Celebrating an all-natural lifestyle

Choosing Raw’s Christmas 2009 Menu

Ho ho happy Raw Wednesday!

As promised, I’m back with my holiday recipe roundup. Christmas, in case you hadn’t noticed, is this vegan’s favorite holiday, and I’m so excited to share my first batch of Choosing Raw Christmas recipes. Most of these are shiny and new; one of them (the soup) you’ll recognize from another holiday celebration last year.

The theme of this menu is, I’m ashamed to say, red and green. I know, I know, it’s a litte kitschy, but come on: ’tis the season. The other theme is the savory/sweet combo: beets and dried fruits provide touches of sweetness, while tangy marinades and winter spices give the meal a savory feel. Much like my Thanksgiving menu, this Christmas dinner is accessible: it features familiar flavor pairings, comfortable textures, and dishes that mimic cooked traditional favorites (cheese and crackers; borscht; and even meatloaf!). We begin with the tasty cheese and crackers I shared yesterday, move into a surprisingly and sweet borscht, clean the palate with a simple marinated beet carpaccio, and the meal culminates in a raw nutloaf to swoon for. And just because I love you guys, I didn’t forget dessert this time: I concocted a very special raw pudding (not figgy, but chocolate) that’s a new favorite in my home!

With that, I present the Choosing Raw 2009 Christmas dinner:

Starter

Cashew cheese with meyer lemon and dried cherries
Maple Cinnamon Flax crackers

Soup

Raw Borscht

Appetizer

Marinated beet carpaccio with wilted beet greens

Main course

Raw nutloaf with kale salad

Dessert

Chocolate (peppermint) chia pudding

Sound yummy? It is!

Here’s how it all comes together:

We begin with yesterday’s cashew cheese and maple cinnamon flax crackers: allow your guests to munch on these and discover the joys of dairy free, cruelty free, non-stinky cheese!

Next, serve the delicious raw borscht. This is a recipe I shared with you last Easter, but it’s worth repeating. The soup is very sweet, but its sweetness is cut by the addition of apple cider vinegar, the creaminess of avocado, and the citrusy hint of dill.

Raw Borscht (serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 cups beet juice
2 cups carrot juice
1 cup orange juice
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp apple cider vinegar (more to taste)
A sprinkle of pepper
2 small beets, chopped (or a large one)
1 small avocado

1 grated small carrot
1/2 grated small beet
1/2 chopped avocado
Sprigs of dill

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients together in a Vitamix or powerful blender, stopping to adjust saltiness and sweetness. Pour into four bowls and garnish with the chopped vegetables. (I always find that the addition of chopped veggies can make or break raw soups, which are typically smooth and in need of some texture.)

Next, the brilliant red beets get another treatment in a simple carpaccio and wilted greens salad. This recipe is as simple as can be: simply wash, spin, and marinate the beet greens in a basic red wine vinaigrette, and serve them with finely sliced beets. Period. You could certainly jazz it up: marinate the beets themselves in a more basic marinade than the one I provide, or top them with a creamy dressing (I think my avocado-cumin dressing would be great here). But they really need little attention, and the greens, though simple, are tasty enough to stand on their own, too!

Beet Carpaccio with Wilted Beet Green Salad (serves 2-4)

Ingredients:

1 large beet
1 large bunch beet greens

1/4 cup water
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsps olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp sea salt
Sprinkle pepper

Procedure:

Cut the large beet in half. At the thick end, begin slicing the beet very thinly — about 1/16 inch, if it’s possible. When you have about twenty-five slices, place them in an airtight container with the water, ACV, salt and agave mixture. Let them marinate overnight.

Wash, spin, and chop the greens into salad-size pieces. Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together, and then pour them over the greens. Massage the greens well with your hand, move to an airtight container, and store in your fridge for eight hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, simply dry off the beet slices and arrange in circles on a round plate. In the very center, place your wilted beet greens.

You could certainly add to the wilted greens: carrots, tomatoes, and parsley would all work beautifully! So would raw fennel. But I like this one plain and simple.

After your salad course, move on to the star of the meal: nutloaf.

Oh yes she did! I gave quintessential comfort food a raw makeover. This recipe is a little more time intensive than mine usually are, and it requires oven or dehydrator love, but the result is pretty spectacular. It’s a warm, savory, and filling nutloaf that recalls your mom’s home cooked version, but without the cholesterol, the dense and slow digesting animal protein, and, of course, the ethical question marks! The loaf is dense, so a modest portion will sate your holiday appetite nicely. It’s also rich in protein and essential fatty acids, and it’s delicious. Healthy and tasty? What more could you ask at a holiday meal?

Gena’s Raw Nutloaf

Ingredients:

2 cups portabello or baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 tbsp bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
Dash onion powder

2 dates
1/2 red bell pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Procedure:

Place the mushrooms in the Bragg’s and olive oil and store in an airtight container overnight.

Grind the nuts, salt, thyme, sage, and onion powder in a food processor till very processed: it should be starting to look like a coarse nut butter. Add the pepper, lemon, dates, and Bragg’s. Process again till the mixture is even. Set aside in a mixing bowl.

Remove the mushrooms from the marinade, reserving a few tablespoons of it. Put the mushrooms, celery, and mushrooms in the food processor (no need to wash after you remove the nuts!), and process till the mixture is finely chopped.

Add the mushroom/celery/tomato mixture to the nut mixture, throw in the parsley, and knead well with your hands, just as you would mix regular meatloaf!

When it’s all well mixed, place into a small loaf pan (I used one that was about 5-3/4″ x 3″ x 2-1/8″). Place in a dehydrator at 115 degrees for eight hours (you can also place in an oven at 150 with the door slightly ajar).

When the loaf is done, slice into twelve slices. Serve with a large kale salad (like the one I featured in this post), and marvel at raw comfort food!

And finally, dessert. I promised I wouldn’t leave it out, guys!

This recipe is an ode to my girl HEAB, who loves chia seeds! Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding: it’s easy, tasty, and — especially if you make the peppermint version — holiday friendly!

We begin with chocolate macadamia milk:

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Milk (yields 2-4 cups, depending on whether or not you strain it)

Ingredients:

1 cup macadamia nuts
3 cups water
1/2 cup pitted dates, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp high quality dark cocoa powder or cacao nibs
Stevia for added sweetness (use your taste buds to judge; I added almost a pack)
Dash salt

Procedure:

Blend all ingredients in a VitaMix for a few minutes, till very smooth. You CAN strain through a nutmilk bag, but you definitely don’t have to. If you do strain it, you’ll get about two cups liquid; if you don’t, you’ll have about double. Not straining will yield a richer pudding.

To make the pudding, simply add 6 tbsp chia seeds to two cups of the nut milk. Stir. Come back in five minutes, and stir again. Repeat this until the chia seeds have absorbed the liquid, and the pudding has a thick and creamy texture (if it’s runny at all, just add another tablespoon or two of chia seeds).

To make this a peppermint chocolate pudding (and on the holidays, why wouldn’t we), just add 1/4 tsp peppermint extract to the whole mix (more if you want a mintier flavor; I took it easy with the mint).

The result?

This yumminess:

And that, my good friends, is my first Choosing Raw Christmas. Will I be eating this meal, you ask? Dubious: I have a feeling that my Mom, for whom I’ll be cooking on Christmas Eve, is hankering for my Thanksgiving menu (or at least, for the butternut soup and root veggie mash — she can’t quite get down with nutloaf, not yet). But I’ve got nutloaf in the fridge, the sliced beets will go to use in my beet ravioli with root veggie filling, and the borscht is mine for the making soon enough!

And, oh yeah: the pudding? Gone baby, gone.

I hope you all get to try some of these dishes for Christmas — or anytime this winter!

Looking for other raw Christmas options?

The aforementioned butternut squash and apple soup or root veggie ravioli would be great. So would Kristen’s AMAZING harvest soup, my raw alfredo, or my recent carrot falafel. I also love the idea of my cream of cauliflower soup served alongside a big kale salad and some roasted root veggies. Yum.

On that note, enough Christmas. Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves: today, it’s Raw Wednesday. What are you all up to in the kitchen?

xo

Choosing Raw 2009 Holiday Gift Guide!

Hey guys!

Keep your awesome responses to the Choosing Raw and Spark! Wellness Cleanse coming! I’m so excited that many of you have expressed interest in it.

I know that I’m a little late on this (just like me — saving holiday shopping for the last moment), but I’m here with my official Choosing Raw holiday gift guide. I began this baby a few weeks ago, and it seems to have gotten longer and longer as the days of holiday shipping grow fewer and fewer. There are so many wonderful things to give a vegan, a raw foodie, or anyone who takes an interest in health and wellness!

What you don’t see here are my very favorite gifts: handmade ones. I didn’t include those because they’re best when they’re personal and unique, but some great ideas include knit scarves and hats (for a great post on vegan knitting, click here), homemade vegan peppermint donut holes, candied nuts, pickled vegetables or homemade sauerkraut, or homemade kombucha (what a lineup of lovely raw ladies that was!).

If you’re short on time, or you’d like to invest in a gift, though, here are my top picks for everyone on your list! Hope they give you some last minute inspiration.

For a major splurge:

1) VitaMix, Blendtec or Dehydrator

2) Infrared Sauna

3) Rebounder

4) Water Filtration System

5) Trip to an eco-friendly resort

For the Fashionista

1) Kate’s Design eco-friendly bracelets

2) Beau Soleil Groove Dress

3) 7 For All Mankind Organic Slouchy Jeans

4) Non-leather bag from The Sak

5) Stella McCartney shoes

For the Foodie

1) Bamboo knife set from Target

2) Membership to an Organic Wine Club

3) Bell Canning Jar Set

4) Slow Food Apron from MotherTongues

4) New Salad Spinner

5) Indoor Pot Herbs

For the Yogi

1) Jade Yoga Mat (because you can never have too many)

2) Bendie Yoga Bags

3) Lululemon Gift Certificate

4) Yoga Is Yummy yoga DVDs!

5) Sigg Water Bottles

For the Eco-Fanatic

1) Indoor Compost Keeper

2) Donation to The Conservation Fund

3) Voltaic Solar Backpack

4) Buy Carbon Offsets

5) A Rain Barrel

For the Book Lover

1) The China Study

2) Eating Animals

3) Living Raw Food

4) Eat, Drink and Be Vegan

5) Food For Life

Stocking Stuffers

1) Priti Nail Polish

2) Lululemon headband

3) One Lucky Duck Macaroons or Cookies

4) Whole Foods Gift Certificates

5) Food Tee

6) Fine and Raw Chocolate Bon Bons

7) Dry Brush

8  ) Oracle Organics Soap

9) Pacifica Soy Candle

10) Set of Five Reusable, Eco-Friendly Tote Bags

You can also check out TreeHugger for a great eco-friendly gift guide, Melissa’s blog for a fitness-savvy run down, and Bitt’s blog for more raw ideas.

Happy Holidays!

xo

Raw Eggnog failure; Tree Decorating Success

Hey guys!

Hope you enjoyed good weekends. Aside from a heaping helping of work, mine involved some holiday festivities (parties, tree decorating) and a raw eggnog experiment that proved that even culinary failures can often be made into successes.

You see, when my One Lucky Duck newsletter arrived on Friday, it contained a recipe for raw holiday nog that I just couldn’t pass up. “Rawnog,” you may recall, is one of the raw recipe requests I’ve gotten for the holiday season. As much as I’d love to concoct my own version, I thought I’d humbly defer to Pure Food and Wine chef Neal Harden, whose recipe looks scrumptious:

I followed the recipe exactly, as a good friend who’d come over to help me decorate my tree waited patiently to be my recipe guinea pig. When it came to straining the ‘nog, though, I hit some trouble: it wasn’t straining enough. The mixture was so rich and creamy that it only yielded a tiny amount of liquid (maybe 1/4 cup) over the course of an hour in a nutmilk bag. The ‘nog I tasted was delicious, but there simply wasn’t enough of it: even if I’d squeezed it through the bag (as Neal recommends), it still wouldn’t have yielded enough to serve me and my friend.

So I decided to make lemons out of lemonade. I scooped the pulp out of the bag, re-mixed it with the ‘nog, and decided to serve the (very thick) mixture just as it was. And as it was, it resembled and tasted a whole lot like my magical raw “whipped cream” — only with a festive touch in the form of nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Anyone own Dreena Burton’s amazing Eat, Drink and Be Vegan (my fave vegan cookbook just about ever)? Dreena has a recipe for something she calls “celestial cream,” which is essentially a thick, rich dessert cream that uses Earth Balance and silken tofu as a base; this recipe, I think, is highly reminiscent, but without the Earth Balance, which is a little more processed than I’d like.  I’d call it an eggnog-spiced cream, but forget the title: it’s absolutely delicious, and in spite of the fact that it didn’t turn out as eggnog, it made for a darn tasty topping to some frozen bananas I had at home:

The whole experience was a pleasant reminder that, when you’re working with good ingredients and flavor profiles, it’s pretty hard to “mess up” a recipe. A little creativity goes a long way in reconfiguring the premise of your dish.

And I didn’t stop at eggnog spiced cream: this morning, I thinned out half of the mixture with some fresh almond milk, added 3 tbsp chia seeds, and made a recipe that’s quite like Kristen’s amazing holiday chia pudding.

I’m pleased to report that, though my kitchen success was mixed this weekend, my tree selection and decoration was not. I’m basking in the glow of this little fellow right now:

Who said that you can’t stick a Christmas tree in a small NYC apt?

Enjoy a cozy Sunday evening, friends.

xo

Spotlight on cookbooks: THE RAW FOOD REVOLUTION DIET

Hey all!

Hope that your many Thanksgiving celebrations were absolutely lovely. Thanks for your comments on my thankful post — I should have added that I am terribly thankful for all of you!

One of the more frequent reader questions I get is which cookbooks or raw diet books I most recommend. It’s not always a question I love to answer, since I like to encourage those who are getting into raw to work intuitively, incorporating raw foods into preexisting routines and tastes, rather than relying on diet plans or recipes. Even so, I realize that cookbooks serve an important function for those who are transitioning into the raw lifestyle: they offer culinary inspiration, a sense of kinship with the cookbook authors, and they often include a lot of helpful how-to. So it’s only fair, I think, that I periodically share with you the cookbooks that have most inspired and helped me in my culinary journey.

My first selection is actually a new-ish one. I got my hands on a copy of The Raw Food Revolution Diet, co-authored by Cherie Soria, Brenda Davis, and Vesanto Melina, a few weeks ago, and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. It’s primarily a cookbook, but it’s also a primer on the raw lifestyle and (for those who wish) a dietary guide. I only skimmed the information on raw eating (which includes everything from an explanation of what enzymes are to daily meal plans), but my reaction to the material was both positive and occasionally critical. I think that it’s a fundamentally sound, well-rounded approach to eating raw. I was sorry to see that the authors’ dismiss of food combining, and–more importantly–their choice to include calorie counts with the daily meal plans. While I think that calorie counting can be a useful practice for those who are very overweight and not used to keeping any sort of tabs on their daily intake, I believe that it’s a fundamentally counterproductive habit that instills the wrong sorts of dietary priorities in people. Most raw foodists I know eschew it as much as I do, and I’m dissapointed when I see calorie tabulations in raw books.

This said, the counts and daily meal plans do serve as proof to newcomers that the raw diet is as sustaining and rich in fuel as any other way of eating. So if the authors included the counts solely to persuade doubters that they can meet their needs with raw foods, so be it.

But let’s get to the important stuff: the recipes. In this book you’ll find everything from simple soups and salad dressings to recipes for raw scones, burgers, and garden pizza. Impressive! The book clearly offers a range of difficulty, so that newcomers to the diet who don’t own many appliances can still take advantage of the food.

Whenever a client reports purchasing a new raw un-cookbook to me, I offer an important word of advice: don’t focus on recipes that you won’t have the energy to prepare on a regular basis. Just because a shiny new recipe for raw pizza sits in front of you, it doesn’t mean that you need to spend 11 hours dehydrating sprouted buckwheat crust. Focus on familiarizing yourself with recipes that you might actually make and make again. And choose the recipes that fit into your lifestyle; if you’re a soup lover, give a few new soups a shot; if you love to spiralize pasta, search for cool new zucchini noodle recipes. Later on, once you’ve taken advantage of recipes you’ll really return to, you can play with the toughies.

Me? I’ve so far tested out two staples in my own diet: nut pates and soups. My first excursion with The Raw Food Revolution Diet was a broccoli tahini pate. While I can’t reveal precisely what’s in the recipe or how it’s made, I can tell you that it’s a broccoli base with tahini, miso, lemon and some nutritional yeast, and it’s absolutely delicious! And while I don’t calculate protein or calcium counts for recipes–again, this is very alien to my approach–I will echo the authors’ reminder that broccoli and tahini are rich sources of both nutrients.

I served the pate over a big salad, along with some juice pulp crackers I’d made a few days earlier:

A delicious meal!

My next recipe was the book’s garden soup. This is not so different from any standard blended salad: kale, cucumber, apple, avocado or sunflower seeds, and seasonings. But the result was exceptionally thick and creamy (sort of a rarity for green soup) and the flavor had a lovely sweetness to it. Another winner!!

So far, then, I’m really enjoying the Raw Food Diet Revolution. Of course, I recommend that you approach the “diet” part with a big grain of salt: raw foods are about eating close to nature, and not about dieting! But if you can overcome the linguistics, this is a great source of information and a rich trove of easy to make recipes for anyone — expert or newbie.

Meanwhile, were you wondering about the Thanksgiving meal? I was, as I mentioned a few posts ago, dining in a restaurant with my mom and her boyfriend. So I’m afraid there’s no raw vegan spread to show you. But I can report overall dining success. We were eating at Cesca, an upscale Italian restaurant, and I feared that I’d be terribly limited in options (especially on a high-stress service day for the waitstaff, and with a pre-fixe menu in place). Not so! The restaurant’s manager, Todd, was more than sweet about accomodating me, as was our affable waiter. I began with a salad, and then the restaurant threw together a plate of raw and steamed veggies, including beets, zucchini and carrots, marinated portobellos, and brussels sprouts. Along with a nice vinaigrette on the side, it was simple and satisfying — just what I like!

Thanks, Cesca, for a great meal.

And now it’s your turn, guys: how was your Thanksgiving meal? Hope it exceeded expectations all around.

xo

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