Do you want a hearty salad that is delicious, good for you and jam packed with nutrients? Then you’ve got to try this Raw Power House Salad! It is a party for your tastebuds and very filling. Trust us, you will be getting so much green along with all of the other colors of the rainbow. You will glow with energy and wholeness. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 cups of baby spinach
• 1 cup of spring salad mix
• 1 cup of cabbage slaw (sliced raw cabbage & shredded carrots)
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 cucumber
• 1 avocado
• parsley flakes
• splash of olive oil and lemon juice

Equipment:
Really nothing is needed beyond a cutting board and knife, and a bowl with spoon for mixing

Directions:
1. Place the handfuls of baby spinach into your mixing bowl. Then add the cup of spring salad mix. Blend all of the leaves together.

2. Add in one cup of cabbage slaw and mix it with the leaves.

3. Slice your red onion in half and then slice it vertically and horizontally to get nice small chunks of onion. Toss those into your salad.

4. Peel the skin of the cucumber if it is not organic. Then slice it long ways down the middle. Turn each half so that the flat side is on your cutting board. Then cut nice chunky slices and add them into the salad.

5. Take your avocado and remove it from its skin (If you’re not sure how to do this, read our article on Avocados). Slice your avocado into small chunks and toss them into your salad.

6. Slice your red bell pepper in half. For the half you are using, cut both horizontally and vertically to create small squares (similar to the size of what you might find in a chunky salsa). Add these to the salad.

7. Sprinkle in the parsley flakes

8. Add a dash of lemon juice and olive oil and mix well.

9. Serve in a plate or bowl and enjoy!

This recipe comes from Philip McCluskey’s website, Loving Raw, where he shares his raw inspirational story and his journey of continued health and wellness through eating raw foods and taking care of himself. There have been a couple requests from readers who want to tackle raw sushi but are a little intimidated because the recipes look intimidating. So we went out on a search for an easy approach to making raw sushi and we stumbled upon this fantastic find on Philip’s website. Here’s the article below:

So you got friends coming over and you don’t know what to make, how about Raw Sushi!

It’s fairly quick to make, looks impressive, and tastes great!

Heather and I were just eating soups for the day, but we had friends come over and wanted to whip up something special.  Sushi was just the ticket.

People have commented in the past that raw sushi was intimidating to make because they were afraid they wouldn’t be able to roll the nori (seaweed) correctly.  A ripped or sloppy nori is not really a big deal when your home alone, but when friends are coming over, its got to be right… or so the thought is I guess.

You’re in luck then, cause to roll nori correctly no tools are required.  Nope, not even that bamboo rolling mat.  There are a couple ideas I work off of, but overall here are some of the techniques I use.  In the end practice makes perfect.

I basically make three types of raw sushi:

Pate Sushi – Lettuce, pate, and veggies.  This can be crunchy, flavorful, whatever you like.

• I usually place some sort of lettuce base down on the nori to start (like romaine or spinach).  This protects the nori from getting wet if I am going to lay down a pate.  Note:  A wet nori is a sloppy or ripped one.
• I will have whipped up a pate as well.  Something usually nut (almond, macadamia, brazil) or seed (sunflower, pumpkin, hemp) based.  I thrown in some spices (usually cayenne, sea salt, cumin) and complimenting veggies.  Meaning… if I am using red bell peppers in the nori I will add some to blend into the pate as well.  Have fun, be creative.  There are no rules here.
• Lay some of the pate on the lettuce, then top with veggies (peppers, sprouts, celery strips, carrot shreds).  Only put food on 1/4 of the nori.
• Then roll.  Just grab the end with the food and roll over and tuck under.  Inch by inch, roll and tuck.  When you get near the end wet your fingers in water and wet the end of the nori sheet.  Roll the final nori over and let it rest on the seal until it dries.

Faux Rice Sushi – Faux parsnip rice and veggies.  This is the closest looking and has the most “real sushi” appeal.

• Check online for your favorite parsnip rice recipe.  Basically its just ground parsnip and a few other seasonings.  Start with laying down a thick layer of rice.
• Add other veggies (peppers, sprouts, celery strips, carrot shreds)
• Sometimes it can be fun to make a savory sauce you can drizzle over the veggies.
• Then roll.  Just grab the end with the food and roll over and tuck under.  Inch by inch, roll and tuck.  When you get near the end wet your fingers in water and wet the end of the nori sheet.  Roll the final nori over and let it rest on the seal until it dries.

Raw Veggies Sushi – Just plain veggies in a nori wrap.  This is the simplest, usually if I am on my way out the door.

• Grab a handful of sliced, diced, julienned, or mushed (avocado) veggies, and lay them across the base of your nori.
• You might want to add a squeeze of lemon juice, or maybe a sprinkle of sea salt if desired.
• Then roll.  Just grab the end with the food and roll over and tuck under.  Inch by inch, roll and tuck.  When you get near the end wet your fingers in water and wet the end of the nori sheet.  Roll the final nori over and let it rest on the seal until it dries.

Add-Ons
Add a nice green tea (Sencha) for flavor, maybe a little Eden wasabi powder blend for a kick, and a little unpasteurized Nama Shoyu for dipping and you’re all set.

Break out the fine china, or in this case Japanese sushi plates, and have a party!  Spending time with loved ones is the real reward.

Source Information: Recipe and photographs are original property of Philip McCluskey www.lovingraw.com. All Rights Reserved.

Wanna spice up your summer dinning table? Make the kids want to eat more fruit? We found this and thought it was adorable, especially if you have kids! You can see from the picture that it is really easy to make! And its yummy too! This monkey is sure to be a crowd pleaser.The prep time is about 10 minutes, and the ingredients simply include one cantaloupe and two plums. The website we found this on, Instructables, has step by step picture instructions on how to get this monkey’s face just right! Click here to read how simple it is and then enjoy!

This summer we are doing a series of light, refreshing, energizing salads! Perfect to entertain with and eat in warm weather. Our second salad, Grated Raw Beets, is sure to add some color to any menu! It’s modified from a recipe we found on Vegetarian Times and it serves 6 people. Raw beets taste similar to raw carrots in that they’re sweet, juicy, and crisp. Jicama, a Mexican root vegetable that looks like a large, pale, round potato, is crunchy and mild when peeled and eaten raw. If you can’t find jicama, simply substitute cubed cucumber in this salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated jicama
• 2 cups grated raw beets (3 medium beets)
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1 navel orange, peeled, sectioned, each section cut into thirds
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 Tbs. fresh orange juice
• 1 Tbs. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 11/2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:
1.Place beets in medium bowl along with jicama, avocado, orange, and cilantro.

2. Whisk together orange juice concentrate, lime juice, cumin, and coriander. Whisk in oil. Pour over beet mixture, and toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Sprinkle each serving with rawpumpkin seeds.

We found this fabulous recipe on website Rawmazing. If you want something with a little spice and a lot of flavor, this rawmazing dish is for you. For this recipe you need a food processor. It is fun, fast and the flavors are great. Don’t be intimidated by the parsnip rice. The flavor is very mild and when combined with the other ingredients, makes a great meal.

Parsnips are full of vitamin C, have tons of fiber and are high in folic acid. They are a good source of niacin, magnesium, thiamine and potassium. They also have vitamins B6 and E.

Rice:

• 2 C Chopped Parsnips
• 2 Carrots
• 1/2 C Pine Nuts
• 3/4 C Broccoli, Chopped
• 1/2 C Mushrooms, sliced

Finely chop parsnips, carrots, and pine nuts and place in bowl. If you are using a food processor to do this, you will want to do each separately. Combine with chopped broccoli and sliced mushrooms. (mushrooms not pictured)

Sauce:

• 1/4 C Olive Oil
• 1/3 C Sun dried Tomatoes (soft)
• 1 t. Chili Peppers (dried)
• 1 1/2 t. Curry Powder
• 1 T Nama Shoyu
• 1 T Agave (Optional)

Combine all ingredients in food processor, process until well combined. Stir into “rice mixture”. Enjoy!

Source Information: Recipe and photographs are copyright 2009 Susan Powers www.rawmazing.com. All Rights Reserved.

This summer we are doing a series of light, refreshing, energizing salads! Perfect to entertain with and eat in warm weather. Our first salad, Citrus Splash, is sure to be a delight! It’s modified from a recipe we found on Vegetarian Times.

Ingredients:

Dressing

• 2 Tbs. raw agave syrup
• 1 1/2 Tbs. lime or lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. Nama Shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp. seasalt
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Salad

• 2 oranges or blood oranges
• 1 grapefruit
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped arugula
• 1 shallot, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise, and loosened into strands (1/4 cup)
• 1 Tbs. coarsely chopped mint leaves
• 2 Tbs. raw sliced or slivered almonds, for garnish
• 1 Tbs. raw sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions
1. To make Dressing: Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Taste for balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy, adjusting seasonings as necessary. Set aside.
2. To make Salad: Slice ends off oranges and grapefruit. Stand fruit on cutting board, and slice away skin from outside with knife. Cut fruit segments from membranes, and transfer to bowl; toss lightly with arugula, shallot, and mint. Toss with Dressing. Serve garnished with peanuts and sesame seeds.

If you didn’t grow up on raw foods, perhaps you remember being a kid and being absolutely smitten to have the left over dough after a batch of cookies was placed in the oven. Some of us over here used to sneak spoonfuls of it when mom wasn’t looking. Or perhaps as an adult, you’ve brought some cookie dough with all intentions of actually baking it, but it became an instant snack that was always in easy access range in your fridge. No matter your memory, don’t think that just because you are transitioning into raw foods that you have to give up the taste of some of your ol’ time favorites. You’ll just be having a healthier version instead, something that is actually good for you and taste GREAT too!

This raw chocolate chip cookie dough is sooo super easy to make, it would be a fun project to do as a family, or something you can easily prepare on your own. Trust us, it’s worth it. This recipe makes about 20 cookie dough balls.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• handful of raw cacao nibs

Equipment:
Food Processor

Directions:
1. Measure out the nuts and then pulse them into the food processor until they are nothing but little confetti pieces.

2. Then add the dates into the food processor and pulse them until they have completely blended with the cashews

3. Add the 3/4 tsp of vanilla extract and continue to pulse until you can see the mixture sticking together

4. Take the mixture out of the food processor and lay it onto a cutting board. Sprinkle in your raw cacao nibs using your hands to knead the “dough”.

5. Use your hands to grab individual pieces of dough and roll them into circles (or you can use a melon scooper if you have one).

6. Once you have enough cookie dough balls, place them on a plate and into the fridge for 1-2 hours (or the freezer for 30 minutes if you are in a hurry).

7. That’s it folks! We promise, it taste just like cookie dough, but with no additives or bad ingredients in there. All healthy, all natural, all raw, all good for you. Enjoy!

Craving cool, creamy chocolate on a warm sunny day? Or do you want to treat yourself to something sweet and smooth? This recipe is sure to delight your tastebuds. It’s a raw chocolate shake from Planet Green.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked 4 to 8 hours
• 4 large Medjool dates
• 3 tbsp carob powder
• 3 frozen bananas broken into pieces
• 1/2 cup coconut water

Equipment:
Blender

Directions:
1. Add the cashews and dates to a blender and blend until it’s a grainy consistency.

2. Add in carob powder, bananas, and coconut water and blend until smooth. If it’s still too thick for you, add 1/4 cup filtered water and blend.

As the warmer weather approaches we’ve been in search of fabulous raw recipes that compliment the season and also are excellent for serving guests. This recipe for Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho is a cool treat for yourself and can also serve as an appetizer or small plate at a dinner party. The recipe is from Matthew Kenney of Pure Food & Wine and it serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped pineapple
• 4 cups peeled, chopped cucumber
• 3 tablespoons minced jalapeño
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions, mostly white part
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup fresh pineapple juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1⁄2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped raw macadamia nuts

Equipment
Blender

Cooking Instructions
In a blender, process 3 cups each of pineapple and cucumber, 2 tablespoons jalapeño, 2 tablespoons scallion, lime juice, pineapple juice, and salt at high speed until smooth. Taste and correct seasoning (because the sweetness of pineapples varies), and add jalapeño and salt to taste.

Add the remaining pineapple and cucumber, the cilantro, and 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Pulse the blender quickly a few times—the gazpacho should remain chunky. (Depending on the size of the blender jar, this may have to be done in two batches.) Stir in the macadamia nuts. Divide the gazpacho among serving bowls, drizzle with remaining avocado oil, and sprinkle with remaining jalapeño and scallions.

Another fabulous recipe for you that we found on Vegan Raw Food. This is soo delicious, and it really allows you to customize your bowl with the various toppings you can add to garnish. We think you’ll really enjoy this recipe, especially if you love Mexican food.

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth or even consistency. You can put your bowls in your dehydrator (optional) for a few hours to warm up before you top with your favorite toppings. Optional toppings include: tomato, avocado, onion, corn, shredded cabbage, dash of oregano, sprouts