Superbowl Sunday Recipe: Heavenly Nacho Cheese Dip

Raw, vegan nacho cheese dip. Yes, Please. 

Superbowl Sunday parties are synonymous with "worst food choices possible." Am I right? I have never gone to a football party that served anything remotely healthy. Fake cheese dip from a jar and other processed junk is not the way I like to have fun, because even if my favorite team won, I'd feel like crap the rest of the day from the gastrointestinal distress. Well, here's an addictive, but healthy, raw cheese dip from my new book Raw and Simple that you can bring to your next sporting soiree that won't make you feel gross.

The key to making this dip fabulous is not soaking the cashews or minimally soaking for 30 minutes if you don’t have a powerful blender. The sweetness of the cashews is essential to the flavor balance in this super creamy, luscious cheese sauce. Serve as a dip or spread it on everything. 

Nacho Cheese Dip

Makes 8 servings

Plan Ahead: If you do not own a high power blender, soak cashews for 30 minutes. Do not oversoak.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1 cup cashews

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ water, if using soaked cashews, 1/3 if unsoaked

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ancho chili pepper (optional)

Blend all ingredients in a blender until very smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and start the blender to scrape sides back into the blades.

Adjust seasonings as desired.

From Raw & Simple: Eat Well and Live Radiantly with 100 Truly Quick and Easy Recipes for the Raw Food Lifestyle. Copyright Quarry Books 2013. Available on Amazon

The Healthy Holiday Survival Guide

As the holidays quickly approach, you might be feeling anxious about what you will eat on the big day(s) of feasting, especially if you're trying to maintain a raw food diet. Well worry no more, the Healthy Holidays Survival Guide from Raw Bay Area has you covered from the stuffing to the pumpkin pie. It features 50 recipes from some of the best raw food chefs around *ahem* as well as tips on how to get healthy and avoid weight gain during the holidays. This is a must have for every raw foodie and makes a great gift too!

Pumpkin Pie

Cranberry Sauce

 

Stuffing

Available as a print copy or E-Book. Click here to view more details!

How Do I Get My Family To Go Raw?

I get this question in my email box so often I decided it was high time to write a blog post about it. I think it's great that so many moms out there are looking to improve their family's diet and I understand what a challenge it is to make changes when you're busy and not sure where to start. I hope the following recommendations are helpful but please feel free to chime in with comments. I'll update this post with feedback from any of you moms who have been successful at this and can offer additional tips.

First off, let me tell you how NOT to get your family on board. Make a proclamation like Moses on the mountain that the family is now officially raw and from here on in everything will be uncooked unless approved by mom. This will put fear and trembling in the heart of anyone within earshot so let's not go overboard here, OK? 100% raw diets are not the goal here, healthful eating is, so don't feel like if the Boutenko family did it you should be able to convert your family without a hitch, too. I believe the best way to change your family's diet is to do it:
*slowly
*with excitement
*and possibly without letting the other family members know what you're up to

1. For starters, add in raw and healthy foods gradually while crowding out the unhealthy junk.

2. Take the family to the farmer's market and let the kids pick out colorful fruits and vegetables that they would like to try.

3. Find recipes that are easy that kids can get involved in making. An internet search for "raw food for kids" will give you a plethora of websites. Here's an ebook to check out.

4. Plan ahead what you want to make for the week. Do the food shopping and make components like salad dressings, raw flax crackers, granolas, and snacks on the weekend when (if) you have more time. Make enough to last a couple weeks.

5. Don't put a lot of extra pressure on yourself just to be raw. Do your best and get the healthiest alternatives if you have to buy pre-packaged/prepared foods.

Here's a few ideas to get you going on your game plan.

RAW DESSERTS

Instead of saying, "Let's eat healthier!" say "Let's try some new, fun recipes!" For most, the word 'healthy' translates into 'not tasty'. If you've tried raw foods you know that it can be crazy delicious especially the desserts. Switching out processed sweets for raw desserts is easy and no one has to know the better. Get Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw for Dessert: Easy Delights for Everyonefor some easy recipe ideas. Raw mousse, brownies, apple cobblers are all really easy to make and don't require dehydration. My book Going Raw has some easy chocolate chip cookies, mousse, brownies and ice cream recipes as well. If you're too busy to make ice cream at least switch out the nasty dairy ice creams for coconut based ice creams like Coconut Bliss or Purely Delicious coconut ice creams. They are coming out with sugar free varieties made with stevia instead of agave that taste just as good as the leading dairy ice cream brands out there.

BREAKFAST

After you have the family hooked on raw desserts, move on to breakfast. I don't know who is going to turn down a luscious fruit smoothie for breakfast. I like them with almond milk or coconut water and handfuls of spinach and kale but maybe save the green smoothies for another day if you're just starting out. In the morning whip up a some seasonal fruit smoothies and add that into whatever your family's breakfast regimen is. Let the kids pick out their favorite fruits and allow them to make their own smoothies if they like. Down the road throw in a little spinach. It won't change the flavor but will add some great minerals, protein and chlorophyll. Also, throw in a little bit of fat like coconut oil, hemp seeds or avocado so you're satisfied longer. The best thing about smoothies is they're fast and easy to make and the combinations are endless.

If your family loves cereal and milk, you can substitute sugary processed cereal for your own homemade muesli. Here's the recipe from my book:

Muesli Bowl
Makes 8 servings

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup shredded coconut
Dash of cinnamon

Sweeten to taste if needed or add sliced bananas, chopped apple or blueberries.

You can quadruple this recipe by combining all the dry ingredients and then store in a large container so it's ready to go all week long. If you have a dehydrator then I highly recommend my Maple-Pecan Granola from my book. It's high in protein and really satisfying.

For milk, I prefer to make my own nut milk by blending 4 cups water to 1 cup soaked raw almonds or Brazil nuts. Strain and then keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you don't have time to make your own, unsweetened organic almond milk from the health food store is still a good alternative.

Another good breakfast idea is chia pudding (see my book) or just a good old fruit salad with nuts and raisins thrown in.

Manna bread is great if your family likes bread or muffins. They're sprouted, yeast free loaves baked on the outside but still raw on the inside. The Cinnamon-Date manna bread tastes like the best bran muffin you've ever had. Unfortunately, they're not gluten free.

LUNCH/DINNER

In the warmer months it's a lot easier to get folks eating more salads because it's cooling and light. Instead of making salad just as a side dish though, make it the main course but add in some satiating ingredients like plump heirloom tomatoes, avocado, nuts or raw nut/seed pates, broccoli, fresh corn on the cob, or even some lightly cooked ingredients like blanched asparagus, baked root vegetables, squash, black beans, tempeh, quinoa, millet, or barley or wheat berries if you're not gluten intolerant. The Protein Crunch Mix from my book really hits the spot if you're a protein type like I am. A great raw dressing like garlic tahini or basil vinaigrette will tie it all together.

If you have a dehydrator, try making my raw Veggie Burgers. You can serve them wrapped in lettuce or on a sprouted bun with all the fixings. They keep very well in the refrigerator so you can double the recipe and have plenty on hand for a quick meal.

My wild rice recipes are great too if you have a dehydrator. Once you've soaked the rice overnight it doesn't take long to prepare a veggie rice pilaf or my Broccoli and Mushroom Wild Rice recipe.

Hearty recipes that don't require a dehydrator are zucchini pasta dishes, veggie sushi rolls and collard wraps. These are great for kids to get involved with as well. Soups are also really easy to make and enjoyable like my Creamy Tomato Basil soup and Cucumber Gazpacho, which is a favorite with my cousin and her three little girls. They loved it so much, they ate it everyday for two weeks weeks.

Collect some raw food recipe books for more ideas. My personal favorites are: I am Grateful, The Raw Food Revolution Diet, and Raw Food Made Easy because they're easy and all the recipes taste delicious. My favorite healthy cooked recipe books right now are Color Me Vegan, Vegan Table and Vegan Yum Yum. Also easy and with some rawish recipes. You can also find tons of free recipes online.

Do you have any tips to add to this? Would love to hear how you got your family to go more raw!

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.

Vietnamese Cabbage Salad

'Tis the season for sweaters, scarves, merriment and cabbage. Yes, cabbage. The rotund, boring relative of the cruciferous family. Snubbed by children and adults alike and often found banished at the end of the dinner buffet with the other side dishes. Always a bridesmaid never a bride. Well today is your time to shine, cabbage. Time to take center stage dressed in lime, ginger, garlic and fresh herbs. Welcome to flavor country! If you, dear readers, like a good kick in the taste buds, you will love this. I made this after my cousin, Margaret, took me to Number One Pho in Cleveland last October. The place is fantastic. We both went nuts for their cabbage salad so I promised her I would duplicate it in my kitchen so she could make it at home. Enjoy!

Vietnamese Cabbage Salad
Makes 2 servings

Salad
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded purple cabbage or additional green cabbage
1/4 cup sliced chives or scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon palm sugar or agave nectar
1/2 tablespoon ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons crushed wild jungle peanuts* or roasted peanuts

Step 1 Combine salad ingredients in a medium size bowl.

Step 2 Whisk all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour over salad. Toss well and garnish with crushed peanuts.

*Wild jungle peanuts are raw peanuts from the Amazon jungle that do not contain Aflatoxin, a carcinogenic toxin produced by fungus found in common peanuts. You can find them at some health food stores and online.

Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

The early autumn continues to bring us gorgeous watermelons and heirloom tomatoes in southern California. The perfect ingredients to create a soup that is as tasty as it is healing. Perfect if you're on a raw food cleanse. It's very high in cancer preventing lycopene and the flavor is simply fantastic. I taught this at my Brooklyn Kitchen classes and everyone raved about how much they loved it. If you're cleansing you can skip the sea salt and if you want a richer soup add a tablespoon or two of good quality extra virgin olive oil to the base.

Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho
Makes 6-8 servings

Base
4 cups watermelon, chopped
1 small red heirloom or Roma tomato, seeded, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh spearmint
2 tablespoons fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Add ins
1 1/2 cups multi colored heirloom or Roma tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 1/2 cups watermelon, diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
1/2 cup white onions, diced

Place 4 cups of the watermelon in a blender along with the tomato, spearmint, basil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic and sea salt and blend until smooth.

Transfer the puree to a large bowl. Add diced tomatoes, watermelon cucumbers and onions and stir to combine.

Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Will last two days in the refrigerator.

Raw on $10 a Day (or less)

I often hear people complain that a raw food diet is too expensive to follow and I admit if you only eat at raw food restaurants or eat prepackaged raw treats it will probably break your budget. Check out Lisa and her clever blog on how to eat raw on the cheap. Each post features a menu, recipe instructions, amazing photos (see above *drool*), nutrition facts and how much each item costs. Her recipes are as unique as they are delicious and all under $10. Now, no more excuses. Well done, Lisa!

Easy Apple-Pear Cobbler

Fall is my favorite time of year. I'm lucky to be spending it in NYC where delicious honey crisp apples are coming into season. Take advantage of the bounty of apples and pears by whipping up this easy cobbler recipe. You can skip the pears if you'd like and even substitute peaches or berries which are still in season as well. Slicing the apples takes the longest in prepping this recipe but so worth the effort. You can easily double this, too. Your family and friends won't even know it's raw or vegan!



Filling
1 1/2 cup apples, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cup pears, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons agave
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Topping/Crust
1 cup walnuts or pecans (soaked and dehydrated is best but not necessary)
1/4 cup dehydrated cane sugar (or brown sugar if not available)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup medjool dates
pinch of salt

Toss sliced apples and pears in lemon juice, agave and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.

In food processor, combine walnuts or pecans with dehydrated cane sugar and process until you get a coarse meal. Add raisins, dates and salt and process until it sticks together. Don’t overprocess.

Sprinkle half of the nut mixture in the bottom of four 6 oz. Ramekins or 6 x 6 serving pan, then layer with filling and then use remaining nut mixture on top.

Optional: warm in dehydrator at 145 degrees for 45 minutes or oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes.

Serve with sweet cashew cream or raw or vegan ice cream (Coconut Bliss is a good one!)

Makes four servings. Will last 3 days in refrigerator.

The Popeye

This isn't the first time I've mentioned this fantastic and simple post-workout concoction. It's called the Popeye, and I started every morning with one when I worked at Bonobo's where they sell like crazy. Just blend fresh young Thai coconut water with a handful of spinach and you have everything you need to replenish your electrolytes, protein, and minerals. That is if you work out like me, which is 45-75 minutes of weight resistance, yoga stretches and cardio. All you hardcore athletes should look into a Brendan Brazier or Tim VanOrden plan to meet your nutritional needs. Btw, you can also throw in some of the coconut meat as well but I prefer to keep it light and frothy. The perfect drink for a hot summer.

Magical Kale Chips

If you haven't experienced the magic of kale chips you don't know what you're missing. Simple to make and better than any bag of crisps from the supermarket, this is an easy way to satisfy your salty cravings with the added powerhouse of nutrients. I got this recipe from fellow chef Kirsten Gum. Beware, it's addicting!

1 bunch kale, destemmed and cut into large pieces

Place kale in a big bowl and add:

2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS Nama Shoyu or Tamari
sprinkle a generous amount of Red Star nutritional yeast, garlic powder and onion powder
sprinkle in cayenne for some kick

Mix well and place on a dehydrator sheet. Now sprinkle on some nutritional yeast and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4-5 hours until crispy.

I suggest making a double batch because if you're anything like me, you'll probably eat the first tray before it's done.

Before:

After:

You don't yield a whole lot of chips once they're dehydrated but to be fair I did nibble a bit before they were done. :)

Matt's Favorite Smoothie

During my omnivore days my husband used to always have a pint of mint cookies and cream ice cream in the freezer and now with southern California starting to warm up we've been having the ice cream bug lately. I whipped this simple concoction up to satiate his craving for mint chocolate and have gotten a request for it every day ever since.

1 cup frozen bananas
1 cup nut milk
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint
1 heaping tablespoon of raw cacao nibs

Throw it all in a high speed blender and drink up! Makes 2 small or 1 big serving.