This is an easy and scrumptious dessert to whip up for the autumn months and upcoming holidays. I love that no one can tell that it's raw, vegan, gluten free and healthy! This recipe is from my first book Going Raw. For more healthy, raw desserts check out the books in my online shop.

Raw Apple Cobbler with Maple Cream

Makes 8 servings

Prep time: 40 minutes

Topping/Crust

1 cup pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup palm sugar or evaporated cane sugar

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup medjool dates

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats

Filling

2 tablespoons agave or coconut nectar

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 cups (2-3 large) apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly

Maple Cream

1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup water

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

For topping, in a food processor, using the “s” blade, combine nuts with palm sugar and process until you get a coarse meal. Add raisins, dates and salt and process until it sticks together. Be careful not to overprocess or it will become too oily. In a medium bowl combine the topping mixture with the rolled oats.

For filling, in a small bowl combine agave nectar, lemon juice and pumpkin pie spice. In a large mixing bowl, toss apples with lemon juice mixture. 

For maple cream, blend cashews, maple syrup, water and vanilla bean until very smooth. About 2 minutes in a high speed blender. Store in a large squeeze bottle for easy use or in an airtight container.

Sprinkle half of the nut mixture on the bottom of a 9-inch round pie dish or 1 quart baking dish. 

Layer with apple filling and then sprinkle with remaining topping.

Warm in dehydrator at 145 degrees for one hour or place in the oven on warm setting (200 degrees) for 20 minutes and top each serving with maple cream.

From the book Going Raw: Everything You Need To Start Your Own Raw Food Diet & Lifestyle Revolution At Home

Copyright Quarry Books 2011

Autumn Smoothies

I know I'm not the only one who loves this time of year. Apples, pumpkins, cinnamon and clove, I love all things Autumn and these smoothies are no exception. Both are from my latest book Raw & Simple. Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Makes 2 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 cups fresh grated pumpkin
1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend
5-6 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ice cubes
dash of sea salt

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust flavorings as needed and add more almond milk if too thick. 

From the book Raw & Simple: Eat Well And Live Radiantly With 100 Truly Quick And Easy Recipes For The Raw Food Lifestyle

Copyright 2013 Quarry Books

Apple Pie Smoothie

Apples vary from very sweet to very tart so adjust the amount of lemon juice you use and add a little sweetener if needed.

Makes 2 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cups unsweetened almond or cashew milk
3 large Red Delicious or your favorite apples, chopped
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend
2-4 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons ground chia seeds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
Sweeten to taste
Cinnamon for garnish

Blend all ingredients until smooth and top with a dash of cinnamon. Allow to sit for five minutes to thicken.

Health Tip: Make it green! Throw in a small handful of spinach or other leafy green to give it an extra nutrient boost. 

From the book Raw & Simple: Eat Well And Live Radiantly With 100 Truly Quick And Easy Recipes For The Raw Food Lifestyle

Copyright 2013 Quarry Books

Wild Blueberry-Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Squares

Eat it and weep.

I'm cruel. I've been torturing my Facebook followers with this photo since January, while withholding the recipe (in hopes that they would buy my book Raw & Simple). Well, squeaky wheel gets the grease. They insisted I finally give it up, so here it is. A raw, vegan cheesecake so good, you'll weep. Well, maybe not. Maybe your family will weep when you eat it all before they get home. One of my recipe testers emailed me three times in a row to tell me over and over how much she loved it. I thought she was exaggerating until other people started messaging me how outrageously good it is. 

Oh, and don’t fret if you can’t find wild blueberries or Meyer lemons. I just wanted to give this a fancy name. Meyer lemons are slightly sweeter than regular lemons but either one works just as well here. As for blueberries, I actually prefer using the frozen ones because of the juice that results from thawing them out. Wild blueberries are smaller in size but taste very much like cultivated blueberries so use whatever you can find or afford at your local market.

Wild Blueberry-Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Squares

Makes 16 servings

Plan Ahead: soak ½ cup cashews in water for 2 hours

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Chill Time: 1 to 2 hours

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries, thawed

Crust

2 cups walnuts or pecans

1/4 cup raisins

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1. Combine ingredients in a food processor for 20-25 seconds. Press mixture between your fingers and see if it sticks together. If not, process a few seconds longer. Be careful not to go too long, otherwise it will release too much oil.

2. Press firmly and evenly into an 8 x 8 pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

Topping

1 cup walnuts or pecans

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup Medjool dates

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)

1.     In same food processor that you just made the crust, add nuts, raisins, dates and sea salt and process until mixture begins to clump and stick together. Process longer than you did the crust but be careful not to overdo it.

2.     Transfer to a bowl and stir in oats. Set aside while you make the cheesecake layer.

Cheesecake

1 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1/2 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours

1/3 cup lemon juice

½ cup xylitol or agave

¼ cup water

½ tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lecithin powder (use 2 tablespoons if using agave)

1. Blend all ingredients except lecithin until very smooth.

2. Add lecithin and blend again.

3. Pour over crust.

4. Top cheesecake mixture evenly with blueberries.

5. Press berries gently into the cheesecake and evenly spread the topping mixture over the berries.

6. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm.

Will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.

Chef Tip. You can use other berries or fruits in place of blueberries such as cherries, peaches or mango as well as tone down the lemon flavor to your liking.  

Copyright 2013 Quarry Books

Here is a modified version of it I made for a wedding. I used a 9"springform pan, doubled the filling and added an extra 50% to the crust.  It was a hot day and I was scared it would melt before guests could enjoy it so I added extra lecithin. That's what is giving it the rough texture. I kinda like the brittleness of it, but in the future I'll just stick with less lecithin. Nevertheless, everyone loved it!

Raw & Simple Chocolate Haystacks

These chewy, chocolate treats are super simple to make, yet, tastes like a gourmet treat. I use longer coconut threads to give it that haystack look (Sprout's grocery stores carry them) but you can use the finely shredded coconut with the same great results. Jazz it up with some chopped nuts or hemp seeds for a little nutrition boost.

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Chocolate Haystacks

Makes 12 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

2/3 cup cacao powder

½ cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

½ vanilla bean, scraped or small pinch of vanilla powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

2 cups shredded coconut

Blend cacao powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth.

In a bowl, hand mix shredded coconut with chocolate mixture.

Line a plate with parchment paper. Use a spoon or melon scoop to form 12-14 individual haystacks on the parchment paper.

Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm.

Find more easy raw food recipes in my new book Raw & Simple: Eat Well and Live Radiantly with 100 Truly Quick and Easy Recipes For the Raw Food Lifestyle

Superpower Pecan Granola

Lately I've been gaga over mulberries and wanted to find a recipe I could incorporate them into. What better way to use them than in a sweet and nutty high protein granola. Mulberries are kind of new to the superfood scene but have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic herb for the blood, liver and kidneys. They're high in vitamin C and contain resveratrol, the same cancer fighting antioxidant found in grapes and red wine. They have been used to help relieve fatigue, weakness, constipation, anemia and in reversing gray hair. If you can't find mulberries in your area feel free to substitute with your favorite dried fruit like raisins, cranberries or goldenberries. I also included some other superfoods like goji berries, chia seeds, and hemp seeds along with some high protein buckwheat and rolled oats.

Superpower Pecan Granola
Makes about 10 1/2 cups

Soaking time: 4 hours
Prep time: 20 minutes
Dehydrator time: 20-22 hours

3 cups pecans, soaked 4 hours, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chia seeds, soaked in 2 cups water for 4 hours
2 cups hulled buckwheat groats, soaked 1 hour
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
2/3 cup dried mulberries
2/3 cup goji berries
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup palm sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and divide among 3 dehydrator trays lined with non stick sheets. Dehydrate at 110 for 12 hours. Flip granola onto mesh screens and continue drying for another 8-10 hours or until crispy.

Store in an airtight container for one month. If it gets soft, dehydrate again until crisp.

Navitas Naturals Organic Chocolate Kit

I'm so enamored with these cute little kits that came out by Navitas Naturals. They come in three flavors: Cacao, Goldenberry, and Goji Berry, and contain all the ingredients to make your own gourmet chocolate at home. Since Goji berries are one of my favorite snack foods I decided to give the Goji kit a try.


You will need a knife, a couple of bowls and an ice cube tray. I used a heart shaped one but a standard ice cube tray will work just fine.


The kit contains a little brick of cacao butter, some Goji berries and a very delicious blend of cacao powder, mesquite, lucuma and maca powder.


Step one, shave the cacao butter into thin pieces with your knife.


Place in either a metal or glass bowl (or mason jar) and let sit in a bowl of very hot water.


Use a spatula to help it melt and change the water if it cools down too quickly.


Add the cacao mix and combine well. Pour into 12 molds and place in freezer for about 10 minutes.


Voila!



I thought they tasted fantastic though my husband didn't really care for them. I think mesquite, lucuma and maca is a little unusual for some chocolate connoisseurs but I really enjoyed the malty flavor. The cost of the kit is $9.99 and yields 12 sizable pieces. That's actually a good deal compared to other raw chocolate bars I've bought. I love that everything included was organic and thought it was fun and easy to prepare. This would be a great activity to do with children as well as make a great gift (or Valentines Day candy - thanks Adriana!). Find them at Whole Foods, your neighborhood health food store or online.

Science of Raw Food Nutrition

Last month I attended an amazing nutrition course offered at Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. Taught by the raw food doctors, Rick and Karin Dina, they thoroughly explored every aspect of raw food nutrition over nine days. For a health enthusiast like myself this was exciting but also extremely intensive. So much so, that my eyes started twitching on the 7th day from reading the textbook and watching the lectures all day long. Nevertheless, I loved every bit of it!

Some of the topics they covered:

vitamins, minerals, enzymes
optimal blood sugar regulation
acid/alkaline balance
the B12 controversy
how we get protein
essential fats
calcium
human digestion
cooked food toxins
fasting
history of human food choices
youth extension and longevity
history of living foods
food combining
grains
soy
superfoods
women's health topics
animal products
menu planning for various health challenges
raw food exaggerations

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. I really appreciated that all of it was scientifically supported and cited. I've been raw for over two years and still get confused by conflicting claims in the raw food community. This helped me make sense of what is nutritional truth and what is just plain silly. I also learned little fun things I've never heard before. For instance, if you lay out for 5-10 minutes a day like I do to get your Vitamin D, don't shower till at least the next day or you will lose the Vitamin D that was created when the sun reacted with the cholesterol on your skin. I also didn't know that green leafy vegetables have essential fatty acids in them or that goji berries are part of the nightshade family.

The classes are offered in three sections that you can take separately or all at once. It equips you to become a Science of Raw Food educator and you receive a powerpoint presentation that you can use for your own lectures. I highly recommend it to anyone in the holistic health field or if you just want to do it for your own health and benefit. You won't be disappointed. If you can't make it to Living Light they do travel the country (and Canada) to teach the introductory class. Check their website for dates. www.rawfooddoctors.com

My Upcoming Raw Food 101 Class in Long Beach

SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2009 Raw Food 101 - Easy and delicious raw vegan cuisine for beginners. See how easy it is to incorporate raw foods into you and your family's meals. Learn to make Vanilla Brazil Nut Milk, Green Smoothies, Not-Tuna Salad, Spaghetti with Pesto, Mediterranean Kale Salad and decadent Fudge Brownies.

-Learn how to transition into raw foods
-Raw foods for weight loss and healing
-Raw food nutrition (where we get our protein)
-How to shop for and stock your pantry
-Staying raw while you travel


$55.00 1-4:30pm Ten Students Max. Email me to reserve your spot. rawjudita@yahoo.com

Blessed Herbs Colon Cleanse - Day 3

Today was the easiest so far. I didn't feel very hungry and only ended up drinking three packets of the toxin absorber. I forgot to take them because I was busy and not really that hungry. My friend who is currently on a liver cleanse is drinking "Potassium Broth" to supplement her during her fast. The broth provides a lot of minerals and is very satisfying (FYI though vitamins are lost during heating, minerals are less sensitive to heat, so simmer your soup don't boil it to death). Here's the recipe she's following.

POTASSIUM BROTH:
This is a GREAT tasting addition to your Cleansing Program. It will FLUSH your Body of TOXINS, Poisons and UNWANTED Salts and Acids, while giving you a CONCENTRATED amount of Vitamins and Minerals.
1. Fill a LARGE pot with 25% Potato peelings, 25% Carrot peelings and WHOLE chopped Beets, 25% chopped Onions, including 50 cloves of Garlic, 25% Celery and DARK Greens.
2. Add HOT Peppers to taste.
3. Add enough Distilled Water to cover the Vegetables and simmer on very LOW temperature for 1-2 hours.
4. Strain, or just dip your mug in, and drink ONLY the Broth.
5. Make enough for 2 days, refrigerating the leftover Broth.
NOTE: Put the Vegetables in your Compost. It is IMPORTANT, that you use ORGANIC Vegetables, because you do NOT want to consume ANY Toxic Insecticides, Pesticides or Inorganic Chemical Fertilizers, while you're doing a Cleansing and Detoxification Program!

I made a pot of this but only used 3 cloves of garlic instead of 50. It was all I had on hand. I drank the broth while my husband ate the vegetables. It was really tasty! I'd probably make this on a regular basis especially during the winter. In the past the only warm soup I've made is miso soup which I drink pretty regularly and have had a bowl every evening on this cleanse. I use Miso Master Organic Chickpea Miso instead of a soy miso. It's unpasturized and full of minerals and probiotics that help replenish the intestinal flora. I use 1 tablespoon of miso paste and dissolve it in a little bit of water in my soup bowl. I add warm (not hot) water and then add dulse and green onions (though I skip the additions when I'm fasting).

So far the cleanse has been great but I'm noticing my skin is getting really oily and I have little red bumps on my legs. That means my body is detoxing through my skin as well as my bowels. The skin is the third most detoxifying organ (next to the liver and lungs) so that makes sense though I'm not looking forward to the impending breakout on my face. My energy wasn't as high as the day before but feeling very clear headed. I'm already thinking about extending my cleanse to seven days but we'll see how my body feels on Saturday and take it from there.

My Raw Food 101 Class Review

I got a great review from one of my students who attended my Raw Food 101 class last week. After you read the review check out the edibles she's growing in her home garden. She's amazing. I'm excited to have her help me start a container garden and start growing my own salad. It's going to look like the garden of Eden in my backyard soon.

Au Lac Is Blowing My Mind

This secret, vegan restaurant tucked away inside a weird strip mall in Fountain Valley, CA has got to be my favorite place to get culinary inspiration. I can't go there without ordering the Chimichurri dip with garlic bread. Though the sauce is beyond, the garlic bread is the best raw bread I've had and I can't figure out how Chef Ito makes it. He said it's made with flax, not sprouted grains, but the texture is so spongy and perfect I don't know what sort of voodoo is happening in that kitchen. Though I'm bummed they changed the menu a few months ago, I'm impressed with everything they're doing right now. They, unfortunately, changed the soft tacos by adding a big dollop of mustard to it but as for everything else they are doing a stellar job. I have yet to try one of their cooked, vegan dishes but everyone I've talked to really likes it. If you're in the LA or Orange county area it's definitely worth your while to check it out. I recommend the curried guacamole, risotto, humanese soup, norito wrap, doughnut holes and of course the garlic bread.