most of my time lately has been spent packing! We are moving. It is a move that was planned...sort of. We did know we would be moving sometime, just not so soon. Needless to say, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind. We will be starting our move this week! Yikes!!!

Meals have been very simple salads, smoothies, juices, and my favorite fall fruits like honeycrisp apples, concord grapes and figs...YUM!!! This smoothie had all three:)

Luckily there was still time to whip up a few raw goodies.

Hmmm, they all seem to have a little chocolate in them:)

Chocolate Macaroons: posted by Pam

Vegan "Thin Mint" Fudge as truffles and also pictured in the heart above, posted by Averie:

Raspberry Belgian Chocolates by Bees Knees Kitchen:

The filling is awesome!

Thanks ladies, for posting all these recipes that have made my hectic life a little sweeter:)

We are moving ourselves to Florida, and it is going to take a few trips back and forth. I will be away from the computer during the next few weeks, and may stay in Florida while the hubs makes a solo trip.

The big red trailer is all loaded and ready to roll.

While I am away, feel free to browse the happy raw kitchen blog recipe index for over 150 yummy raw food recipes I have enjoyed.

And since Halloween is just around the corner, make sure to check out all the fun I had last year making healthy Halloween goodies, like my sweet and simple boo~nanners:)

I still have a few things to do before the trip. Hope to see you soon!

Hugs and Love,
Angela

Saratoga Springs and Something Sweet:)

2010-09-08T14:12:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! Today I would love to take you on a little trip to Saratoga Springs.

It's one of the places we usually visit each weekend when we do our shopping and necessary 'running around':)

Saratoga Springs is a beautiful historic city in upstate N.Y. known for it's many quaint shops, museums, art district, spas baths, and of course their world famous mineral springs.

I love to visit the natural springs, which flow even in the middle of winter. Many of them are protected by some kind of pavilion.

Trust me, that water is ice cold in December!

Some are even naturally carbonated, like Hathorn Spring:

Cold and very carbonated! And yes, I bring my trusty mason jars to fill while we are there:) I must tell you that the actual taste of the water can be quite...ummmm...earthy. They are mineral springs, and you can taste the minerals:)

Click here for a guide to all 17 springs of Saratoga.

If you are interested, here is a link to find a spring in your area.

But, there are lots of other things to do in Saratoga, like window shop:)
Hidden Gardens is a great little florist and antique store...

Such a pretty horse fountain:

I adore this greenhouse...

Gargoyles, anyone?

I also love to find and admire some of the beautiful Horses of Saratoga that were part of a public art project. The project featured 34 life-sized fiberglass horses that have been embellished by artists from New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. They are now sprinkled all around the city....

One of my favorite horses, pic from last winter:

My Dad would have loved this one, he was a tile setter by trade:)

But, my favorite place in Saratoga Springs is peaceful Congress Park...

Several of the mineral springs are located right in the park.

Saratoga Spring:

Deer Park Spring:

The park is also home to a beautifully restored antique carousel from 1910:

The carousel has it's own enclosure, and is open for several winter events, too:)

And, there just happens to be a great little health food store within a block of the park:) Here is a peek inside Four Seasons Natural Foods:

Fresh organic produce

Bulk items

Here is the Happy Cow link for veg friendly eating in Saratoga, but we usually end up at Ruby Tuesday's hehe!

Oh yeah, I promised you something sweet! Can't have a post at the happy raw kitchen without something yummy...

Raw Vegan Cheesecake:)

These luscious little lemon cheesecakes are courtesy of lovely fellow blogger, Averie.

I noticed the recipe yesterday, and whipped them up in a matter of minutes. I added a spoon of coconut oil to make sure they set up in the little bite-sized molds and added the zest of the lemon to accent the lovely lemon flavor. Thanks so much Averie...love you and this awesome recipe!

Hope you all enjoyed this little trip to Saratoga, and a taste of something sweet!

Looks Can Be Deceiving

2010-09-01T17:20:00.016-04:00

Happy September! Like many of you, I still cannot believe how fast the time has been going lately. Hope you are all well and happy:)

Today I wanted to share a few pictures of my delicious meals from this week:

Caprese Salad with 'Fresh Mozzarella Cheese'

Greek Salad with 'Feta'

BLT on 'Fluffy White Bread'

And yes, they are all raw and vegan! Allow me to introduce you to a 'secret ingredient' in all of these yummy meals.

A few years ago, I walked out in my backyard to pick up a softball that the kids left out. Don't worry, the secret ingredient isn't a softball:)

As I got a bit closer to the ball, I noticed it was not a ball at all, but a mushroom! Well it was sort of both...it's called a Puffball mushroom:)

The one mushroom started to multiply over the years, and now there are about a dozen in the yard.

This year, I finally got brave enough to eat one. After some online research I realized they were a great first wild mushroom for beginners to forage. Yay!...and right in my own backyard.

The texture totally surprised me. It was quite light and fluffy, with a creaminess very much like fresh buffalo mozzarella! It was solid white, and very mild in taste.

With a quick marinade of olive oil, and a sprinkle of pink salt, it made the perfect raw vegan mozzarella cheese! Of course to complete the look for my caprese salad, I cut it into thin rounds with a small circle cutter. And when cut into cubes, the mozzarella became the feta in my Greek salad:) It was quite convincing as soft fresh cheese, especially in the caprese salad of ripe plum tomato, fresh basil, and balsamic drizzle.

The shape and color of the sliced mushroom reminded me of white bread, so it became the bread in a BLT:)

It did not have the same taste as white bread of course, but it did make a tasty mushroom BLT sandwich anyway...haha! Naturally the bacon was raw vegan eggplant bacon.

I was also happy to discover it makes a great substitute for tofu! I tried out some in Averie's yummy mango ginger maple tofu recipe. It was actually quite good raw:

But really awesome when baked...Thanks so much, Averie!

Here is a little more about the puffball mushroom:

I read that a good size for eating is about the same as your fist.

They can get quite a bit larger, but become inedible at a certain point.

Please check out the links below to find out more about this amazing mushroom:

Purple-spored puffball

Mushroom Expert.com

Finding puffball mushrooms

Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada (book preview)

Wild man Steve Brill

American Mushrooms.com This link has a warning first to alert you to read the information carefully on the site, just for your safety when foraging for wild edibles.

Check out a couple of fun guys with these fungi:)

I hope some of you might be able to find this mushroom in your neck of the woods, or maybe in your own backyard, too. It is a short growing season for them, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Have any of you ever tried a puffball mushroom?

NutsOnline Giveaway Winner

2010-08-30T09:19:00.005-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! I am back to announce the winner of the NutsOnline giveaway.

I was very happy to host this giveaway after receiving my first order from NutsOnline. I was so impressed with the prompt delivery, quality of the items received, and huge selection of raw and organic products. They even have some hard to find things like Organic Agave Powder and truly raw, non-pasteurized, organic almonds!

Once again, the winner was chosen by pickanamefromabowl.ang :)

Congratulations to Gloria P.!!!

You have been chosen to receive one pound of organic chia seeds and one pound of organic raw hemp seeds.

Here is what Gloria said:

It looks like crossing your fingers worked!!! (You can un-cross them now:))

Please contact me as soon as possible(email on my profile here) to send me your mailing information.

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway, and huge thanks to NutsOnline for sponsoring this giveaway!

I'm Nuts About This Post!

2010-08-23T13:51:00.019-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had a good weekend.

We did the usual...shopping:)

The rain stopped us from a day trip to Vermont, but we were just there last weekend anyway:) Below is a picture of Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Mountains in the background. It was so lovely.

Our main reason for going to Vermont last week was an Antique and Classic car show in Stowe. Have you ever seen a car with a record player in the dashboard?

Raise your hand if you actually know what a 'record player' is! :)

Since we usually have to do our food shopping on weekends, I was so happy to find a great Natural Foods store right on the same road as the show:) We stopped on the way home for a much needed cold coconut water and a few pantry essentials. If you find yourself in Waterbury Center, Vermont make sure to stop by Sunflower Natural Foods.

The store was very well stocked,

and so neat and clean with a very friendly staff:) There was even a sweet play nook upstairs for the little ones:)

Don't you wish you were 4 or 5 again?

My recent post, Raw Pantry Essentials, showed a few pictures from one of my usual places to shop. But sometimes, a 'special ingredient' can only be found online.

I recently ordered Heathy's Moonie Pie ebook (they look amazing btw), and noticed that I didn't have one of the ingredients. Hmmm...as well stocked as my favorite store is, they do not carry this one special ingredient. A quick online search for it brought me to NutsOnline.

My order was placed on Monday, and the box arrived at my door Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours later! What a pleasant surprise:) Everything looked great!

NutsOnline has a huge selection of organic and raw products, as well as hundreds of other products.

While checking out their blog, I was thrilled to see they had linked up to my Sprouting Chia seeds post:) Thanks NutsOnline!

So, I am very excited to tell you NutsOnline has generously offered one of you* a chance to try 2 of their products!

One pound of Organic Chia Seeds, and one pound of Raw Organic Hemp Seeds! YAY!!!!!

Thanks so much to the lovely Katie Ide from NutsOnline for making this giveaway possible.

These products were hand picked by yours truly:), but you can change them if you have issues with either of these...for anything of a lesser or equal value:)

*This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States and Canada only.

Requirements to enter this giveaway are simple:

Mandatory for entry #1:
Visit NutsOnline and leave a comment below telling me which of their products you would love to try, and what you would make with them.

For one additional entry:
Subscribe to the NutsOnline Newsletter to receive special offers and coupons, leave a comment here telling me you did so, for entry #2.

That's it! This giveaway will close at midnight EST Sunday August 29, 2010. Winner will be announced on, or shortly after Monday, August 30.

You probably already have a favorite recipe using hemp or chia seeds, but if you don't, here are several pictures of a few of mine to whet your appetite.

All the links are to my posts which either have the recipe, or tell you where to find it:

Chia Puddings

Bitts Hemp Brownies

Kate Magic's Marching Biscuits

Magic Chocolate

Hemp Power Ball Truffles

Chia-Sesame Cracker

Oh my...I think we need something with a little green:)

Russell James' Wilted Kale Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing

My S&M Salad with Creamy Macadamia-Lime Hemp Dressing

There, that's better!

Good luck everyone!!!!

Watermelon Baby Buggy:)

2010-08-20T10:55:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone. Thanks for stopping by again today!

I wanted to give a little shout out to all the lovely blogging ladies out there who are expecting a little one in their lives. I am having so much fun following your journey to motherhood. Thanks for sharing this special part of yourselves on your wonderful blogs!

I thought of you while making (and enjoying:)) this cute watermelon baby carriage:)

Here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy it is to make a watermelon baby 'buggy':

1. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of your watermelon to stabilize it.

2. Mark off a horizontal line around the middle, and a vertical line slightly off center as shown. I was using a personal sized:) melon, so I used rubber bands, but you can score a guide line with a knife or pencil. The section on the top right is the part to be removed.

3. Starting at an intersection of your markings, make a horizontal cut around the circumference of the melon ending at the opposite intersecting mark, and then around the top as shown. I used a serrated "V" shaped knife. You can make a straight cut or scalloped edge.

4. Remove and reserve the cut section, part of this piece will be used for the handle.

5. Scoop out the watermelon. I made some melon balls, then scooped out the rest with a large spoon.

6. Cut a handle from the reserved piece of melon. I just eyeballed a "U" shaped piece from the middle. Remove the juicy red melon, leaving just the rind for the actual handle.

The knife is pointing to the part that became the handle.

7. Insert 2 toothpicks halfway into each end of the handle. Use about 3-4 inch wood skewers if you have a very large melon:)

Push the exposed ends of the picks vertically into the rind of the scooped out melon at the end for a handle as shown.

8. Attach 4 slices of orange and limes with toothpicks to the bottom as wheels for the carriage as shown. I covered the end of the toothpick with a raspberry hubcap:) Cut off the point of the toothpick inside the melon if it sticks out.

9. Fill the melon carriage with reserved melon balls and your favorite fruits! I was lazy and just used berries, tiny champagne grapes, fresh currants, and yellow husk cherries.

Wouldn't this be cute for a baby shower?

Or to bring over for a new mom:)

Becoming a mom is the best thing that ever happen to me, so seeing all of you really brings back many happy memories of my own feelings at the time I was expecting. It is such an awe inspiring, magical time. I never felt more beautiful then when I carried my beautiful babies, and I hope you do too:)

Raw Pantry Essentials

2010-08-17T17:38:00.014-04:00

Stocking a raw food pantry may be a bit intimidating when you first start a raw food diet. When I first started eating raw, there were a few ingredients needed to keep on hand which allowed me to try hundreds of new raw food recipes.

Each raw pantry will be unique, tailored to your own individual tastes and dietary requirements. Of course, there was no need to run out and buy everything listed right away. I simply purchased a new ingredient as needed for recipes I was trying:) Many of the items were purchased in the bulk section of my co-op.

Here are some basic items you may find useful when starting your raw food adventure:)

Oils:

Olive, coconut, hemp, sunflower, grape seed, macadamia nut, sesame, pistachio, avocado, almond, and walnut. Although it is not raw, some raw recipes use toasted sesame oil, which tastes incredible:) Most oils should be kept in a cool, dark place. To retain the optimum flavor for an extended time, oils may be refrigerated. It is normal for oil that is refrigerated to become thick and cloudy. Cloudiness is not harmful and should disappear when the oil warms to room temperature. I have kept oils stored in glass bottles up to a year. If possible, look for oils that say raw, cold pressed and not deodorized.

Sweeteners:

Dates(can also be in sugar form, or liquid when blended with water), agave(somewhat controversial right now, also in powder form), stevia, yacon syrup, coconut or palm sugar, evaporated cane juice, coconut nectar, honey(not vegan), rapadura, xylitol(derived from birch trees) and lucuma powder. Maple sweeteners are sometimes used in raw food recipes even though it is not a raw food product and is available as a syrup(grade B) or granulated sugar. Except for maple syrup, I store sweeteners in tightly covered glass jars in a cool dark pantry for up to a year.

Nuts and seeds:

Walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia,pine nuts(pignoli), pistachio, Brazil, hazelnuts, cashews, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds(brown or golden), quinoa, wild rice, buckwheat, and coconut:)

Seeds for sprouting:

May include seeds in the shell like sunflower, peas, alfalfa, broccoli, and spicy seeds like radish, mustard, or clover. Seeds and nuts should be stored tightly covered in glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 1 year. Nuts that have been soaked/sprouted and dehydrated can be stored on a cool dark pantry shelf for 1 year. Many raw foodies prefer to soak/sprout most nuts and seeds for optimal digestion. Please check out my favorite sprouting site, "Sproutpeople" for sprouting instructions.

Beans and Grains:

Most beans and grains are sprouted on a raw food diet. Sprouted grains are also nice dehydrated and ground into flour. Some grains are sprouted and used to make the drink called rejuvelac. Some popular grains include wheat berries, oats, rye, barley, triticale, spelt, kamut, millet and amaranth. Beans for sprouting are mung, lentils, adzuki, garbanzo(chickpeas) black turtle, and pinto.

Dried fruits:

If you have a dehydrator, you can make most of these from fresh produce:) Dried fruits should be organic when possible and free of sulfites or sweeteners like sugar. Raisins, currants, dates, figs, pineapple, mango, all berries(especially goji berries), cherries, apples, apricots, nectarines, papaya, tomato:), cranberries, gooseberries, pears, mulberries, peaches and plums(prunes). Store tightly covered in glass up 6-9 months for best flavor and freshness.

Sea vegetables:
Nori sheets, dulse, wakame, kombu, arame, kelp, kelp noodles, spirulina, chlorella, Irish moss, agar, hijiki, and sea spaghetti. Store tightly covered for 6 months for most nutritional value. Keep up to 1 year tightly covered.

Cacao products:

Cacao butter, cacao paste, cacao powder, cacao nibs, whole cacao beans. Many people enjoy the taste of carob, and use it in place of, or in conjunction with cacao powder. Store tightly covered in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Herbs, spices, and flavoring:

Basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, curry, dill, cayenne, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, sage, thyme, pepper, red pepper flakes, coriander, chipotles, chili, salt(I love pink salt), and paprika(sweet and smoked), culinary lavender and teas. There are so many more dried herbs, this is only a partial list, just pick the ones you like:) Dried herbs can be made easily by hanging bunches of fresh herbs upside-down until they are dried. Store tightly covered in pantry for up to 1 year for freshest flavor.

Nutritional yeast is a popular non-raw ingredient used in many raw recipes to impart a cheesy flavor.

Some raw food recipes may call for non-alcoholic extracts such as vanilla, cherry, almond, coffee, or maple. Extracts should keep well tightly covered in refrigerator after opening for 1 year. Fresh vanilla bean or vanilla powder is a wonderful option for true vanilla flavor. I also adore orange and rosewater.

Condiments:

Raw apple cider vinegar, raw coconut vinegar, Braggs liquid aminos, Nama Shoyu, Miso paste, ume plum vinegar, raw coconut aminos, and tamari.

Miscellaneous:

Some of these ingredients may fall into the "superfood" category. Lucuma powder(also used as a sweetener), maca powder, mesquite powder, acai powder, and green phytofood powders.

Of course, this is just a partial list of ingredients you may find helpful to have on hand while exploring a raw food diet. This post was created at the suggestion of fellow raw food blogger D2Quilter, from a comment on My Mostly Raw Pantry post:)

I hope you find some new things you may like to try, and let me know if I left anything out! I may make some ingredient additions and add more product links when I have more time:) If you need some recipe ideas, make sure to check out the happy raw kitchen blog RECIPE INDEX, and one of my favorite raw recipe sites, goneraw.com :)

It is fun to experiment with my pantry items, however, keep in mind the bulk of what I eat is fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, prepared simply.

My very own little fridge is usually jammin' with fresh fruits and veggies:) Yup, that means tons of smoothies and salads!

What are your favorite raw pantry essentials?

Kombucha, Baby! Update

2010-08-04T10:44:00.009-04:00

Hey everyone!

First, thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post, Raw Chocolate Lava Cake. Your comments were all so sweet...no wonder I love you all:)

Today's post is a quick update for those of you who may be interested in brewing your own kombucha. I have quickly learned how fascinating and fun this process is. I just LOVE it!

Check out my previous post where I actually grew my very own baby SCOBY from a bottle of commercial kombucha:)

My homegrown momma SCOBY was happy to reside in a brand new batch of tea. I used both green and black tea this time. The most fascinating thing to me is watching the ever changing brew, especially the interesting bubbles and yeast formations. This cluster looked like a tiny dancer to me...yeah, I have a vivid imagination:)

It was so exciting to see the bubble line between momma SCOBY and the beautiful new baby that formed on top:

After about 1 week I used a straw to taste the kombucha. Just dip the straw, and cover the top end with a finger, and release the sample in a shot glass.

It tasted wonderful to me and had lots of bubbles. Time to bottle this batch, and get a good look at the new baby!

The new baby SCOBY was well formed and even a bit larger than momma:)

I saved about a cup of this kombucha and separated the 2 SCOBYs for the next batch of brew.

The sparkly new kombucha was well sampled:) and bottled.

For bottling this time, I used re-cycled commercial kombucha bottles. A helpful tip to remove the old labels: use a hair dryer to warm the bottle and the sticker peels right off:) Any glue residue can be scrubbed off using a drop of oil and a homemade scrubbie:) The smaller jar was a spice jar filled with kombucha from my first brew...I called this my 'baby booch' :)

For the next batch of kombucha, I made a gallon of sweet tea to fill 2 half gallon jars, using both green and black tea again. Each new jar contained a SCOBY, and some reserved tea from the first batch. At first, Momma SCOBY went to the top of her jar, and baby went to the bottom of his:

After a few days, each started to form a new baby SCOBY on top:

The mature SCOBYs floated around a bit, and both were almost vertical while the new babies grew on top.

The newly bottled kombucha was also placed on the shelf for about 3 days for a 2nd ferment. Since the weather was still pretty warm, I was afraid to let it go too long at this stage since some people have written about the bottles exploding if left too long...yikes!

In another day or two, this new batch should be ready to bottle*. I am glad the weather cooled down a bit because it's been brewing too fast for me!

*New batch is delish!

And the latest brew is ready to go:)

I just had the last of my previously bottled kombucha and...

I'm not positive, but I think there was a tiny baby SCOBY in the bottle. EEK!!! Can any home booch brewers advise me about this. It was strained out since I noticed it before pouring:)

Next time about 2 gallons will be brewing, so I would also appreciate any tips on how to keep it from taking over the house:) Some day I'd love to get a system like Averie, check it out:) So awesome!

Well, I probably won't be posting much more than a quick update on kombucha from now on and get back to more raw food:) so...

Cheers everyone!

Have a wonderful day:)

Raw Chocolate Lava Cake :)

2010-07-29T16:43:00.012-04:00

Hi everyone! Just a real quick post today, to tell you about an idea for a raw chocolate lava cake. For some reason, I came across several SAD versions of this cake today, so it made me wonder if there was a raw version.

A quick search for a raw chocolate lava cake recipe came up empty, so off to the happy raw kitchie I went:)

I don't have an exact recipe, but don't worry, you really don't need one! Just use your favorite raw brownie/cake/date-nut ball recipe! The filling pictured is the old stand-by, chocolate avocado pudding, but a raw chocolate sauce would be more authentic:) You will also need a small 1 cup bowl, and some cling film to shape the cake.

Here is how to assemble the cake:

1. Make your favorite raw brownie or cake recipe in the food processor. I made a basic recipe like my raw caramel brownie bites, using 2 cups of nuts, and one cup of dates with some cacao powder, vanilla and salt. This made more than enough for 2 small cakes, each in a 1 cup bowl.

2. Take a small handful of the brownie mixture, and press it out onto some parchment, about 1/2 inch thick, and cut out a circle using the small bowl as a cutter. Cut another circle if you are making two cakes.

3. Line the small bowls with cling film, and press the remaining brownie mixture evenly into the entire bowl, about 1/2 inch thick. There was a little left over mix, enough for about seven little brownie bite truffle balls:)

4. Fill with your favorite raw pudding, or chocolate sauce(equal parts cacao powder and liquid sweetener like agave, maple, or coconut syrup, and a pinch of salt).

I used the ingredients shown, plus a little water to loosen the pudding a bit. I had some filling leftover, too:)

5. Top with the cut-out cake circle, and press around the perimeter to seal in the filling. I found it helpful to pull the cling film in a little while pressing gently on the top of the cake edge.

That's it! All done:) They were chilled for a short time because I wasn't ready to eat them yet, but I bet they are real good warmed in the "D" for an hour. To un-mold, hold the bowl in a clean cloth wrung out in very hot water for a minute, and pull it out by the wrap. As you can imagine, they are quite rich...almost half was enough for me:)

I had some caramel sauce to squeeze onto the plate, too:) It was similar to this recipe, if you would like exact measurements:)

Love ya!

~ETA~ the extra filling made an awesome fudgesicle:

Keepin' My Cool :)

2010-07-27T14:29:00.010-04:00

Welcome back everyone! Hope you are all staying cool. The Adirondack mountains have chilled out a bit lately, but it is still warm enough for one of my favorite raw treats, Popsicles!

They are so easy to create, and help keep you hydrated in the hot weather in a fun way.

The "recipe" is simple, just use your favorite liquid like fruit puree, juice, or smoothie (yup, even a green one). If you like fudgesicles, you can use your favorite avocado pudding, yum!

Even banana soft-serve is delish as a Popsicle. For the pops pictured, the white was 1 young Thai coconut, pureed with a splash of coconut water, a dash of coconut nectar, and a squeeze of lime. The yellow was sweet, juicy pineapple, and the red was dark, sweet cherries with a spoon of coconut nectar. Some flavors taste a bit less sweet to me when frozen, but you can omit all sweeteners if you prefer:)

My favorite flavors in this pop were the pineapple and cherry:)

Check out this very cool stainless steel ONYX Popsicle Mold from the tickle Trunk. I absolutely adore it!

The mold is so well made, I think it could become a family heirloom!

One great feature is that the pops can be made one at a time, the perfect thing to make with that little extra smoothie that won't fit in the glass. Frozen pops can be removed as soon as they are solid, and new treats can be made since you need to use a new stick each time. The company is actually working on re-usable bamboo sticks! In the meantime they do come with extra sticks, and you can find replacements if needed.

The tops have a colorful silicone seal around the stick, and they give you an extra set, too. I found it easier to insert the stick from the underside of the top, so the seal doesn't pop out.

I will be reusing the 'spent' sticks myself in a crafty trivet or something :)

I stored a few Popsicles (removed from molds) in the freezer, wrapped in parchment paper:

I even made some like my bloggie friend, bitt, who used sweetened tea. Mine were double strength mint tea, sweetened with coconut nectar. Yum!!! The orange pops are persimmon...absolutely fantastic! The nice ripe persimmons got a little smushed on the way home from the market this weekend, so into the Popsicle they went! I still have an older plastic mold, so I used that for this batch.

They were all so cool and refreshing, but the mint was especially nice.

If it is hot where you live, I would love to hear about your ways of staying cool!

For those interested, I should be back soon with a kombucha update since momma SCOBY has given birth haha!!!

I would also like to thank the lovely Pure2Raw twins, Michelle and Lori, for featuring a few of my socca pictures on their blog earlier this week in a feature called "Socca Sunday"! Although it is not raw, I am totally in love with it! Thanks so much, Michelle and Lori:)

Kombucha, Baby!

2010-07-19T16:27:00.026-04:00

Hi everyone! Hope you are all healthy and happy!

Well, another post, another... science experiment:)

I feel a bit like a mad scientist in the happy raw kitchen lately. It was so much fun making fermented nut cheese, I actually got brave enough to try my hand at making kombucha!

It is something I wanted to do for quite a while now. Anyone who loves this wonderful brew knows it can get quite expensive to buy commercial bottles of kombucha. But now there is a sort of kombucha shortage due to recent concerns of "slightly elevated" alcohol levels contained in one particular brand. This shortage gave me the little push needed to brew my own:)

There is so much info about making your own kombucha, but most methods seemed simple enough. Make a sweetened tea, and add a SCOBY(Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) "mother". After making the mixture, just let it sit for a while. So easy!

Michelle and Lori make it look really easy:)

Wait...add a SCOBY???!!! I have heard you can usually get a "baby" one from a friend.

Hmmmm...That might be a little problem. As much as I love living in the middle of nowhere, I doubt any of the chipmunks around here have a SCOBY to share with me. Of course they can be bought on the internet, but there is another way to obtain the precious SCOBY.

Make your own SCOBY from a bottle of commercial kombucha! YAY!

I grew my very own SCOBY, after watching this video.

This method looks even easier!

Here is what I used:

Equipment: Pot for boiling water, wooden spoon, 1/2 gallon mason jar, new clean handkerchief.

Ingredients:
6 cups water, 6 tea bags 6 tablespoons of sugar, one bottle of Pure Essence kombucha.

Method:
1. Boil 6 or 7 cups of water, and remove from heat.
2. Add 5 or 6 tablespoons (approx 1/3 cup) sugar and stir until dissolved.
3. Steep 6 tea bags for 12 minutes.
4. Cool the tea.
5. Add a commercial bottle of raw kombucha to a big jar, and pour in the cooled tea.
6. Cover jar with a clean cloth, secured it with just the ring from the top, and let it sit, undisturbed and out of direct sun.
7. Wait......... :)

All the sites for making kombucha stressed how important it is to have everything very clean, so I washed and rinsed everything very well. We have well water, so I boiled it for a few minutes before adding the sugar and tea bags. So, I was a little concerned, and thought it was the dreaded mold when I saw a dark mass of something floating on top after two days. I was going to dump it, but let it go a while just to see what would happen.

That same night there was a thin white film floating on the top of the tea.

The third day, the lumpy thingy was about the same, but the white layer was a little thicker. There were also bubbles forming all around the perimeter.

By the fourth day the white layer was even thicker...and the dark blob was actually lifting the film a bit,

and even looked back at me!

I was still concerned, and searched the internet for more information. I sent a few pictures to a really nice person, Todd, who has a blog about kombucha, and had made a SCOBY from a bottled kombucha. He answered me right away, and said the pictures looked like a healthy SCOBY. I was so surprised and excited. Thank you, Todd! He said to taste it at this point, but it was still sweet like tea.

It also dawned on me around this time that it was July, not June like the sticker on the jar said:)

I left it for a few days longer, just a week total, and tasted it again. This time it was slightly sour and had more bubbles.

OMG, kombucha!

It really tasted good, and was quite bubbly:)

This all happened really quickly...everything I heard or read said it would take a few weeks, but here is what I think happened...

The room where the jar was is very warm and quiet. You are supposed to use only plain green, black or white tea, to start. I went to a tea and health food store to pick up some plain tea, and the lovely girl there said she had used Yogi brand kombucha tea to make her kombucha, so I bought some.

Also, I made a little mistake, and only used a half gallon jar, so the mixture was stronger than it would have been in a gallon jar like the video.*

*uh, never mind that last sentence :)...it was a 64 ounce jar in the video...yup, a half gallon like I used.

My Serendipity Kombucha:)

Here is Momma:)

And a better look at the lumpy thingy:

I reserved the mother and 1 cup of brew for my next batch, and filled 3 bottles (hubby's saved beer bottles). You can find bottles like these easily online or at local home-brew stores. They even come in a gorgeous cobalt blue:)

I used 1/2 cup of a different sugar, and the black and green tea this time. I used the Florida Crystals sugar because it is organic and vegan. As you probably know, some white granulated sugar is not vegan. Click here to see a few vegan and non-vegan brands of sugar. I will keep you posted about the new brew:)

Quick update on day 10...new batch has a nice, thicker SCOBY:

Is making lots of bubbles:

And seems quite happy:)

I know some of you may have made your own kombucha, but if you haven't and want to, give this a try. It is so easy, you won't believe it!

Here are a few great resources for making your own kombucha. I will probably add new links on this post as I find them.

Kombucha making basics from eat living food (PDF)

Kombucha Journal...30 languages and The Worldwide Kombucha Exchange.

The Happy Herbalist

Kombucha Kamp

15 tips for making kombucha.

Troubleshooting/Balance

Kombucha Unveiled

Click the links below to answer some FAQs about kombucha:

Organic-Kombucha.com

Kombuchatea.wordpress.com

Cultures for Health

Sulis Health

Kombucha America

Funny Kombucha links :)

Adorable toddler Noelle eats a SCOBY!

SCOBY gone wild!

Are you a kombucha fan???

Raw Vegan Cheese

2010-07-14T12:47:00.026-04:00

Ever since posting Real Cream Cheese, I have been slightly obsessed with making raw nut cheeses.

My first taste of vegan cheese was Cheese with Spring Onions from Zoe on Goneraw a few years ago. It is still a favorite for me, and I was reminded of it from a recent post about it on Goneraw. Thank you so much Zoe! Check out all the comments on this recipe...it was the most popular recipe on the site for a loooooong time!!!

Here it is as a spread, perfect for wraps or dips.

It is a very versatile recipe...this wheel had boursin herbs (molded in a small springform pan) and is my favorite version of this sunflower based cheese.

Another favorite is Gena's Sweet Cheese and Crackers...a quick and easy cheese recipe, posted for the holiday's, but it's perfect any time of year:) Thank you Gena!

Here is a picture of my most recent attempts using the basic fermented nut cheese recipe, made with almonds and dehydrated slightly. It was really tasty, especially the cheddar version. Hint: it is flavored like cheesy sauce for kale chips:)

Oh, if you can let it age in the fridge a bit(this one went for more than 2 weeks), it is even better:)

I have received several questions about the probiotic powder used to ferment the nut cheese. I have used a few different brands (all good), as well as miso and rejuvelac. Here is a picture of the probiotic powders and capsules in a refrigerator at my co-op so you know what to look for. The 'New Chapter' brand is in the purple topped box, and is popular:

I am really looking forward to making some recipes from raw food Chef Russell James' ebook on raw nut cheeses. Check it out if you love making vegan cheeses as much as I do!!!

Remember to check out Russell's video on what to serve with your raw cheese:) His cheese in the video looks so good!

I used his suggestions and had a wonderful lunch recently:

I would love to know if you have a favorite raw vegan cheese recipe!!!

Making Raw Nut Butter

2010-07-09T12:01:00.014-04:00

Hi everyone! Another busy week has flown by for me...hope you are all staying well and happy:)

This week has been a scorcher in the Adirondacks. How hot has it been? Just look!

I actually have not been on the computer much because it is in the direct flow of the air conditioner!!! I am very grateful to have one in this heat, but... {{{BRRRRRRRR}}}...Once in a while I have to go outside for a few minutes and warm up.

To my blogging buddies: I hope to catch up on some much missed blog reading very soon:)

While I was staying cool inside, it was the perfect time to experiment with new recipes, and prepare some raw staples like nut butter.

The following pictures are of making raw almond butter, but any nuts, seeds, or even shredded coconut(for homemade coconut butter, of course!) can be used. One of my favorites is a "rawtella", using hazelnuts, cacao powder and coconut sugar :)

Every once in a while, I treat myself to raw almonds from Spain, but not today:)

I used organic almonds from the bulk bins at the co-op.

Here are some step-by-step pictures of making raw nut butters:

1. Soak your nuts:) Tip: Only soak them if you can dehydrate them!

Haha...the camera fogged up going from the air conditioned house to the heat outside! This was about 4 cups of almonds. For my size processor bowl(11 cups) four cups is the least amount that will blend properly.

It is up to you if you want to soak your nuts/seeds. If using dry, un-soaked nuts, you should be able to omit the oil, and it may take a bit longer.

~ETA~ For best results, use DRY nuts, either soaked and dehydrated, or un-soaked.
Wet nuts, or trying to add water instead of oil gives a pasty, rather than creamy result, and the nut butter will spoil quicker.

After soaking about 8 hours, almonds may be peeled by "popping" them out of their skins. Just pinch them between your thumb and first finger. The butter will be light in color, and taste a bit different if you peel them.

2. Dehydrate your nuts or seeds if you soaked them about 8-12 hours or more depending on nuts used:

3. Place your nuts in a food processor fitted with the "S" blade.

Tip: Process just until crumbs form to make nut flour used for recipes:)

Nuts will begin to stick to the sides of the container and you may need to stop and scrape the sides.

4. Add a tablespoon of oil, and continue processing. I like to use the matching oil, but any neutral, light oil will work. The natural oils in the nuts will start breaking down as well, so I always start with 1 tablespoon of oil. You can also add a little salt to taste if desired. It is also good with a touch of sweetener, or even cacao powder for a treat.

Soon a ball will form, and you can use it like this in recipes like nut butter cups:)

Continue processing and add a bit more oil if needed. All nuts are different, so I like to add the oil 1 tablespoon at a time (usually 3T, no more than 4T) until a smooth, creamy butter forms.

It does get warm, but not too warm:)

That's it! Homemade raw nut butter in about 12 minutes, not counting the soaking or the dehydrating time haha:) You may have to let it go a bit longer, depending on your processor. It will keep for several weeks in a glass jar in the fridge. And remember, you can make a quick nut milk by blending about a tablespoonful of nut butter with a cup of water:)

Until a few years ago, I would never have thought of making my own nut butters, but now I love it! Have you ever made your own nut butters? What is your favorite?

Well, my hands are freeezzzing now...lol! Thanks so much for dropping by today and I hope you all have a great weekend!

ETA~ Click here for making nut butter in a Vitamix:)

Things That Made Me Go Mmmm....

2010-07-02T09:11:00.006-04:00

Today I thought it would be fun to share pictures of some of the yummy raw food I have been enjoying this week.

I just love to try new recipes, and read food blogs so here is just a small sample of incredible meals inspired by my lovely blogging buddies:)

This has become a weekly favorite for me. I just can't get enough:) Thank you, Marlie for posting about your Avocado Truffles!

I whipped up some raw fresh peach ice cream and topped it with a few raspberries and Walnut Coconut/Crumble from Noelle of An Opera Singer in the Kitchen blog. This one had me singing in the kitchen...hehe!

I had this cool and refreshing thick shake a couple of times...a quickie version of Raspberry Banana Almond butter & Cinnamon Smoothie by Sarahfae of the Addicted to Veggies blog I just used 3 frozen bananas with a handful of raspberries and a dash of cinnamon and a splash of water. Thanks for the lovely inspiration:)

I can never have enough raw salad dressings...especially thick, rich, creamy..mmmm:)....I filled an avocado with the dressing and sprinkled it with some eggplant bacon, cut cherry tomatoes and tiny raw rosemary crackers. Thanks to Jackie from the blog Peaces of Earth for posting her Ranch Dressing:)

It was the perfect dip for cucumber cut with a french fry cutter.

Black Forrest Banana Soft-Serve...yet another way to enjoy this quick and easy favorite:) Thanks so much Lisa from the blog Vegan Cookbook Critic!

Thanks so much to everyone who has a blog for posting your lovely food creations. You are all so beautiful and inspiring, and I appreciate all of you! {{{HUGS}}}

Watermelon Basket

2010-06-30T08:48:00.014-04:00

Hi everyone! Hope you are all enjoying the summer so far (if it is summer where you are!) Our summers are short and sweet here in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains of New York, so I have been enjoying it while it lasts!

Thank you all so much for the great response to my last post, Raw Sprouted Bagels. They hit the spot for me when I am craving something "bready" :)

In today's post, I would like to share with you one of my favorite summertime treats, a watermelon basket. It is the perfect thing to bring to a party, BBQ, or potluck. It is naturally raw, and vegan!

Here are some step-by-step pictures to show you how easy it is to create this lovely basket:)

1.) Pick a melon that has a nice shape, and will sit flat. You can remove a sliver off the bottom to level it if needed.

2.) Make two parallel cuts in the center of the melon about 1 1/2 inches apart, going about halfway down the melon. The melon between the cuts will form the handle of the basket.

3.) Starting on either side of the handle, make a horizontal cut around the melon to the other side of the handle cut.

Be careful not to cut through the handle part. I had a "V" shaped knife, but a straight knife will work as well. You can make a scallop or zig-zag edge, or just leave it straight. If you have a serrated cutter used for pumpkins at Halloween, it works well for watermelon:)

4.) Repeat the cut on the other side of the handle, removing both cut-outs.

5.) Cut the melon around the inside of the handle,

and remove the juicy melon.

6.) Scoop out the melon. I used a large serving spoon.

My mini melon was thin skinned, so I left a little flesh to keep it sturdy. Larger melons can be scraped closer to the green part.

7.) Cut up the removed watermelon and mix it with your favorite fruits. If you follow food combining rules, just use other melons, like cantaloupe or honeydew.

8.) Fill the empty watermelon basket with the fresh fruit mixture. Depending on the amount of other fruit, you should have enough to fill the basket two times. Skewered fruit can be used if you prefer, and looks really pretty. I added some little flag toothpicks, for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday:)

Here is a picture of a straight cut basket:

If you would like a few more ideas for the upcoming weekend, please check out my Fourth of July post from last year,

or my Memorial Day post for more watermelon ideas:)

Thanks so much for stopping by my happy raw kitchen today, and I hope you all have a very happy and safe weekend!

Raw Sprouted Bagels :)

2010-06-18T11:02:00.009-04:00

Whoa baby...is it Friday already? Time really does fly when you're havin' fun:)

I have been spending lots of time outside, enjoying the sun(finally) and of course playing in my happy raw kitchie!

Thank you all for the wonderful comments on my last post, Real Cream Cheese. Of course the real credit goes to Poemomm for creating the recipes and posting them for everyone to enjoy:)

I appreciate everyone who wished me well about my computer problems. A few hours after I complained...I mean mentioned it in my post, my hubby came home with a shopping bag with a road runner on it. Beep, Beep!! What a great surprise:) He hooked me up with a new internet connection. He said something about me suffering long enough...lol! Actually I think it was because he needed to use the computer the other night and realized how terrible the dial-up connection was:)

I was finally able to watch some of the videos I have always just scrolled past. I got a chance to see how cute you all are:) I remembered a video I really wished I could see a few days earlier by amazing raw Chef Russell James. Although his cheese in the video totally blew me away, I used his suggestions to make a little cheese plate of my own.

Thank you Russell, my mouth was very happy!

So, back to the topic of this post...Raw Bagels

After making the lovely cream cheese earlier in the week, my thoughts immediately went to wishing for a bagel to go with it. You can use any thick bread recipe you like to make bagels, but I had a jar of sprouted soft white wheat on hand so I used a simple Essene dough. I added a drizzle of agave and olive oil with a pinch of salt to taste. The amount of wheat I had made 8 mini-bagels:)

Here are a few pictures to show how simple it is to shape a raw bagel:

Process sprouted wheat with agave, oil and salt until a ball forms. Remove from processor and knead the dough by hand for a minute if needed.

Shape dough into a round, and cut into 8 pie shaped pieces

Roll each segment into a ball

Flatten each ball slightly and poke a hole in the middle, use a spoon handle, dowel, or clean finger:)

Place on mesh sheets to dry, and brush with water and sprinkle with desired toppings. Dry at 112 degrees for about 6-8 hours until the outside is crisp and dry and inside is slightly moist. I like to make small bagels so the inside is less likely to sour. Also, I get to eat two or three if they are little!

Since the cream cheese was only a sweet memory by the time I made the bagels, I enjoyed them as a BLT.

So good!

I also made a 2-bite bagel with sprouted rye topped with caraway seeds:)

Click here to see an earlier post about Essene bread:)

Well, the sun is calling to me again...have a great weekend everyone, especially all you wonderful fathers out there!

Real Cream Cheese

2010-06-14T14:45:00.007-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you are all doing well today.

Some of my blogging friends may have noticed my recent absence from commenting on your blogs. I had to step away from the computer several times lately because my computer is loading reallllllllly slooooowww.

It takes almost half an hour to load many blogs and even after waiting I sometimes cannot comment, or the comment disappears! Until I can figure out what to do about this situation, I hope you will forgive my lack of comments. I still love you all, and am trying to keep up with you even though Google reader no longer updates for me either:) Is anyone else having these problems, or am I the lucky one? :)

Looking on the bright side, I am grateful that I can still post on my blog. And, I now have more time to have fun in the kitchie!

A recent recipe I enjoyed was Poemomm's Real Cream Cheese.

I noticed it was posted on Raw Freedom Community, and it is also on Gone Raw. This is a very easy, fermented nut cheese. I made about half the recipe, using 2 cups of macadamia nuts, approx. 1 cup of water, and 4 gelcaps of probiotic powder(approx 1/2 a teaspoon of powder measured).

Here are a few pics of making the cheese, the method is about the same with any fermented nut cheese:

Blended nuts, water and probiotic

Scoop out into cheesecloth or large paint strainer bag (double thickness).

Squeeze cloth tight(do this over the sink...hehe)

Place wrapped cheese into a strainer placed in a bowl to catch whey drips

I used a small open spring-form pan ring with the base on top to press evenly. The weight is a jar of coins.

At this point, I wait a day or two for the nut cheese to ferment. After it is done to taste, I put the unwrapped nut cheese it back into a small spring-form to shape it and refrigerate for a day until firm. Sometimes I like to add herbs, salt or spices at this point to mix it up a little. I just love this raw cheese! Thanks to Poemomm for posting this wonderful recipe!

I also made Poemomm's Basic Brown Bread. I used a crust cutter to shape the slices. Click here if you would like to see my step by step raw bread making tips:)

It was perfect for making cream cheese and jelly sandwiches.

I always loved cream cheese and jelly, and I was so happy to find a healthy raw version. Next time I will try Poemomm's version with cherries as the jelly....yummmm! Thank you Poemomm! The bread is fantastic!

Have you ever tried cream cheese and jelly?

Here is a simple jelly recipe:

1 cup fresh fruit
1/2 cup pitted dates

note: I have made this with equal parts fruit and dates, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.

Blend together until smooth, store in refrigerator several days in a covered jar. This makes a sweet jam that kids just love! Of course you can try blending any other fresh fruit, or any soaked dried fruit (and water if needed) for different flavors. I really love goji jam:)

While there was still some cream cheese left, I filled some mini sweet peppers and a few jalapeno peppers with it and topped it with some eggplant bacon.

I always seem to have plenty of that eggplant bacon around:)

I also mixed in some garlic and herbs to make a boursin flavored cheese. This made one of the best poppers ever!

Hmmmm...with Father's Day coming up, maybe you can make some poppers for poppa:)

Raw Sprouted Oatmeal

2010-06-09T11:32:00.003-04:00

Oh, my!

This ain't your Momma's oatmeal! (not that there is anything wrong with mom's oatmeal...hehe)

Raw Sprouted Maple Walnut Oatmeal

1/2 cup raw sprouted oats, measured after sprouting
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon dried currants
1 teaspoon grade B maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

1.) Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and enjoy!

Of course, any fruit/nut combo would be delicious with these sprouted oats:) I even want to try a chocolate variation:) I love them because they are sweet and fresh tasting with a soft chewiness to them. Yum!

If you prefer a "mushier" texture, you can grind the sprouted oats in the food processor fitted with the "S" blade with a splash of nutmilk or water.

I will also dehydrate some sprouted oats and grind them into flour for use in cookies and other lovely treats.

Ummm...that uhhh...chocolate oatmeal sounded so good I had to make it!

Oats, cocoa powder, sliced almonds, cacao nibs, sweetener. Oh yeah!

To sprout the oats:

Soak them 8 hours or overnight in a jar of fresh water. I used about a cup and a half of oats and 4 cups of water in a sprouting jar.

Drain and rinse in fresh water 2-3 times daily for 2 or 3 days, until little tails form, about the length of the seed. I keep the jar slanted down in a dish drainer rack.

Drained, sprouted oats can be stored in the fridge for several days in a mason jar.

Here are a few pictures of the oats sprouting:)
Starting to sprout

Almost done

Cute lil tails:)

I was so happy to find truly raw, sproutable oats! They arrived with some other raw goodies from a wonderful company called Sirova.

Sirova is a growing online raw food supplier.
If some of you are not yet familiar with this wonderful company, check out their website, they even have recipes! When they were getting started, one of the owners, (and raw foodie blogger) Joanna, asked if there was anything we would want her store to carry. Right away I said really raw oats that will sprout. (You may know that most oats, like the ones in stores, are heat treated.) I was thrilled to see that Joanna found them!

I ordered two packages along with some other raw goodies like cacao butter, gorgeous Brazil nuts, and something new, Sea Spaghetti:) Inside there was a packing slip with a beautiful handwritten note from Joanna and the Sirova team, thanking me for my order and telling me exactly how to soak the sea spaghetti. So sweet! Thank you Joanna:)

OK...I am off to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts...I hope you all have a wonderful day:)

Giveaway Winner!

2010-06-07T10:14:00.003-04:00

Sincere thanks to everyone who entered the drawing for the very first giveaway here at my happy raw kitchen blog. There were over 70 qualifying entries! I was pleased to see some familiar faces, as well as some new ones:) You are all winners in my book!

I was really excited to be able to offer one lucky reader a chance to win the amazing book Ani's Raw Food Essentials. I have been enjoying this book, and I am sure you will, too. I have tried and loved more than 20 recipes from the book so far, check out the pictures:)

I loved reading which recipe you were most interested in. It was fun to learn what all of you are looking for in an un-cookbook. This book includes just about everything on your wish list, and then some!

OK...
Time to announce the winner of the incredible book Ani's Raw Food Essentials.*

*notice I used the high tech method of picking the winner, pickanamefromabowl.ang

Congratulations HiHoRosie!!!

Here is the winning comment:

I am so happy for you, Heidi! Please contact me(email on my profile here) with your mailing info. You are going to love this book!

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the giveaway. And sincere thanks to Lindsey Triebel of Perseus Books Group and most of all Chef Ani Phyo!

ETA~ I made Ani's Wild Rice with Corn and Tomato today...YUM!!!

Ani's Raw Food Essentials Book Giveaway!

2010-06-03T11:47:00.022-04:00

This Giveaway has ended. Please click here to see who won.

Thanks to all who entered.

Scroll down to see an awesome recipe from Ani's Raw Food Essentials:)

Hi everyone! I am back with the details of my first blog giveaway!

I am so happy to be able to give one of you* a chance to win the awesome new book Raw Food Essentials by the lovely raw food chef, Ani Phyo.

Check out my post from yesterday to see all the incredible recipes I have made so far from Ani's Raw Food Essentials, and my review of the book.

*This contest is open to residents of the United States only, as stipulated by the sponsor. Sincere thanks to the lovely Lindsey Triebel of Perseus Books Group for arranging this giveaway!

Now, here is how to enter:

Entry number one:
1.) Please check out my post from yesterday, then come back here and tell me which one of the recipes I made from Ani's Raw Food Essentials you are most interested in trying. Also, I would love to know if you have a favorite recipe from raw Chef Ani Phyo. If you haven't tried one yet, visit her incredible website and tell me which recipe you would most like to try. Leave your comment on this post for one entry.

Entry number two:
2.) For another chance to win, leave me a second comment on this post and tell me what you like to see most in an un-cookbook. Are you someone who loves raw sweets and desserts, looking for quick everyday recipes, or meals for the whole family, etc. Are you interested in all kinds of raw info, or just the recipes? Please mention if you do buy un-cookbooks, and if you prefer e-books, or printed books in your comment.

Entry number three:
3.) For a third chance to win, mention this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook, or Twitter with a link to this post. If you don't blog, Facebook, or tweet, be a subscriber or follower of the happy raw kitchen blog:) Just tell me which one you did for this additional entry. You only need to do one mention for this, but anything extra is appreciated:)

Bonus:
4.) For a fourth and final chance to win, stand on your head while facing west, put on some hot pink lipstick, and whistle the Happy Birthd....HAHAHA! Forgive me :) Just having some fun!

Please have your entries posted by 12 midnight EST Sunday, June 6, 2010. Winner will be announced on, or shortly after Monday, June 7.

Good Luck Everyone!!!

p.s. I am not able to post in the comments at this time, please feel free to email me with any questions regarding this giveaway, contact info on my profile here. Also, if you are having problems posting a comment, contact me.

Now, I do have something special for all of you! I was given permission to share a recipe from the book, and believe me, it is awesome!

MEDITERRANEAN WRAP WITH RED PEPPER
HUMMUS (BEAN-FREE)

Photo credit: Tyler Golden.

From the book Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2010.

MAKES 4 WRAPS

This recipe uses collard leaves for wrapping up vegetables, such as spinach, zucchini, black olives, and avocado, with a delicious Red Pepper Hummus.

2 large collard leaves
2 cups spinach, washed well
½ recipe Red Pepper Hummus (page 184)
1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
½ cup zucchini, cut into long, thin spears
¼ cup pitted, chopped black olives

Cut the leaves away from the thick center stem of each collard leaf to make a total
of four flat pieces.

Top each collard section with spinach leaves. Then, spoon Red Pepper Hummus across the bottom edge of the shorter width of each leaf. Top with avocado, zucchini, and black olives. Roll up into a wrap and serve.

Will keep for up to a day at room temperature, or store for a day or two in the
fridge.

RED PEPPER HUMMUS (BEAN-FREE)

MAKES 2 CUPS

This hummus is made using tahini, as in traditional recipes, but instead of chickpeas, I use red bell pepper and a pinch of cumin for a richer flavor. Sesame powder helps absorb some of the excess liquid from the juicy bell pepper.

½ cup sesame seeds, ground into a powder
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups seeded and diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin

In a food processor, process the sesame seeds, garlic, and salt into small pieces.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Will keep for 2 days in the fridge.

I have already made this yummy recipe, and it is fantastic!

Huge thanks to lovely raw Chef Ani Phyo for allowing me to share this amazing recipe, and for creating this incredible book.

Happy Exciting News!

2010-06-02T12:26:00.017-04:00

I have some very exciting news to tell you!!!

No…I am not expecting a little one, although there has been a lot of that going around the raw food blogosphere lately;) Must be all the lovely raw food you girls are eating!

But I am going to have a...

GIVEAWAY!!!!
This giveaway has ended, but I hope you still enjoy the pictures:)

The very first Happy Raw Kitchen Blog Give-away!!!! The prize is something to help you in your raw kitchen.

I am so excited about this, and I hope you are, too!

Before I reveal the prize, here is a sneak preview of some of the foods you will be able make with it:

Brazil Nut-Banana Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup and Sliced Bananas

Red Pepper Hummus(Bean-Free)

Mediterranean Wrap with Red Pepper Hummus

Korean Dumplings with Soy Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Buckwheat-Battered "Fried" Onion Rings

Mock Tuna Salad

Battered Zucchini Sticks

Cranberry-Cashew Wild Rice Pilaf and Indian Spiced Chutney

Chipotle Kale Chips

Eggplant Bacon

Coconut Bacon

BLT Club with Coconut Bacon

Aioli Mayonnaise (as dressing on a salad using Eggplant Bacon bits.)

Chocolate-Hazelnut Kream (chilled as frosting on a nutella cupcake adapted from Flourless Cake recipe)

Flourless Cake (as a nutella flavor mini cupcake)

Chocolate-Banana Ice Kream with Hazelnuts served on Flourless Cake with Nutella Hazelnut Sauce.

So, would Ani-body like to guess the prize???

Hint: This is an Essential book to add to your un-cookbook collection:)

Awww, you are all so smart! Yes, it is...

Now do you see why I was so excited about this???

Lovely Raw Chef Ani Phyo has really outdone herself with this incredible book. There are over 250 recipes and tips, beautiful color and black and white photos. Ani tells you everything you need to know to create all the recipes in this gorgeous hardcover :) book. Everything I have tried so far is amazing. I am looking forward to trying the other 230 recipes:)

I also love her thoughts on eco-green living...there are even some nontoxic cleanser "recipes" found in the book! It is written with such an easy and relaxed style that I find very refreshing.

This book has already become a favorite of mine:)

All the pictures posted above are my own and not from Ani's Raw Food Essentials, but I bet you already knew that ;)

I will be back very soon with the details of this giveaway, I was just so excited, I couldn't wait to tell you:)

Please note: I am having lots of computer issues, however, as a "go with the flow" kinda girl, I am going ahead with this giveaway.

I'm happy to still be able to post here at this time. Even though my computer is painfully slow lately (28.8 Kbps), I still consider myself lucky to have a computer with any sort of connection haha! Hubby is having someone over soon to see if my technical difficulties can be resolved.

I still cannot comment on my own blog, Google reader is still being a b...baby:) and not updating most times.

To my blogging friends, I am sorry to miss some of your posts. We may have to do a phone number exchange so you can tell me what you are making in the kitchie...hehe! I also noticed some of the comments I post on your blogs are getting lost in cyberspace!

Again, thank you all for your support and comments on my recent posts. It means so much to me:)

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope to see you soon!

Raw Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

2010-05-27T12:32:00.005-04:00

Today I made little cupcakes...luscious lemony goodness:)

I almost forgot how delicious, quick, and easy this recipe is!

Just thought you might want to know...haha!

The 12 Rules of Eating

2010-05-26T14:08:00.010-04:00

The 12 Rules of Eating

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Haha…there are no rules! But wouldn’t it be easier to choose what to eat if there were?

I know some of you may be struggling with eating raw (or not!) You may be wondering exactly what or what not to eat, or if it is OK to eat some cooked food, or something not vegan.

I usually don’t voice my opinion on this subject, well, because it is just that…my opinion, and the only person directly affected by what I eat is me.

I must admit, I am fascinated to learn why others eat a diet that includes lots of raw food. It is also very helpful for me to see what works for others. And, of course, I love to see what you are eating!!!

Some of you may remember that I am the only person in my household that eats mostly raw food. I chose to start eating raw food for my health several years ago. Although I did not have any health problems, I felt that eating raw was the best way to prevent future health problems. If possible, I would like to avoid some of the illnesses that run in my family. We all have a survival instinct, and mine really kicked in! That, in a nutshell, is why I eat mostly raw.

When I started to eat raw, I did not have any support. As a matter of fact, almost everyone around me did not understand why I wasn’t eating the way I used to. I could not even get my hubby to try my new raw creations. I was, and still am, all alone in my raw food world…haha!

I know there may be someone reading this, who might not have any support from those around them. I hope if you made the choice to eat raw for any reason you will find the strength to stick with it. {{{HUGS}}}

In order to keep eating this way, I needed to have a very strong belief that eating raw was best for my health. I know that by staying healthy, it will also benefit my family since I am a mother, wife, and daughter. All my research on staying healthy told me to eat lots and lots of raw, organic food.

It all boils (or dehydrates) down to one simple thought…

Nothing that anyone else eats affects MY health.

Now, I don’t mean to say that in a nasty way, it is just the truth. It is what helps me to stay raw.

In my perfekt:) world, everyone would be eating mostly raw, vegan food. We would all probably be healthier for it, and maybe insurance and taxes would go down, and the world would be a better place to live. So in a way, what everyone eats actually does affect me.

But I only have control over what I put in my mouth.

Naturally some of the food choices my family members make affect me directly, but they are old enough now to make their own decisions.

We are all different, with different needs and tastes, and different reasons to eat what we choose to eat.

Even if we are all eating raw food, you may choose to eat different things than I do.

Eating is very personal.

I alone am responsible for what I eat.

Now, my compassion for animals and the environment factors into eating raw vegan food. It makes me think twice about how I eat, but I never forget the main reason for me to eat the way I do, my health.

I like to think of us all at big huge buffet, picking and choosing different things to put on our plate…but sitting down at the same table to eat:)

Since you have been kind enough to read this little semi-rant, here is a quick little recipe for you! And remember, I luv ya no matter what you eat!

Trail Mix Truffles

1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4- 1/2 cup of happy trail mix, chopped in f.p.

Happy Trail Mix:
equal parts of cashews, pistachios, goji berries, mulberries, hunza raisins, and cacao nibs. I measure 1/2 a cup of each ingredient and keep in a mason jar.

1. In a food processor fitted with the "S" blade process dates until fine.

2. Add cacao powder and process until sticky. You can add a splash of water or a dash of vanilla if needed.

3. Pulse in walnuts until well chopped and mixture holds together.

3. Shape into 12 one inch balls, and roll in chopped trail mix.

Sprouting Chia Seeds

2010-05-24T18:38:00.006-04:00

Chia sprouts...These little beauties bring new meaning to the word "micro-greens"! They are tiny.

Although I have been eating chia seeds for many years, I had never sprouted them until recently.

My favorite resource for sprouting, sproutpeople.com has the proper instructions for sprouting this little powerhouse of nutrition, so please check them out. I did not have any of the recommended mediums for sprouting, so I came up with a plan of my own.

In the commercial, it looks like the famous chia pets are made of clay, and spread with the moistened gelatinous seeds. The seeds sprout, and look like green fur. Hmmm...are you still a vegan if you eat your chia pet :)???

I have an un-glazed stoneware pie plate, so I use that. Perhaps a terra cotta saucer sold for large pots would work.

Here is my method:

I wet the pie plate, and sprinkle on some chia seeds, leaving plenty of room for them to grow. It is probably about a teaspoon of seeds.

Next, I add some water,(about 1/16 of an inch) and soak the seeds.

The next day there are already some seeds bursting open!

They soon absorb all the water, so I add a sprinkle as needed to keep them moist.

Soon they start turning green:)

For a few hours a day, I cover them with a clear glass pie plate of the same size.

They love the sunny window.

About a week later they are ready to harvest. I cut them from the roots like a shoot, and rinse them gently in a mesh strainer. They taste a little like broccoli sprouts to me and have a slight spiciness.

They are so cute:)

They were delicious on little cucumber cups today.

The cups were filled with a mixture of tomato and the cucumber scooped from the cups, chives, a drizzle of oil, and coconut vinegar.

The mixture was topped with a generous dollop of Spring Herb Dressing, posted today on the wonderful blog, Raw Candy. I just love trying recipes from other bloggers. This dressing is a keeper...so creamy and good! Thank you, Camille, for sharing this recipe:)

Garnished with a few snipped chia sprouts, lunch was served:)

For storage of mature sprouts, snip and wrap in a clean damp cloth and refrigerate for a day or two. Rinse before using. They are very tender so I only store them for a day or two.

I would love to know if you have ever tried growing chia seeds. If you haven't, what is your favorite sprout to grow?

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post, My Mostly Raw Pantry. I still can't leave a comment myself, but I want you to know how much I love and appreciate your comments, feedback, and support.

In the comments, D2Quilter said...

"So here's a post idea. . . Could you give us a list of what you think is essential for a RAW beginner to have in their Pantry? I've been working on my raw pantry, but it's overwhelming to decide what to get started with. Also, how should nuts etc. . . be stored? Thanks!"

This is a wonderful suggestion for a blog post! I will be happy to post my thoughts on these questions. Thank you D2Quilter, please check back soon.

~ETA~ My raw pantry essential post!

My Mostly Raw Pantry:)

2010-05-21T12:12:00.011-04:00

Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments on my Staying Raw post earlier in the week. I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to visit my blog and leave me such kind words:)

Having a well stocked pantry is one of the things that help me stay raw. Julie you cracked me up about having pantry envy:)

Since there are still problems for me posting a comment to my own blog:), I wanted to answer a couple of questions from lovely fellow blogger, Colleen.

Colleen wanted to know "Is that all raw food?" and "Where did you get your jars?"

To answer the first question, here is a closer look at my "mostly raw" pantry.

As you can see, my pantry is actually just an old bookcase:) I have my "happy raw kitchen" set up in a small spare room. All my special equipment, like the dehydrator, and even my own little refrigerator is in this room. It is only a few steps from my "real" kitchen where the stove is..lol!

Almost everything is raw. Many of the jars have grains, sprouted and unsprouted, nuts, seeds, and spices. Most items are purchased from the bulk bins at the co-op.

Some have my own raw, dehydrated foods.

Here is a peek at some of my non-raw items.

The vegan marshmallow creme is an ingredient needed for my absolutely not raw baked vegan mallo-mars:)

Onto the second question about the jars:

The jars are all glass. Most are just the usual mason jar with 2 piece rings and seals. These are available by the case of 12 for under $10, and come in many different sizes. They can be found at supermarkets, hardware, and department stores.

The larger square jars with solid 1 piece lids are from the housewares department of stores like Target or the "W" store. I acquired them one at a time over the last few years. They run between 2 and 6 dollars each.

To label some of the square jars, I used pre-made stickers. I purchased them at the health food store I go to, and they look like they are made especially for jars.

Since the pantry has open shelves, I wanted the mason jars to look nice, so I cut a little circle of pretty paper to cover the lids. Trust me, I am not like this about the rest of the house...lol!

The papers I used are sold in the craft stores as scrap-booking paper. Since I love crafting, I happen to have a circle cutter:), so this makes it really easy to make the circles.

Some jars have part of the package the contents came in, like the cacao butter. I pre-grate the butter, and also tape on the nutrition label.

There is just a little hint of actual organization to my pantry.

The very top has some packaged things like agave, lucuma, and cocoa.

The 1st two shelves have spices and ingredients like orange and rosewater, grains, some oils, and salt.

The bottom shelves have beans and seeds and nuts, my pre-made raw foods, fruits, and odds and ends:)

Thanks for joining me today, and I hope you liked this little peek at my pantry:)

As mentioned above, I have not been able to post comments on my blog lately, so feel free to mail me if you have any questions.

King Oyster Mushroom "Calamari"

2010-05-20T12:00:00.012-04:00

I have been intrigued by Sarma's recipe for King Oyster Mushroom "Calamari" since I first saw it on page 155 of Living Raw Food.

Have I mentioned that this book is one of my favorite raw recipe books...ever?

Since I may never get to experience dining at Sarma's famous restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, this is the next best thing! Thank you Sarma, for putting your recipes in this lovely book for us:)

The hardest part about this recipe may be finding the king oyster mushroom. If you have an Asian market in your neighborhood, this might be the place to go. Around here, it is the only place I have seen them. If you don't know what they look like, here is a picture of mine.

I almost forgot they were in the fridge, and the cap of one got a bit frozen, but you don't use the cap for this recipe. And yes, they do sorta remind me of...

a peeled eggplant ;) As a matter of fact, Heathy used eggplant when she made this:)

This is what I consider a fun recipe. I get to play with things like cookie cutters. It is easy to make, and is really pretty quick. It is unique, and it tastes awesome! As usual, I scaled the recipe way down since it is just for moi:)

The first thing to do is slice the mushroom stems, and cut them into rings. I have a set of circle cutters of all different sizes that made the job very easy. If you don't have a circle cutter, the tops of small and large spice jars might work, and they are exactly the size of the two cutters I used. My blogging friend, Bitt, used an apple corer:)

I was able to get two or three rings from each slice.

There was a smaller cutter, but I thought it would be nice to make some "scallops" with the solid middle of each slice.

Sarma mentioned in the book that they make scallops at the restaurant. I just marinated mine in lemon, oil, dulse flakes, and some spices. They were delish!

The calamari is marinated for about a half hour, then coated with seasoned flax seed crumbs. After several hours in the dehydrator, they were perfect!

To accompany the calamari, there are two yummy condiments. A tartar sauce, and a cocktail sauce. I made both in a smaller batch (to my own tastes) and they are incredible! I could not decide which one I liked better, so I enjoyed a little of both and a squeeze of lemon on each tender calamari ring:)

A BIG HUGE THANKS to Sarma for sharing this delicious recipe!

Again, a word to my blogging friends...

Google reader is still cranky :(

I am having some issues commenting on almost everyone's blog this week! I can not even leave a comment on my own blog...lol! If you have blog comments powered by "disqus", it will not load for me at all. The problems are most likely on my end, and I hope to resolve them soon.

In the meantime, I am loving all your posts, and really wish I could comment...maybe someone is trying to keep me quiet??..LOL!

Staying Raw

2010-05-18T15:11:00.005-04:00

Before I get to today's post, I want to thank everyone that has been so sweet and let me know through blog comments, e-mail, and even Twitter DM's how much I was missed while I was in Florida. I am so lucky to have such wonderful, caring friends. Your concern has helped me through a rough spot in my life, and is so much appreciated! Thank you.

Also, to my blogger buddies, I am still catching up with you, and Google Reader has been a little...ummm...temperamental lately...lol! I love all your blogs so much and hate to miss out on what you have been doing.

OK!...on with today's post:)

I have been eating what I refer to as "mostly raw" food since early 2007. After feeling the benefits from this wonderful way of eating, it was clear to me that for the rest of my life, I would consume as much natural, organic raw food as possible.

Here are a few of the things that helped me stay raw.

1.) The very first thing that helped me stay raw was finding the website Gone Raw. Most of you are already familiar this awesome resource. I am pretty sure there are over 4000 recipes published there, with new recipes added weekly!

It was so incredible to know almost any recipe on that site would fit into my new way of eating:)

I observed the forums there for quite a while, and learned so much about the raw food lifestyle. The information there, to me, is priceless. Many thanks to Kandace and Ray for keeping this site up and running.

2.) Having a well stocked pantry and refrigerator allows me to experiment with lots of recipes. Check out the recipe index on this blog to see some of the raw food I have been making! Also, I don't buy food I should not eat!!!

There is food in the house for other family members, and I cook it for them. I just act like I am preparing food in a restaurant. It is not my food, I don't even taste it. I make sure I have had a healthy raw snackie before preparing their food.

I also eat every few hours to keep hunger at bay. I usually have 3 meals and 2 small snacks.

3.) Making beautiful meals from raw food:)

I try to make the food look attractive and appealing, even when I don't take a picture of it for the blog:) like My S&M Salad with butterfly crackers.

I also learned to slow down while eating, appreciate and be aware of each bite. I used to wolf down my food so fast when I was working, and didn't even sit down most times! No more eating out of the prep bowl for me either...I make a nice plate and sit down.

I purchased a small set of dishes I really loved, just for me.

4.) Finding my own favorite quick, easy, 'raw food essentials' such as smoothies, salads, juices, and snacks. It took me a while to find recipes I really love.

I always have a some food ready to 'grab and eat', like trail mix, granola, kale chips, marinated veggies, and date/nut balls or bars.

My happy raw trail mix is made from equal parts (1/2 cup each) of cashews, pistachios, hunza raisins, cacao nibs, mulberries, and goji berries. I measure, mix, and store it right in the jar. I topped some raw chocolate bars with this mix in the first picture above.

The staples of my diet take only a few minutes to prepare, and make up the bulk of my meals. One of my favorite everyday recipes is my caponata, pictured below in little tart shells. A big bowl of caponata lasts several days in the fridge, and tastes better as it marinates.

5.) Experimenting...a lot!

I occasionally like to make a fancy "gourmet" meal. Many favorites are in my raw food books.

I love to try almost any new recipe. I am never bored with raw food!!! Some of my favorites have been found on other blogs. I love you all, my creative blogging friends:)

I recently tried and loved Heathy's coconut chik'n curry,

and a sweet salad from Gena:)

6.) Eating at a restaurant that offers a salad bar. There aren't any places around here that are vegan, let alone raw! We eat out twice a week on average and try to pick a restaurant with a salad bar.

If we go someplace that does not have that option, I usually end up getting a big salad with some changes, like a chicken salad without the chicken...lol!

At Asian buffets, I can make a great salad using the raw vegan fixings they have set out for stir-fry. If no raw options are available, I just go with whatever looks like it will do the least damage!

Sometimes, I actually get a great raw food idea from restaurants. The salad bar at Ruby Tuesdays inspired this raw version of their Mediterranean pasta salad:)

7.) Most of all, what keeps me eating raw is the incredible way it makes me feel. Staying healthy is one of my top priorities in life, and I truly believe raw foods give me an "edge". I know it is not a guarantee of great health, but believe it is a major contributing factor.

8.) Although I did start eating raw foods for my health, the vegan aspect is now a HUGE reason for staying raw:) But that, my friends, could be another entire post!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today, and if you have any tips, I would love to know what helps you stay raw!

A Big Kiss for Mom!

2010-05-06T14:24:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! I am so excited to return to my happy raw kitchen just in time to share a special raw treat for Mother's Day.

This big giant "kiss" is so fast and easy. It is a raw variation of something I used to make with the little ones in my former daycare, and everyone always loved it! We used to make it with rice krispie treats or chocolate covered cheerios...shhhh!

You will need a few simple things:

1.) A funnel...this one has a lovely "kiss" shape:)

2.) A favorite recipe for raw chocolate, or raw brownies, or *anything else that can be shaped. Some yummy raw chocolate, either plain, or with fruit and nuts added is always delish!

3.) A square of foil or shiny silver fabric if you have it. You will need a bit of clear tape to secure the top if you are using fabric.

4.) A square of waxed paper.

5.) A strip of paper for a sweet message to tuck in. I printed out some messages on a word document and cut them into strips.

Step 1:
Prepare your treat recipe. I used some raw chocolate covered buckwheaties, the raw foodies answer to the chocolate "crunch" bar :)

Step 2:
Fill a funnel with the treat mixture to shape it. Be sure to plug the hole in the bottom of the funnel with something if your mixture might run out. Raw brownie mixes should be fine without filling the hole. Of course, you can hand shape brownie type treats into a "kiss" shape by hand. (I set the chocolate crisp filled funnel in a teacup to chill in the fridge until hard).

When it was chilled, I un-molded the "kiss".

Step 3:
Wrap the treat in waxed paper.

Step 4:
Wrap the treat in foil or shiny metallic fabric for a more eco-friendly version:)
Before securing the tip, tuck in your paper strip with a sweet message to Mom!

*** ETA*** For my sweet "fruity" friends :)!!!

*You can still enjoy making this treat with all fresh fruit.

Simply fill the corner of a "baggie"(I know, not so eco-friendly) with fruit. I used berries, but any small or cut up fruit could work. Secure the bag with a twist tie and snip off the excess bag.

I added a small circle of light cardboard (from a tea box) under the berries to prevent squishing and shape the bottom of the sweet fruity kiss. I used the seal from a mason jar as a template for the circle.

Wrap in foil or fabric, adding a special message as desired.

Smaller kisses can be made simply using strawberries.

I hope you like this fast and easy raw treat idea.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone.

Love and hugs (and raw chocolate, or fruity, kisses) to all!!!
Angela

P.S. to all my blogging buddies...By the looks of my Google reader, you have all been very busy since I was away, and I look forward to seeing what everyone has been up to.

Simple Pleasures

2010-02-25T14:48:00.005-05:00

I spend a lot of time in my happy raw kitchen, but it isn't always making something to eat!

Most raw food meals are actually quite simple, like today's breakfast, a coconut. It was especially enjoyable because I had a beautiful glass straw to drink from.

Such a simple pleasure! A coconut has never tasted so good.

My sweet hubby gifted me with a couple of new books, and a set of Glass Dharma straws for Valentine's Day. It wasn't a surprise, I picked them out..lol!

You may have noticed the pretty little box in the picture above. That is the reason I was in the kitchen today, crafting!

I may want to start carrying one of my lovely new glass straws with me when we go out, to use in place of the disposable plastic ones, so I made a pretty covered box for it.

It is so easy to do.

If you would like to re-purpose any box, here is what you need:

A cardboard box, I used the box the glass straw came in:)
Fusible webbing or fabric glue
Fabric, or an old shirt with a pretty pattern, cotton is best for fusing.
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Iron and ironing board
small buttons or beads
needle and thread

Step 1: Carefully open the box at the seam. For this project, you can cut off the little fold-in tabs(marked with a "X"), because they are not needed. A couple of the following pictures were the first box I made, and they still have the little tabs:) Flatten out the box as much as possible.

Step 2: Cut a piece of fabric and fusible web twice the size of the opened box, and about 1 inch bigger, all around. For this box, the piece was approx 11 inches on all sides. This piece will be cut in half, as you will need one piece of fabric to cover the inside, and one for the outside.

Step 3: Following manufacturers directions, iron fusible web to the back of the fabric. You can use fabric glue to cover the box, if you prefer.

Step 4: Iron or glue fabric to the outside side of the opened box. Trim fabric to a little less than 1/2 an inch all around.

Step 5: Clip into fabric where it has to go into a corner, or around the tab.

Step 6: With the inside of the box up, iron the excess fabric down all around the edge of the box,

Step 7: Cut the remaining fabric slightly smaller than the inside of the box. Save the scraps for step 10. You don't need to cover the inside of the tabs for this project. Iron or glue this fabric to the inside of the opened box.

Step 8: Refold the box making a sharp crease along the lines of the original box shape. Apply hot glue, or other strong glue to the inside edge of the box, and hold for a minute. See which end looks nicest for the top, and glue the other end closed.

Step 9: Add a little button or bead to the top of the open end so you know which end to open:) I sewed it on with strong upholstery thread.

Step 10: Iron on a small piece of saved fabric to the inside of the tab to cover stitches.

That's it! All done:)

I have been using my new straws all week, and I must say...

Glass Dharma straws are so beautiful, I just love them.

I hope you didn't mind my little green craft project today. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I absolutely love making craft projects, it's one of my simple pleasures. And of course, my favorite projects are ones that recycle things that might normally be discarded.

I must have made hundreds of recycled projects over the 12 years when I had my daycare. One reason was because I needed to find frugal, aka cheap:) ways to make projects with the little ones.

We made so many recycled projects that one day, one of my little angels arrived with an armful of...ummm...garbage, yelling "Look what my Mom almost threw away!!!" He actually took the stuff out of his garbage pail. Too cute:) Of course we made something out of it, I just don't remember what...haha!

I remembered that story today while making my little fabric covered boxes.

Thanks for visiting my crafty raw kitchen today:)

I would love to know what your simple pleasures are!

BTW, if you want a chance to win an awesome 25 Piece Cutlery and Gadget Pro Set with Wood Block for your kitchen, click this link to visit my girl Pam's blog!

Cinnamon Roll Soft-Serve:)

2010-02-24T16:02:00.008-05:00

Inspired by yesterday's Cinnamon Roll Smoothie:)

Cinnamon Roll Soft-Serve:)

For the banana soft-serve:
3 frozen bananas
6 Brazil nuts, finely ground
1"(inch) vanilla bean, finely ground
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, more or less, to taste
grab a few pecans, too:)

For topping:
1 tablespoon yacon syrup, or liquid sweetener like agave, date, or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
chopped pecans
currants, or raisins
extra cinnamon to sprinkle

1. Pulse frozen bananas in food processor fitted with the "S" blade until chopped.
Process until the consistency of soft ice cream, stopping and scraping sides several times. Click here for some scary:) pictures of making banana soft serve.

2. Add ground Brazil nuts, ground vanilla bean, pecans, and ground cinnamon, and pulse until mixed.

3. Shape into a cinnamon roll...lol! I just used the back of a spoon and possibly a clean finger(around the edge) to create a round shape with a deep swirl on top. If making for guests, I would pipe it out using a pastry bag with a large plain tip. You may freeze the shapes firm, if desired.

4. For topping, mix cinnamon into yacon syrup. Drizzle into swirl of cinnamon roll, and sprinkle with chopped pecans and currants, and extra cinnamon if desired.

~ETA~If you would like a chance to win an awesome ice cream maker, click this link to enter the giveaway at HiHoRosie's Place!

I will try to catch up with my lovely blogging friends very soon. Our electric had been out most of today due to the weather, and I may have to turn off the computer if the power starts blinking:)

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope to see you all soon!

Cinnamon Roll Smoothie

2010-02-23T11:00:00.004-05:00

This morning I made a wonderful recipe inspired by the lovely Joanna, of one of my favorite blogs Promoting the Raw Food Diet while De-bunking the Myths.

Click here for the Cinnamon Roll Smoothie recipe

I took a little short-cut, and simply put the frozen bananas, a few Brazil nuts, cinnamon, vanilla bean, and a little water in the blender all at once:)

I drizzled some yacon syrup in the glass to decorate, as Joanna did. Next time, I want to try a swirl on the top:) I thought this looked so pretty when I first saw her post, I knew I would have to make it:)

Thank you so much, Joanna, for this wonderful recipe! It really does have all the yummy flavor of cinnamon rolls:)

You may want to check out this post at Joanna's blog for an awesome giveaway for Purely Delicious Magazine, a publication focusing on the raw food diet! How awesome is that?!!! This giveaway has ended~Congratulations to Tale of Two Vegans

ETA~Raw Juice Girl at Healing with (Raw) Juices is having a Glass Dharma giveaway!

Quickie post today...looks like I may have to shovel some snow:)

Raw Food Gone Rawng:)

2010-02-18T12:57:00.008-05:00

Every once in a while I make something that just isn't what I expected.

Several years ago, I heard that sweet brown rice was the only rice that would sprout. I envisioned all kinds of fantastic raw sprouted rice dishes, sushi, un-fried rice, raw rice pilaf, and so on:)

I bought some organic, sweet brown rice in the bulk bins at the co-op. I excitedly brought it home, soaked, and sprouted it!

OK... now to sample my sweet, beautiful, sprouted raw brown rice....

um...not so good, lol!

It was really not sweet, as the name implies, but rather bitter, and still quite hard. Could I mask the taste with some intense ingredients like NamaShoyu or something...

uh...not happening, and of course, still hard.

So, my lovely sprouted brown rice went straight into the dehydrator, and was ground into powder. I knew there was some nutritional benefit to it, as some protein powders are made with rice.

Now I sprout sweet brown rice just to make this healthy raw sprout powder:)

I also do this at the end of the week with any leftover sprouts, like mung bean, that I am unable to use before they go bad. Simply dehydrate, and grind in the Blendtec:)

I have hidden:) this powder in smoothies, soups, crackers, and today, banana soft-serve:)

Strawberry Stracciatella Soft-Serve

4 frozen bananas
1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/8-1/4 cup rice powder, or other sprout powder of choice, optional:)
1/4 cup raw chocolate, still melted
chocolate covered strawberries, chopped fresh berries, optional

1. Pulse frozen bananas in food processor fitted with the "S" blade until well chopped. Add strawberries and rice powder, and continue to process until mixture is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. You may have to stop and scrape the sides occasionally.

2. With the machine running, drizzle in the raw melted chocolate. This will form thin, crispy chocolate chips, known as "Stracciatella". So delish!

3. Serve with additional chopped strawberries and top with a chocolate covered strawberry:)

So this is what I did with a raw food gone rawng:) I would love to know if you have anything you have done to "save" an inedible raw food.

Chocolate Banana Pudding Cake

2010-02-16T13:25:00.004-05:00

I found myself with a few too many ripe avocados today...hmmm, what's a raw, chocolate lovin' girl to do:)

Chocolate-Banana Pudding Cake

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup dates, I used medjool
1 cup coconut flakes, I used fine shred
2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs
pinch of cinnamon, optional

Filling:
4 medium avocados, soft and ripe
1 banana, spotty:)
1 cup raw cacao powder
¼-½ cup agave, to taste
¼ cup maple syrup, I used grade B
¼ cup coconut oil, softened, increase amount to 1/2 cup or sub cacao butter for firmer filling
½ whole vanilla bean, ground

1. Process all crust ingredients in food processor fitted with the "S" blade until crumbly and sticky. Press into 7" spring-form pan, or pan of choice. Chill while preparing filling.

2. Process all filling ingredients in food processor fitted with the "S" blade until thick and smooth. Pour into chilled crust.The filling is a variation of one of the most surprising recipes(IMHO) in the raw food world.

When I first tried this recipe on Gone Raw, I could not believe that avocado, sweetener, and cacao could turn into chocolate pudding (or mousse), but it did! There are countless variations of this avocado pudding:)

3. Top with large coconut flakes and cacao nibs as desired. I also added some raw choccie hearts from v-day:)

Click here to see my raw chocolate recipe, suitable for molding:)

This page has the chocolate heart mold I used, #VO24

4. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours before serving, small pies or tarts will take less time.

This recipe is adapted from one posted in the current edition of Better Nutrition. Thanks for the inspiration BN!

Anyone wanna piece?

Sweet Sunshine!

2010-02-15T16:18:00.005-05:00

Today is a very sunny day. Well, not outside, but inside for sure!

I was so honored to be given the Sunshine Award by Julia, bitt, and Joanna.

ETA~I was also given this award by Cathy of Eating Clouds and Sunshine! Thank you so much!!!:)

I find myself at a loss for words...except to say thank you:) You have all filled my heart with such gratitude. Thank you my sweet friends. {{{HUGS}}}

The rules for accepting this award are simple, link to the person who gave it to you, and pass it on to 12 other people who bring you sunshine.

It is my pleasure to pass this award to some of my favorite bloggers, in random order:)

Heathy~Adventures of Raw Goddess Heathy

kelli~Animal-Friendly Eating

Antony~Living Raw Food UK

Christopher~Berry Boy:)

Melissa~Contagious Health

Cathy M~Eating Clouds and Sunshine

Michal~Earth Muffin

Isle Dance~Isle Dance

Leslie~Recycle your Day

Aimee aka bitt~A Bitt of Raw

Pam~A love For New Recipes

Fayinagirl, Julie:)~Gluten-Free Vegan Family

Julia~Easy Eco to Go

Joanna~Promoting the Raw Food Diet While De-bunking the Myths

Nikki~Yummy Raw Kitchen

Here is a little more sunshine for all of you. My Orange Sunshine Soup:)

This was one of the recipes that got me through my first year of eating raw. It is sweet, simple, and filling. Loaded with vitamin C, too!

Orange Sunshine Soup

Ingredients:

1 avocado
2 small organic oranges
1 small orange bell pepper, remove seeds, stem and tear or cut into pieces
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon orange zest
nutmeg and cinnamon for garnish
sweetener of choice, optional
Preparation:

1. Wash and zest oranges (reserve zest), then peel them, put in blender first.

2. Cut avocado in half and scoop out one half and add to blender.

3. Score other half into cubes and scoop into serving bowl.

4. Add pepper and spices and blend till creamy. Add sweetener if desired, to taste.

5. Pour into bowl and sprinkle (through stencil, if desired:) with cinnamon, nutmeg and reserved zest.

I sometimes add a little agave if I am in a sweet mood:)

I would also like to share something you can to do with the mesh bag that produce comes in.

I sometimes buy avocados, oranges, onions, and other items in a large bag. Since I am very much into living green:), I make a scrubbie that can be used for cleaning around the house.

All you need to do is make a ball with the mesh bags. Make sure to remove any metal rings or tags that are sometimes used on the mesh. Use as many as you like, two or three is a good size for me. They make great pot-scrubbers if you still do any cooking...haha!

Pull any loose ends around to the back of the ball, and sew several stitches to hold it together. I use upholstery thread so it withstands heavy scrubbing, but any thread should be fine. If you want, these can be cleaned in the dishwasher and reused again and again.

The mesh actually comes in different varieties. The green bags that the avocados come in is soft compared to the red onion bags. The black mesh is sort of harsh, but still won't scratch tubs or things like that:)

I would love to know if you have found other ideas for using these bags! I have wanted to try sewing bags together for a larger bag to bring shopping, but haven't tried that yet.

Thanks for visiting my blog today, I am giving everyone reading this a 'Thanks for Reading My Blog Today Award'...haha!

Lovely Orange-Fennel Salad

2010-02-12T12:37:00.005-05:00

This salad was inspired from the first course offered by Sarma on thePure Food and Wine Valentine's Day Menu posted here.

The combination of fennel, avocado, and pomegranate sounded so good. To keep it on the light side for my lunch today, I did not add avocado, but will when I make this again:) I used the orange flavor from Sarma's dressing, and added orange segments to my salad instead.

For the Salad
1 small bulb fennel(aka anise), sliced thin
1 orange, supremed*
1 small avocado, cubed
2-3 Tablespoons pomegranate arils
strawberry hearts:), optional for garnish

1. Combine fennel, orange segments, avocado if using, and pomegranate arils.

2. Pile on a plate, and decorate with strawberry hearts:)

3. Serve with a sweet dressing. I used the one that follows.

*supremed is just a fancy word for segmented:) Simply cut off both ends of the unpeeled orange, and slice off the rest of the peel while resting a cut end on the cutting board. Once the peel is removed, cut between the membranes of the segments and remove the orange segments:)

For the dressing:(a variation of my sweet orange dressing)

1/2 orange, peeled (can use zest, if desired)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon raw coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons agave, or a soft, pitted medjool date
pinch of salt and pepper, optional

Combine all dressing ingredients in magic bullet or blender until creamy.

I was inspired to use the coconut vinegar from this post by Fayinagirl of the incredible Gluten-Free Vegan Family blog. I made her awesome avocado timbale yesterday for dinner, and loved it! Thanks Julie:)!!

And, I immediately fell in love with the coconut vinegar:) It was the first time I used this lovely raw vinegar. I loved the subtle sweet coconut flavor. It made a delightful difference in the dressing:)

Hope you all did not mind my daily postings this week! I guess I was making up for lost time while I was away:)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and Valentine's Day.

{{{BIG HUGE VALENTINE HUGS TO ALL!!!}}}

Sweet Heart Breakfast:)

2010-02-11T10:09:00.003-05:00

Most mornings, my favorite breakfast is simply some fresh fruit.

Since I am still in a romantic mood for Valentine's Day on Sunday, I thought I would make a sweet but special fruit plate.

In a perfect world, this would be brought to me in bed...haha!

So easy even a child could make this...

1. Cut a heart shape out from the center of a nice juicy slice of cantaloupe. I had heart shaped cutters, but it can be done with a knife.

2. Fill with assorted berries or fruit, some may be cut into heart shapes:)

3. Garnish plate with whole strawberries and mint if desired.

The top picture shows a recycled paper heart that I will be using to decorate a card. Click here to see how it was made:)

Hope you get a chance to make this sweet valentine breakfast, or better yet, receive it!!!

Raw Valentine Ravioli

2010-02-09T12:06:00.003-05:00

One plate, two forks...

...A girl can dream, can't she? Ha hahha:)

Well, at least I know there are some raw foodies out there that have someone special in their life that would just love to share a beautiful plate of raw ravioli:)

Click here for this lovely recipe from raw chef Sarma Melngailis, featured at G Living.

I reduced the recipe to about about 1/3, so many of the ingredient amounts were estimated:)

Today I used both red and golden beets. The golden beets have a slightly milder flavor than the red, but I think they both worked well in the recipe. Of course, I cut them into little heart shapes for Valentines Day:)

I used an orange bell pepper for the delicious sauce, and subbed cashews for the pine nuts called for.

This fabulous meal came together very quickly and easily, and I thought it was awesome! Such a beautiful blend of flavors:)

If you haven't had beet ravioli before, this would be an awesome recipe to try!

Thank you to Sarma for sharing this recipe online for us all to enjoy!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!!

Magic Chocolate:)

2010-02-08T13:27:00.006-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!

I am back from my wonderful trip to Florida. We had a fantastic time visiting my family, and I am feeling so grateful right now. It had been about four years since I last saw my Mom, Dad, and brother. Thank you to everyone who wished us well during our road trip:)

As much as I love to travel, as Dorothy said, "There is no place like home". I was very anxious to see my pets and get back into my happy raw kitchen today!

I was delighted to make another yummy recipe from the amazing Kate Magic. After making Kate's incredible Marching Biscuits I was looking forward to trying this chocolate recipe also shared at the Raw Living site.

The recipe is I Can Go Go Go Too...

There are two delicious layers to this treat. Each layer is brilliant on its own, and combined makes a fabulous and healthy treat.

For half the recipe, I subbed the zest of one orange for the orange oil. I omitted the optional ingredients, and used agave for the sweetener in both layers.

The chocolate layer called for coconut butter (I used Artisana), but was a bit thick, so I added a heaping spoonful of coconut oil(I used Tropical Traditions) to the mixture to loosen it.

I molded them in a brownie bite pan, and topped the chocolate layer with a mix of chopped goji berries, cacao nibs and hemp seed. Half the recipe made 20 bite sized chocolates.

Since Valentine's Day is soon, I added a raw chocolate heart to the lighter layer of several choccies, which was actually the bottom:) These would make a lovely treat for your 'special someone':)

I absolutely love this recipe! I am always amazed that yummy raw treats can be so good for us too!

Huge thanks to the lovely Kate Magic for sharing this fantastic recipe with us! I look forward to trying more of your recipes soon:)

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope to see you soon:)

Lemon-Caper Pasta and...

2010-01-26T13:46:00.008-05:00

...A surprise road trip!!!!

My hubby knows I have been missing my family in Florida. Yesterday, he said we could visit them, and we are leaving tomorrow!!! It should be a 'long weekend' trip.

I do love surprises, and this was a major surprise:) To prepare for the trip, I made a checklist of things to bring, and printed out some online recipes, since I will not have internet access there.

The list helped a lot when it came time to pack. Here is a pic of my tiffins and other stainless containers. Some already had some goodies in them:) I will also be making some goodies to enjoy during the 20-something hours we will be driving.

There is a slight chance I will stay for a longer visit, so I also packed some appliances and things like my knife set, nutmilk bag, and of course my favorite gadgets.

Here is one of my favorite recipes I plan on making while I am away.

ETA~I have switched out the original old pic for a heart shaped* pasta for Valentine's Day:) You can still see the original pic on gone raw.

Lemon Caper Pasta

Ingredients:

1 yellow summer squash, organic, or other veggie pasta
1 lemon, organic
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon capers, organic but not raw, drained
1 medium tomato, 1/4 inch dice

gremolata topping:
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic
Preparation:

1. Process squash as desired for 'pasta', squeeze dry.

2. Zest lemon(reserve zest) and juice it, should be about 2 tablespoons juice.

3. Combine oil with lemon juice, capers, and only 1/2 of the lemon zest.

4. Pour over squash and mix well.

5. Top with tomato.

* For the heart shape, I used a small heart shaped pan. I placed the tomato in first, topped it with the lemon-caper pasta, put the plate on top and flipped it over. After removing the heart pan, I sprinkled it with the gremolata:)

6. For gremolata, chop remaining zest with parsley and garlic and sprinkle over pasta.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I will see you soon!!!

Sarma's Beet Ravioli

2010-01-21T12:16:00.006-05:00

Another winner from the pages of Living Raw Food by the lovely Sarma Melngailis.

Pages 201-2 feature this amazing entree.

At first glance, you might think such a beautiful meal would have lots of ingredients and take forever to make. I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case :)

To start, prepare the pine nut "goat cheese" filling for the tender ravioli. Simply process* the perfect mix of pine nuts, oil, shallot, lemon zest and juice, nutritional yeast, s&p...see how easy:)

*One tiny little 'oopsie' here, I let it go a bit too long in the processor, and it got a little oily, but still tasted incredible:)

The delectable Rosemary-Cream Sauce includes half of the goat cheese with the addition of lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, water, s&p. I added slightly less water to create a very thick sauce. Again, so easy...

The last step involves slicing beets thinly, and cutting shapes as desired. Since it is how the ravioli is presented in the book, and it is getting close to Valentine's Day, I thought hearts would be nice. Next step is giving them a little soak in oil, lemon juice, and salt.

While they are soaking, you may want to give your fingers and cutting board a nice little scrub, since they will most likely be a lovely shade of pink by now:)

To finish, I drained the beets on a paper towel(don't yell at me, my fellow green peeps) and filled them with a little cheese mixture. Lay them on a plate with some fabulous Rosemary-Cream Sauce, a few drops of balsamic, a sprig of rosemary(or micro greens) and you are done!

This is absolutely one of the tastiest beet ravioli I have ever had. The fact that it is so easy to make is a huge plus. I especially adore the lemony flavors in it.

Sincere thanks to Sarma for sharing this fantastic recipe.

A bit of Magic and a taste of Heaven:)

2010-01-20T13:29:00.004-05:00

I could not resist the name of this post:)

The reason?...I made Kate Magic's Marching Biscuits,

and Antony Heaven's Chocolate Spread to go on them!

I recently became a fan of Antony's blog. I love all the recipes he shares with us, and pictures of what he is eating.

There are quite a few of his recipes I would like to try, but we had to start somewhere, right?

Several of Antony's posts mentioned Kate Magic's Marching Biscuits. They looked so good, especially when Antony made his own chocolate spread to top them!

Click here for Antony's Blog post that got me so interested in trying this yummy recipe:) The link to the biscuit recipe is posted there as well.

Here is the link to Antony's post with the Chocolate Spread recipe

You know by now I have a hard time following directions:) I did not have a few of the ingredients, so I omitted them(zylosweet, he shou wu, and purple corn). I used about 3/4 cup of agave for added sweetness. My currants replaced the raisins called for. I also added 1 more cup of water, as Antony suggested.

The directions say to mix and soak just the seeds overnight with the water, but I mixed in the currants, cocoa, and lucuma too.

As soon as I added the water and agave to this mixture, look what happened...

It made me laugh as it started bubbling and gurgling for about a minute. This may be the strangest looking raw food pic I have ever posted...lol!

After everything calmed down, it soaked overnight.

In the morning, I was able to make several different variations. I made some with goji berries,

my favorite:) had dried cherries,

and one I left plain with the currants. I made some into heart shapes, and decorated them with nuts, seeds and lavender.

I cut some into squares and some into long bar shapes...

Click here if you would like some tips on making raw breads and crackers.

I made half the fabulous chocolate spread recipe, and added the cacao, coconut and maca to taste, since I was not sure about the 'd' measurement:)

If you have a stick blender, it is the perfect tool for making half of the spread recipe.

This spread was so delicious! I ate much more than I should have because I sat down on the couch with the spread and a plateful of the long biscuits! I am calling this my lunch for today:)

Try it, and you will see what I mean:)

Thank you so much to Kate Magic, and Antony! I loved both these recipes, and together they are especially awesome.

Rawmazing Turmeric Salad...

2010-01-19T12:56:00.002-05:00

...and a winter walk in the Adirondacks:)

One of my quickie posts again! I wanted to share a few pictures from my walk today, but first, what I ate for lunch!

Susan Powers of Rawmazing made a lovely turmeric salad the other day. I love to find new recipes containing healthy turmeric, and this one sounded perfect! I just love Susan's blog. It is so inspiring!

What a wonderful, crisp, sweet, satisfying salad this is! I loved the cheery color, too:)

As usual, I made a couple of small ingredient substitutions. Currants in place of raisins, and chives instead of onion.

I loved how everything came together so quickly, and used ingredients I usually have on hand:)

Thank you to the lovely Susan Powers for this yummy salad recipe! I am so happy you posted this!

Now, please indulge me as I share a few pics from my walk today...

The pics are a little dark, but I was so happy it wasn't very cold out today! How cold was it? Almost 40 degrees:) Although I love the fast and freezing walks, I can't stay out too long when it is in the single digits:)

One of my favorite evergreens:)

A few of my favorite evergreens:)

The lake

Berries that I pretend are gojis:) They must be poisonous or they would have been eaten by something:)

Another peek at the frozen lake

Hope you all are happy, warm, and enjoying some yummy raw food too!

Choccie Cherry Chia Pudding

2010-01-18T10:12:00.007-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!

I want to express my sincere gratitude for the wonderful response to my last post, Recipe Index. I added the index icon to the top of the right sidebar for your convenience:) Thank you all so much:)

I have been so inspired by the chia pudding trend lately among fellow bloggers! What chia pudding trend, you say? Check it out!

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Chia by Nikki of Yummy Raw Kitchen

Chia pudding by kelli of Animal-Friendly Eating

Chai Chia Pudding by Michal of lil Earth Muffin

Goji Chia Pudding from Raw Goddess from The Adventures of Raw Goddess Heathy

Chia Seed Porridge with Bananas and Raisins by Antony of Antony in London

And I am only going back about a week!!! If you, or someone you know has posted a chia pudding recipe you would like to see added here, please let me know:)

Of course I can never forget my first;)
Chocolate Ecstasy Tapioca Pudding from Slosh-uh on Gone raw!

And here are a few more posted on Gone Raw

Here is a coconut one to try.

How about a warming chia pudding :)

Goji chia pudding

Chia Chocolate Chip pudding!

Chia Mulberry Goji Pudding

Chia pudding is a wonderful way to get in some healthy chia seed. Here is my recipe, inspired by all of the above!

Choccie Cherry Chia Pudding

2 tablespoons chia seed
1 tablespoon hemp seed
1 teaspoon cacao powder
1 teaspoon agave, or sweetener of choice
10 pitted cherries, chopped or halved
1/4 cup brazil nut milk*, or milk of choice:)

*Brazil nut milk:
12 brazil nuts, shelled:)
1 cup water
vanilla and sweetener, optional

For 1 cup of milk:
Blend all ingredients, strain, or not...lol

1. For chia pudding, mix chia, hemp, cacao.
2. Add nut milk. Add as much as desired, but at least 1/4 cup.
3. Stir until combined.
4. Sweeten to taste.
5. Add cherries, and an extra sprinkle of that healthy hemp:)

Chia pudding is a great recipe idea to make your own.

There are endless combinations, just put in what you like:)

Recipe Index

2010-01-15T11:30:00.022-05:00

Hi everyone!

The picture posted above has been added to the top of the right sidebar. Click on the picture with the blender in the sidebar to return to this index:)

Here you will find links to all the recipes featured on the happy raw kitchen. They are for recipes I have made and posted on this blog.

Most of the posts they take you to will have the recipe, or link to the recipe found elsewhere online.

And, every single recipe has at least one photo:)

Please let me know if you come across any problems with the links provided.

Thank you, and enjoy:)

Beverages
Kombucha
Cinnamon Roll Smoothie by Joanna Stevens
Raw 'Eggnog':)
Cinnamon Pecan Milk
Cranberry Orange Pear Juice
Warm Almond Milk
Blissful berry smoothie
Triple Thick Chocolate Shake
favorite green smoothie

Breakfast
Raw Sprouted Oatmeal (Maple Cinnamon and Chocolate:)
Sweet Heart Breakfast
Breakfast cookie pops
banana and currants

Chips/Crackers/Breads
Raw Sprouted Bagels
Kate Magic's Marching Biscuits
Raw Corn Muffin Tops:)
Caponata Crisps
Italian Herb Crackers
Raw Sprouted Essene Bread
Raw Rosemary Crackers
Chia-Sesame Cracker
Crisp Herb Crackers

Desserts
Fudgie Hemp Balls
Raw Chocolate Lava Cake
Raw Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
Trail Mix Truffles
Cinnamon Roll Soft-Serve:)
Strawberry Stracciatella Soft-Serve
Chocolate Banana Pudding Cake
Kate Magic's I Can Go Go Go Too (Chocolates)
Raw Cherry Garcia® Soft Serve
Raw Carrot Cake:)
Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake
Chocolate Pecan Pie:)
Raw Gingerbread Cookies:)
Raw Cherry-Hemp Brownie
Holly-day Raw Eggnog Cake
Spiced Nut Cream
Dates Stuffed with Walnuts and Chai-Vanilla Cream
Raw Cowboy Cookies
Vanilla Chai Spice Macaroon
CranBanApple Parfait
Banana-Pear Soft-Serve
Sweet Potato Soft-Serve
Raw Chocolate
Caramel Coconut Cookies(spooky version)
Hemp Power Ball Truffles
Raw Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Chocolate Durian Ice Cream
Raw Caramel Brownie Bites
Summer Peach Cobbler by Diana Stobo
Hemp Brownie Sundae
Strawberry Ice Cream
Ani Phyo's Mango Tartlets
Cherry Cacao Cobbler by bitt
Cherry Bombs
Russell James' Maca-Ice Cream and Cacao Crackle Sandwiches
Ani Phyo's Carob Walnut Cookies
Chocolate Pecan Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Halvah Truffle Trio
Choccie Cherry Chia Pudding

Dips/Dressings
Antony Heaven's Chocolate Spread
Sweet Cranberry-Orange Dressing
Creamy Hemp Basil Sauce from Choosing Raw
Cole's Coconut Fruit Dip
Dipping oil for Raw Bread
Kalamata Karma Dressing
Creamy Macadamia-Lime Hemp Dressing
Basil Salsa Verde
blueberry dressing from KMcR
sweet orange dressing
raspberry vinaigrette

Entrees
Heathy's Coconut Chik'n Curry
Mediterranean Wrap w/Red Pepper Hummus by Ani Phyo
Raw Eggplant Caponata
snowdrops Raw Porcini Ravioli in Cream Sauce:)
Chunky Raw Veggie Chili
Fennel & Tomato Tart
Turnip Pasta(inspired by Gena)
Chad Sarno's Beetroot Ravioli
Salsa Finta and Almond Polpetta over Angel Hair Pasta(Russell James)
Spinach Masala (Russell James)
Summer Rolls by paige4
Pesto pasta
Lemon-Caper Pasta
Sarma's Ravioli for Valentine's Day

Holiday/Special Occasion
Watermelon Baby Buggy
Watermelon Basket
Big Chocolate "Kiss"
Kale Salad Wreath
Raw Caponata Turkey:)
Pilgrim Hat Brownies
Sweet Lil' Turkey
The Juiciest Turkey Ever!
Raw Vegan Turkey:)
Spooky Sweets
Vampiric Vermin
Raw Halloween Main Course
Creepy Caponata
Smoky Bones(or jicama fries)
Spooky S&M Salad
Savory Raw Halloween Ideas
Raw Chocolate, Halloween mold
Swamp-water Smoothie(includes floating skull ice sculpture) and snack ideas
The Grim Rimmer
Banana I Scream
Creepy Creature Finger Food(caramel cookies)
Watermelon Brain
Halloween version of Sarma's Congo Bars
Jack-o-Lantern pepper bowl for dip
Boo~nanners, Darlin Clementine Punkins, and Fudgey the Friendly Bat

Salads
Gena's Fig and Pistachio Salad
Lovely Orange-Fennel Salad
Christmas Kale by Jennifer Cornbleet
Berry Festive Wreath Salad
Raw Cranberry Salad
My S&M Salad Recipe
Wilted Kale Salad with Creamy Chipotle Dressing(Russell James)
bok choy salad
Dandy salad with sweet orange dressing
Pickle-Dilly Salad
Asian cucumber and spinach salad
Korean cucumber salad
Bountiful Bouquet
Berry yummy salad
Rawmazing Turmeric Salad by Susan Powers

Sides
Raw Vegan Bacon
Fun Fries

Snacks/Misc
Real Cream Cheese
Cucumber Cups with Chia Sprouts
Happy Raw Trail Mix
Gena's Sweet Cheese and Crackers
Olive Penguins!
Evergreen Herb Wreath
Vanilla Chai Spice Mix Recipe
Pinecone Cheezeball
Cinnamon Glazed Pecans
Mediterranean Cucumber Cups
Caponata Tartlets
Snackie the Snake
Sweet Strawberry Mice!
Soft Chocolate Chunks
Sweet Cinnamon Butter
Tomato-Olive Bites
Herbes de Provence
Festive fruit stars
Watermelon Mini Cake Delights by rawleen:)
Pretty in Pink treat or strawberry dip
Ladybugs on a Log
fruit fiends

Soups
Orange Sunshine Soup
Red Pepper and Hemp Soup from Choosing Raw
Sweet-n-Special Soup
Warm tomato soup

I will do my best to add recipe links as new ones are posted:) I may also be moving things around a little and adding new categories.

Any suggestions for improving this index are welcome!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

{{{HUGS}}} and happy eating,
Angela:)

Raw Cherry Garcia® Soft Serve

2010-01-13T10:10:00.007-05:00

One of the first raw desserts I ever tried was turning frozen bananas into a creamy treat. I first learned of doing this from Living on Live Food (p.516).

Thank you to Alissa Cohen for introducing me to this simply awesome raw dessert.

Of course, the raw food world was forever changed by this post from the lovely Gena of ChoosingRaw:)

Over the last several years, I must have made this hundreds of times, and tried so many different add-ins and flavor combinations.

Here is my favorite:)

You may remember my Halloween version...lol!

For flavor inspiration, I love to check out all the flavors at the Ben and Jerry website. Today I tried a raw Cherry Garcia® soft serve!

The base of the ice cream is of course frozen slices of banana. I used about 4 bananas, and pulsed them in the food processor using the "S" blade to about the size of peas. I added some pitted cherries, about 1/2 a cup, and 1/2 a teaspoon of cherry extract, and continued processing until a soft-serve consistency was reached. I did stop to scrape down the sides several times.

To this mix, I tossed in some raw chocolate chunks, and small handful of chopped cherries. Three or four more pulses mixed it all in. This makes 2 servings for me.

The chocolate was just some leftover Christmas Chocolates:)

This was awesome by itself, but so much better with a little chocolate sauce and a sprinkle of chia seed:)

Since I like to have mostly fruit for breakfast, I must confess this is what I had today. Is chocolate considered a fruit?

I just love raw food:)

Raw Carrot Cake:)

2010-01-12T14:06:00.012-05:00

Today, as I caught up on some reading, I came across this awesome post from Pam of the wonderful blog, A Love For New Recipes.

Pam is celebrating her 1 year "blogiversary" and made a yummy looking spice cake. Happy blogiversary, Pam!!!

Most times there is a raw alternative to a cooked recipe, and I remembered that one of my favorite raw chefs, Russell James, had a lovely looking Carrot & Orange Cake recipe:)

A short while later, I was eating this yummy cake!

It was dense, moist, and delicious!

I even made a few bite-sized muffins

I made only half the recipe, just for me:) I subbed currants for the raisins, and mixed a little frosting into the cake to help it set up a bit since I did not dehydrate it.

~ETA...I just noticed the directions say to mix it in a bowl. I just pulsed it all in the processor:) I really have to learn to follow directions:)!!

The carrot decoration is thin slices of carrot, cut to look like a tiny carrot or flower with a mint leaf top:) If your carrots have the tops on them, you can use a little for the green, or even a tiny parsley leaf.

Thank you to raw Chef Russell James for another awesome recipe:)

Thanks to Pam for the inspiration!
*********************************
ETA...Special message to Melissa of the wonderful Contagious Health blog:

Sweetie, I have been trying to leave you a message on your comment section. Could you please get in touch with me so I can explain what is happening:) My contact info is on my profile:)

Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake

2010-01-08T11:56:00.005-05:00

I feel like I am the last raw food blogger on earth to try Ani Phyo's famous Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake! Really, I don't know what took me so long:)

It is featured on page 49 of Ani's Raw Food Desserts book. If you love fast, easy, and delicious desserts, I highly recommend this book:) You can find it through her website.

Check out my first taste of Ani's recipes here.

I loved Ani's mango tart-lets, as well!

A quick Google search found this cake recipe online just for those that don't have the book yet. I also just remembered Sarma has the recipe posted as well:)

I was very impressed with this recipe! It has very few ingredients, and comes together in a flash!

The rich cake is made from walnuts, cacao powder, dates and salt. The creamy ganache is a blend of dates, agave, avocado, and cacao powder. The raspberry filling is simply raspberries:) I was lazy and made the frosting first, and didn't wash the processor in between...shhh, don't tell;)

I shaped it by packing it in a 5 inch spring-form pan. It is such a cute cake! I think you could easily make cupcakes with it too:)

Thanks to raw Chef Ani Phyo for this yummy recipe:)

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Thanks so much for stopping by:)

Raw Corn Muffin Tops:)

2010-01-07T11:19:00.006-05:00

Sometimes I see a recipe that I can't wait to try...so I don't!!!

The lovely Kelli made a comment on my chili post the other day and mentioned she might try making Mosaica's corn bread with it.

Thank you Google, I found the recipe within seconds:)

The recipe is posted on The Sunny Raw Kitchen blog. There is also a yummy looking chili on the same post:)

A few minutes later, the food processor was spinning. I tweaked the recipe slightly to make little bite sized muffin tops. I simply ground the sunflower and sesame seeds to a flour.

I also reduced the amount of some of the spices(salt, paprika, onion, garlic) by half. The recipe called for a small red pepper, and a small yellow pepper. Since red and yellow make orange:) I just used 1 large orange pepper..hehe!

I scooped the muffin top batter onto the teflex sheets using a mini ice cream scooper. I think the recipe made about 2 dozen:) Total drying time was around 8 or 9 hours at 112 degrees. I shut the dehydrator off after about 5 hours since it was bedtime, put the muffin tops in a container in the fridge, and resumed drying in the morning. At lunchtime, they were perfect!

I really enjoyed this recipe. They were perfect with the second serving of chunky raw veggie chili:)

I whipped up a bit of coconut oil with a dash of hemp oil and salt for the "butter". It melted right into the warm corn muffin tops, oh yeah:)

Thanks so much to Mosaica for this delicious recipe:)

Of course my Google search revealed a few more awesome looking raw corn bread recipes to try!!!

Here is a wonderful looking recipe for raw cornbread on Raw Food Talk by Katchmoleen.

Raw Food Tulsa Warm Corn Bread

Corn Bread recipe on From Sad to Raw

Cornbread Sandwich recipe by sweetpea on gone raw:)

I am sure there are more out there!

Ahhhh....so many recipes, so little time:)

Chunky Raw Veggie Chili

2010-01-05T11:14:00.005-05:00

With over four thousand raw recipes, Gone Raw is always my go-to site for trying something new:) I always make sure to check at least once a week for new recipes there.

Today I tried the Veggie Chili from starjen42. Check out all the awesome comments on the recipe page. Everyone loved it!

As usual, I adjusted the recipe to my own tastes:) I added a bit of cayenne to kick it up a notch, and had to make some ingredient substitutions. I like chili really hearty and chunky, and slightly warmed in the dehydrator. Before I went for my 'brisk' (fast and freezing) walk today, I left the chili and the bowl to warm up:)

I was not gone for very long (baby, it's cold outside), so I enjoyed a cup of my favorite mate when I got home. Check out the new reusable ceramic cup I found at the grocery store:)

About a half hour later, my chili and bowl were both nice and warm. I was so glad I made a double recipe, because I loved it!

Thanks to starjen42 for the wonderful, warming recipe:)

Stay warm, everyone!