RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

VANILLA SCENTED PARSNIP SOUP

1 cup mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4-5 parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 tart apples (Granny Smith) cored, seeded and chopped

2 cups almond milk

½ teaspoon whole cloves

1 whole star anise

½ teaspoon peppercorns

Seeds from one vanilla bean

Granny Smith apple, diced

Flat leaf parsley

Toss mushrooms with olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Set aside to marinate.

Put the parsnip , apples, almond milk, cloves, star anise, peppercorns and vanilla in a Vita-Mix. Blend for five 1 minute intervals until the mixture is pureed. Use spatula to keep soup in constant motion.

Pour soup through fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide into warm bowls and garnish with marinated mushrooms, diced apple, parsley and olive oil. Can also be served warm. Just heat lightly till just warmed. You should be able to put a finger in the soup without feeling burned. This will give you a nice warming concoction for these frigid winter months. Makes 8 cups.

Alisa: On The Road to Raw

Equipment

Well, this blog response is long overdue. Sorry Marie. I’ve tried to write this blog about a million different times (o.k., I am exaggerating a bit) and just have not been able to finish it, but, I will be damned if I do not finish it now. So here goes…

O.k., so let’s talk about raw food kitchen appliances, cutlery and gadgets.

Yes, over the past 9 years of embracing, enjoying and preparing raw food, I have bought almost everything and anything kitchen related that I could buy that might have helped me along my new culinary path.

I have it all: multiple juicers (Norwalk, Champion and Wheatgrass), blenders (VitaMix and K-tech), dehydrators (Excalibur), knives, cutting boards, processors, slicers, dicers, mincers, mandolins, spiralizers, salad hands, bash and chops, nutmilk bags, measuring cups, including, of course, the wondercup and measuring spoons, bowls of every size imaginable, offset spatulas, graters including, of course, the microplane, peelers, gadgets that will julienne, salad spinners, grinders, strainers of all sizes, and yes, even a tomato shark. To this day, Marie kids me about owning a tomato shark.

I am sure I’ve forgotten some of the other wonderful kitchen gadgets that I own, but I think you get the picture. I went crazy! I had a lot of fun shopping over the years (spent a lot of money) and, of course, playing with every single thing that I bought, but, the question is: what does one really need in order to prepare raw food??

If you already prepare food in any capacity, you probably already own much of what I have listed above. Whether you plan to embrace a complete raw food lifestyle or just add a little raw food into your existing diet, at the very least, here is what I highly recommend that you add, that you might not already have: a high speed blender, a food processor, a high quality chef knife, nutmilk bags and a few cutting boards. If you are really are planning to commit to this wonderful new lifestyle or if you really love breads, cookies and crackers like I do, then I recommend investing in a dehydrator.

That is really all it takes and, best of all, you do not have to buy all of the above at one time. To get started, all you really need is a knife and a cutting board. I you want to create some amazing juices and smoothies; however, then I cannot emphasize enough that you MUST purchase a high-speed blender. If I had to pick just one appliance to purchase first, it would be a high-speed blender. They are expensive but worth every penny. In the end, they pay for themselves. If you cannot afford to purchase a new one, go up on Craig’s list or E-bay and you will be able to find one; just don’t give up looking. There is always someone who has decided that they don’t want theirs anymore (lucky you) and now it can be yours, for a lot less. You can even find them at garage sales, flea markets and thrift stores. Just keep looking. In the end, it will be worth it.

I am going to go off on a tangent right now but I cannot help myself. To me, creating and drinking amazing green juices and green power smoothies are the “be all and end all” of amazing health, vibrancy and energy. So, even if you are not planning to become a raw food enthusiast, but you want to look and feel better, invest in a high-speed blender and go crazy; drink your way to great health and energy; doing that, all by itself, will shift your world in a way I simply cannot explain.

So, which blender to I recommend? A vita-mix or a k-tech. Both are superb! Both get the job done! Both are in the same price range. Both are worth every penny they cost. Don’t think about it; just do it!!! You will not regret it!!!

Which food processor do I recommend? If you want a food processor, in my humble opinion, the Cuisinart 14 cup food processor is the way to go; it is not too small and not too large; it is just perfect and can accomplish all your processing needs.

Which juicer do I recommend? (and you really don’t need one because you can make juices in your blender, as Marie already explained). The Green Star, Breville or Hurom Slow Juicer are my top three choices and without me droning on and on about the pros and cons here, simply, “Google” all three juicers to see their specific differences for yourself. Personally, if I were to buy a new one today, I would choose either the Breville or the Hurom because, in the end, both are easy to clean up. I want to spend as little time as possible juicing and cleaning up or else I will not want to make a juice in the first place! All three, however, are great juicers and will get the job done.

Which knives do I recommend? At the very least invest in a high quality chef knife and a cleaver (for coconuts). I adore my Mac 6” chef knife and my 6” ceramic chef knife. The proper length of a knife depends on what you feel comfortable holding. It is very personal. The knife becomes an extension of your arm. A 10” might feel comfortable for some, but not for me. Try it and see what works for you. My ceramic knife is my ultimate favorite, but if you only have enough money for one great knife you might not want to invest in a ceramic because they are delicate and if you accidently drop it, it will chip. I have directly experienced this mishap and I was not a happy camper. I still invest in them because I love, love, love them, but then again I am crazy about knives.

Why more than one cutting board? If you plan to continue to eat meat and dairy along with raw fruits and veggies, it is my preference to have a separate cutting board for each: one for meats, one for dairy, one for onions and garlic and one for fruits and non-offensive veggies. I have different colored boards and each color represents a different food group. I do this because I prepare food for people who have allergies and other diet restrictions and it is important for me not to contaminate foods. And sometimes, simply, washing the board isn’t enough to get rid of the garlic leftover essence and I prefer the pure taste an apple not a garlic apple. Do you know what I mean?

Which dehydrator? The Excalibur of course! It is the be all and end all of dehydrators. And I recommend purchasing the 9 tray because it only costs $20.00 more than the 5 tray and in the end, once you start making your amazing dehydrating treats, you are going to want to make them in large quantities and you will end up cursing the day you bought the 5 tray!

Well, as you can tell, I could go on and on because there is just so much information to share and I love sharing it and I would be glad to if any of you have any questions and or comments regarding what I just shared, but if I do not send this response to Marie now, I will never hear the end of it. I’ve procrastinated enough. She has been so, so, so patient with me. What are friends for? So, Marie, finally, here it is!

P.S. it is Marie’s birthday this Sunday….Happy Birthday Marie!!!!

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

RED PEPPER HUMMUS PIZZA

Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cups of sprouted kamut

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups ground golden flax seeds (or flax meal)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place sprouted grain in a food processor with salt and cayenne and blend till it breaks down, scraping the sides of processor.

Add water and oil while processing. Mixture will become doughy.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and put in the flax seeds. Blend well until thoroughly mixed.

Pour a small amount of oil onto teflex dehydrator sheet and spread it to cover entire sheet. Press dough into a circular Pizza shape. (You can use an oiled rolling pin as well. You can curl up edges to look like a more traditional pizza.

Dry for 2 hours at 110 degrees, then flip onto a mesh screen for at least 2 hours more.

Crusts keep, refrigerated, up to 5 days.

Red Pepper Hummus

!/2 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

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Process the sesame seeds, garlic and salt into small pieces; add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Keeps for two days in the fridge.

Horiatiki Salad

Yeilds 2 !/2 cups

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon whole dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 /2 lb. tomatoes (approximately 2-3 romas) cut into 12 pieces each

1/2 cucumber, sliced, not seeded or peeled then slices cut into quarters

1/4 red pepper quartered and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 red onion sliced thinly into half moons

1/8 cup sun-dried olives, chopped

Put the the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper in a large salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to evenly distribute.

Extra Garnish

Arugula Leaves or Spinach

‘Raw’mesan Cheese (recipe follows)

‘Raw'Mesan Cheese

1/2 cup of macadamia nuts, soaked for 2 hours

1/4 cup pine nuts, soaked for 2 hours

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons water

Combine the nuts, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt in food processor, scraping down the sides until well mixed. Add water while processing to make it fluffy.

Spread the cheese mixture onto a teflex sheet and dry at 110 degrees for 6 to 8 hours. Do not over process or it will become sticky. Crumble and store up to 1 week in an airtight container.

ASSEMBLY: Spread Hummus in a thick layer over Kamut Crust. Spread some arugula leaves evenly over hummus. Scatter Horiatiki evenly over both. If using, sprinkle with ‘Raw’mesan cheese. EAT!

Note : This pizza sprouted from a combination of recipes from several different RawWoman classes; the crust and raw parmesan from our 'Breads and Pizza' Class, the ' Greek Horiatiki Salad' from our 'Super Salads' Class and the 'Red Pepper Hummus' from our 'Lunch in the Raw' Class. In a reverenced 'toot' of our own horn : this is truly delicious and since it also eliminates the more typical, nut cheese pizza topping it contains significantly less fat than a more traditional raw vegetable pizza. Eliminate the 'RawMesan' Cheese and you reduce the fat again!

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

HEMPED UP RED PEPPER DIP

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu

1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder

pinch salt

1/4 cup water ( or less, use to thin dip to taste)

Place all ingredients except water in food processor. Process till smooth. Use a little water to thin dip slightly, to taste.

Marie: ON THE ROAD TO RAW

Equipment

Alisa and I came together as partners in one of those fated ways; both of the women who normally assisted her in her classes were unavailable - due to 'personal emergencies - on the weekend of her first 'Equipment' class. I - by simply being the only one available - became the substitute. And the rest is history, so to speak. But on the subject of 'Equipment'... my whole kitchen had been transformed into what I then dubbed 'Alisa's Chamber of Torture'. Everything looked impressive and imposing but mostly it just looked like ALOT! There was not an open space on the kitchen counter; it looked like any moment all this stuff would revolt and take over the house .

Never one to acquire gadgets, I was astounded to find instruments for taking the hulls of strawberries, pitting cherries and zesting lemons. "What's wrong with a knife?", became the phrase of the day.Alisa had many, many knives and a very large and dangerous looking cleaver (for coconuts). "What do you need so many knives for?" I queried. There is no real answer. Some people just collect knives. Which brings me to the equipment. Juicers; all different kinds, some of which I couldn't for the life of me figure out where the fruit went in and the juice came out! Three different kinds of blenders. Some white gizmo with a guillotine blade and a crank handle that supposedly turns vegetables into noodles. A big black box with removable trays called a dehydrator - the closest thing to cooking in the raw world but kind of like the grown up version of an Easy Bake Oven (another contraption that takes a whole day to bake a cake).

I felt scared and deprived at the same time. Was I supposed to have all this stuff in my own kitchen? Why didn't I have all this stuff in my kitchen? I think I better learn how to use the strange little lemon rinder but, again, what's wrong with a knife?

Now the reality. The truth is: you don't need all that stuff. We conduct most of our classes with a blender (just one) and a food processor. Sometimes we throw in the dehydrator. We use measuring cups and spoons and knives. And that's pretty much it. More than a year has passed since that first class with Alisa and I, myself, verge on living a life on the edge of All Raw (although sometimes when you live life On The Edge, you're bound to fall off sometimes - but that's another story), I still don't have a VitaMix - considered to be the blender of choice for all raw food-ists. It's just me and my little Osterizer - and that works fine. Except that I must admit that there is nothing like the Vitamix for turning nuts into a smooth cream, something my own humble blender refuses to do, eventually shutting down completely like a petulant child until I let it sit for awhile and cool down. I didn't buy a juicer either. And I drink TONS of juice. I use my blender to beat things into a pulp instead, then pour the fibrous concoction through a nut milk bag and into a bowl. $9.50 for a nut milk bag. It's a bargain. You could use cheesecloth if you had a mind to, but the nut milk bag is better. It just goes to show that you don't need to break the bank to get the job done. I like juicing this way. It's kind of like milking a goat and I've always kind of gotten a kick out of that too. I did, however, invest in a fabulous Cuisinart food processor, cutting my processing time for almost anything in half. I also bought a dehydrator; even though I consistently prefer fruits and vegetables in their most natural states, every once in awhile I get a craving for one of those 'easy baked' items. Chips, stuffed mushrooms, pie crusts, pizza, breads. And, after all, I like it because it warms things up a little and me being - first and foremost - a cook, I like that sometimes... a warm blast from the past. I bought the best dehydrator there is. The 'Excaliber': Dehydrator Of Champions. Honestly most of us consider it the only dehydrator there is. And yes, I too began accumulating knives ( in particular the ceramic kind though right now I'm pining for two lovely Cutco knives that slice through anything - bone, rope, you name it -and that I'm threatening to use on the farm as well). Oh! And I bought a cleaver. Because you can never drink too much coconut water.

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

SOUTHERN GREENS SALAD

1 cup curly green kale, stems removed

1/2 bunch collard greens, stems removed

1/4 cup basil leaves

3/4 teaspoons sea salt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Chop the kale medium fine. To chop the collard greens and basil, first stack several leaves, roll them and cut into thin strips. Then chop medium fine. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to massage the greens, working the dressing into them with your hands.

Indian Greens: Substitute mustard greens for the collards. Replace the olive oil with sesame oil and add 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Asian Greens: Substitute spinach for the kale and bok choy for the collards. Replace the olive oil with sesame oil, replace the sea salt with 2 teaspoons tamari and add 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger. Peeled orange sections would be great in this salad.

***This recipe comes to you as a direct request from one of our students! She is working in DeKalb and had a craving for this kale concoction that we featured in our recent salad class. We don't blame her; we are avid kale lovers and have this one a few times a week, ourselves. Here you go Cheryl...Enjoy!

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

NECTARINE/WATERCRESS WRAPS WITH ALMOND SATAY

Satay

4 tablespoons almond butter

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Process all ingredients in a high speed blender. Add two tablespoons warm water if desired to blend. Process until smooth.

Wrappers

Large Napa Cabbage Leaves

Filling

12 medium basil leaves

2 nectarines, sliced into approximately 12 slices

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup watercress leaves

If using rice wrappers: submerge wrappers in water and let soften one minut.

Transfer wrappers from water to towel and blot. Fold wrapper edge over one inch on right side.

Lay three basil leaves on bottom of wrapper, parallel to counter edge leaving 2 inches from left edge and 1 inch from bottom uncovered. Top with six nectarine slices, 3 avocado slices and 1/4 cup watercress, allowing watercress tops to overlap folded right edge. Roll up bottom of wrapper and tuck unfolded left edge over. Continue to roll into tight cylinder. Almond sauce can be drizzled over, dipped into OR almond sauce can be placed inside of wrap before wrap is rolled up.

SERVES 4.

Nectarines are all over the place now and we love them! This has become a lunchtime staple for anyone who's tried it partly because it's so easy but mostly because it's so GOOD! We prefer it with napa cabbage as the wrap. It's subtle and adds an extra layer of freshness to the wrap. But you could try collard greens or romaine as well. And double the satay recipe . It's addictive!