Chapter 6:
MY FAVORITE BASICS
Tip: Use the pulp for a creamy breakfast cereal, make muffins with it, or stir it into your dog’s bowl. This also makes terrific egg nog. Just blend a few eggs into the finished milk and add nutmeg and pure monk fruit or stevia to taste.
MORNING BASICS: Other than coffee, during the week I rarely eat breakfast, at least not before noonish. This works well for me to practice what’s referred to as “intermittent fasting,” which has many documented benefits. I tend to follow my body’s instincts, so I guess I’ve been intermittent fasting since I was a teenager and was bold enough to refuse my mother’s breakfast pleas. I always appeased her by taking an apple to munch on at break time though. However, if I have a hankering, I’ll usually reach for one of my ready-made cereals or an egg. But, if there’s jam in the fridge and a grain-free bagel lying around, you can be sure there’ll be no intermittent fasting for that day!
Nut Milk and Creamer
Don’t get me wrong, I actually love fresh cream, however I also enjoy other “milks” as well and like to change it up, too. I know many of you don’t do dairy at all, so I’ve included my favorite cream/milk alternative. I use blanched almonds because I prefer the skins to be removed for easier digestion. You can use this in recipes wherever cream or milk is called for.
Makes about 2 cups cream or 4 cups milk
2–4 cups filtered water
1 cup raw macadamia nuts
1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
2 large dates (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste (optional)
⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Pinch of sea salt
Pure monk fruit or preferred sweetener to taste
1. Heat 2 cups of water until very hot.
2. While the water heats, add the rest of the ingredients to your blender.
3. When the water is hot, pour over the blender ingredients. Let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Blend everything together for about a minute.
5. Line a tall bowl with cheese cloth or a nut/juice bag to pour the mixture into and squeeze out the liquid.
6. Adjust sweetness and vanilla flavor to taste.
7. Add more water for a “milk” consistency, or use as is for coffee creamer. Keeps several days in your refrigerator.
Apple Pie Cereal Clusters
These little tidbits are not as hard as granola can be. They’re light and crunchy and make a great breakfast cereal or snack. There are two ways to make these—the easy way and the easier way. Use the easier way if you don’t want to pull out your food processor. Simply replace the apples with applesauce and the dates with ¼ cup more syrup. The ingredients in the muesli really soak up flavor, so don’t be shy with the spices.
Makes about 8 servings
2 chopped apples, or ½ cup applesauce
1 cup soft, pitted dates
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup soft butter or coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups muesli mix
1 teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia (if using liquid, add to the food processor)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Blend the apples, dates, maple syrup, butter or coconut oil, and vanilla until almost smooth. I like to leave some bits of apples and dates unblended.
3. Put the muesli into a large bowl and stir in the sweetener and spices.
4. Add the contents of the food processor to the dry ingredients, and use your hands to combine well.
5. Spread evenly onto the baking sheet and bake for about an hour, using a spatula to turn and move around or break up pieces as needed, about 3–4 times.
6. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let cool until crispy.
7. Store in an airtight container for several weeks.
Muesli
I like to keep my muesli basic and add fresh fruit to vary the taste when I serve it, because I often use it to make granola clusters. Feel free to add whatever other health promoting goodies you like, then shake it all together in a large glass jar. Shake the jar each time you pour it into your bowl to make sure you get all the goodness. I like to eat it with yogurt and fresh berries or grated apple. Dried fruit like gold raisins, chopped apple, blueberries, or cranberries are also great additions to this recipe—the sky’s the limit, really.
Makes 12–16 servings
2 cups shredded coconut
⅔ cup chia seed meal
⅔ cup hemp or other favorite seed
⅔ cup apple fiber (optional), See Resources (page 296)
⅓ cup coconut flour
¼ cup cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure monk fruit
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped pecans, macadamias, cashews, or Brazil nuts
1. Mix the shredded coconut, ground chia, seeds, apple fiber, coconut flour, cinnamon, sweetener, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Pulse the nuts in a food processor until they’re chopped up.
3. Stir the nuts into the bowl until everything is blended together.
Instant No-Oatmeal Porridge
When we want to warm our bellies on a cold morning, this takes about 2 minutes to make with the muesli you keep on hand. I love it with “my” milk (a few tablespoons of cream with 1 cup of water for me usually) along with a chopped banana and maple syrup.
Makes 2–4 servings
2 cups of water, juice, or milk
1 cup muesli
1 cup blanched almond flour
Pinch of pure monk fruit or stevia
1. Pulse the muesli in your food processor until it’s in smaller pieces.
2. Heat water, juice, or milk until almost bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in the muesli, almond flour, and sweetener.
3. Serve with your syrup and fruit of choice.
Easy Raw Jams: Unless we’re making a pie, cobbler, or crisp, cooking fruit just seems wrong to me. Sadly, so many people these days don’t even know what real, fresh-from-the-organic-vine, ripened fruit tastes like because so much of our produce no longer has flavor, ripened or not, thanks to many modern cultivating practices. One thing’s for sure: jams and jellies are traditionally made with copious amounts of sugar and cooked to death, which thoroughly intensifies the flavor into that which we are accustomed to buying. Adding dried fruit to the fresh gives that intensity of the cooked fruit. I love the health benefits of chia seed, but I find I use it enough in other areas so prefer to keep it out of my jams and jellies. Gelatin or agar works great too, but then you must heat at least some of the fruit for the gelatin to set and apparently it won’t freeze well. I’ve discovered that a little ground psyllium husk thickens perfectly when needed. These are base recipes for which you can modify depending upon whether your fruit is fresh or frozen and has lots of juices, sweetness, and flavor or not. When I make jam with our trees’ summer fruits, I use much less monk fruit and no extracts, so please, taste, test, and adjust for sweetness and flavor and sprinkle in a little psyllium to thicken, if needed.
Each recipe makes approximately 2–3 cups.
Apricot/Peach/Pineapple
12 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh or previously frozen and thawed, sliced peaches, or ½ pineapple
10 ounces dried apricots
3–4 tablespoons honey (preferably Manuka)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure monk fruit powder or stevia
½ teaspoon each vanilla and almond extract
Dash of sea salt
1. Add everything to your blender and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer to jars or containers and refrigerate or freeze (I usually refrigerate one and freeze one).
Tip: To make Fruit Leather, spread the jam thinly on a sheet pan liner and dehydrate at 200˚F for a few hours.
Strawberry/Cherry
1 pound fresh or previously frozen strawberries
6 ounces (or about 1¼ cups) raspberries (optional)
2 cups dried cherries
2–4 tablespoons honey or syrup of choice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½–1 teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
⅛ sea salt
1. Add everything to your food processor and pulse several times to your desired consistency. Or add half of the strawberries and blend smooth, then pulse in the rest of the ingredients.
2. Transfer to jars or containers and refrigerate or freeze (I usually refrigerate one and freeze one).
Blueberry/Plum
1 pound fresh or previously frozen blueberries
1 cup dried plums (you can call them prunes)
2–4 tablespoons honey or syrup of choice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½–1 teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)
⅛ sea salt
1. Add everything to your food processor and pulse several times to your desired consistency. Or add half of the strawberries and blend smooth, then pulse in the rest of the ingredients.
2. Transfer to jars or containers and refrigerate or freeze (I usually refrigerate one and freeze one).
FRUIT SAUCES: Other than applesauce, it seems fruit sauces aren’t very common anymore. Unless it’s the sugar-laden stuff on top of ice cream or served once a year with turkey. Fruit sauces are wonderful on pancakes, cereal, potatoes, and meat, or just as a side.
Raw Applesauce
This easy recipe tastes like heaven. Oddly, the banana is hardly detectable, especially if it’s a bit under-
ripened. I usually don’t bother peeling my apples either. I doubt I’ll ever buy store-bought, cooked-to-death applesauce again.
6 large apples (skins on is fine)
1 just ripe banana
2–4 dates, softened in water or honey/stevia to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional, or more to taste)
Pinch of allspice (optional)
1. Pulse in the food processor until smooth.
Tip: Add ½ cup cranberries for the winter holidays, strawberries for Valentine’s Day, or other fruit just to change it up occasionally.
Tangy (Fermented) Fruit Chutney
3–4 peeled, chopped apples, peaches, or ½ chopped pineapple
½ cup each dried chopped apricots, prunes, yellow raisins, cranberries, cherries, pecans
1 sliced leek
Juice of two lemons
¼ cup whey, drained from yogurt or water kefir or kombucha (assures good fermentation)
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Water or coconut water to cover
1. In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients, except the water.
2. Pack into clean glass jars, leaving an inch or two of space at the top.
3. Cover and rest at room temperature for 2–3 days.
4. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze.
Serve with roasted meats, beans, quinoa, potatoes or squash, hot cereal, tossed into a smoothie, over ice cream, or just out of the jar.
Cranberry Cherry Sauce
Sometimes not having the right ingredient or even a little mistake can lead to greater things. That’s why I encourage you to be fearless in your kitchen. For instance, I just couldn’t seem to find fresh cranberries when I needed them, so this yummy version of a classic must-have sauce got a twist.
Makes about 4 cups of sauce
1 thin-skinned juice orange, such as Valencia, chopped and deseeded
2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups pitted fresh cherries (previously frozen is fine)
1 teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½–⅔ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
A pinch of cloves
¼ cup Port wine or cherry juice
⅓ cup black raisins (optional)
⅓ cup pecans (optional)
1. Add the orange to your food processor and process into small pieces.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the wine, raisins, and pecans and blend until chopped into a chunky sauce.
3. Pulse in the wine, raisins, and pecans, and add a bit of water to thin if desired.
Tip: Before serving, the flavors will develop more by letting the sauce rest a few hours, either on the counter or in your refrigerator.
Tip: You can trade the wine/cherry juice for whey and let the chutney rest at room temperature for a day or two then refrigerate.
Tip: I like to set the jars in a cooler and then into the laundry room in case it gets stinky . . . and it will!
SAVORY CONDIMENTS: Why not eat condiments that are good for us instead of store-bought, full-of-sugar or bad-for-our-body oils? I think you’ll really agree when you see how easy most are to make yourself.
Kitchen Sink Cultured Veggies
Keeping kraut or cultured veggies on hand is important. I’ve found it’s an awesome way to get the healing, life-giving properties of the raw vegetables on a regular basis. My dogs (and cats) are probably stranger than yours, but they love a spoonful stirred into their food as much as I do. I use it for soups, sauces, condiments, and salad dressings, so it’s easy for us to eat daily. I don’t really have a specific recipe for this, I use so many different veggies it often just depends what I have on hand. I like to make enough to last a while, but not so much that it takes me past my patient point. I also don’t bother shredding, just rough chop and toss in batches into the food processor because I like the veggies to be chopped small. Here’s an example:
Food Processor Ingredients
1 small head cabbage
½ head of cauliflower
1–2 stems of broccoli
½ bunch of celery with leaves
6 carrots with tops (if not too bitter)
1 bunch kale, collard, or beet greens
1 bunch sprouts, such as sunflower or pea
1 bunch parsley or cilantro
1 bunch dill or oregano
About 8 scallions with tops
Blender Ingredients
2 cups of vegetable mix from above
3 cucumbers or ½ bunch of celery
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sea salt
½ cup whey or kraut juice
Peel the carrots and cucumbers. Roughly chop the vegetables and blend in batches in the food processor, then add to a gigantic bowl. Blend the rest of the ingredients in your blender adding water as needed. Toss everything together with your hands until well mixed. Pack into two large clean, glass jars, so the liquid rises above the vegetables, leaving a couple inches of space at the top. Screw on the top. Let set at a comfortable room temperature (about 70–73°F) for 5–7 days.
My Favorite Salsa
I’ll only use a can if I’m in real a pinch. Here’s a good hint though: Italian-style stewed tomatoes are pretty yummy in this. Shhhhhhhh. The men in my household love salsa, and so do I. Really good salsa is so quick and easy to make—it’s basically a staple in my kitchen, eaten alone or as a side or stirred into lots of dishes. It’s great with plantain chips; just make sure whichever chips you choose are organic.
8–10 Roma tomatoes (or 1–28 ounce can)
2 tomatillos (optional)
2–3 garlic cloves
1–2 jalapeño peppers (depending on the heat desired)
A big handful of cilantro (about ½ cup, packed)
6–7 scallions
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon dill weed
¼ cup olive or avocado oil
1–2 tablespoons cultured veggie juice or sauerkraut juice (optional)*
1. Roughly chop all the ingredients and put into your food processor.
2. Pulse several times until finely chopped to the consistency you like.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Note: *If using the fermented veggie juice, let the salsa rest on the counter for a day to begin fermentation. It’s a natural preservative.
Variation: Though not “raw,” for a deliciously different flavor, roast the veggies (or just the tomatoes) at 350°F on an oiled pan for about 40 minutes before chopping.
Tip: Taste your tomatoes before using them. A bland tomato makes for bland salsa.
Blender BBQ Sauce
Easy blender BBQ sauce that tastes like it’s cooked all day. Need I say more?
Makes 10–12 cups
2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 10–12)
1 small yam, or 2 carrots, peeled
1 small onion
1–2 jalapeños (depending on the heat you like)
6 garlic cloves
½ cup dates (about 10)
½ cup coconut aminos, or tamari (real, fermented soy sauce)
½ cup honey
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1. Roughly chop the tomatoes, yam/carrots, onion, and peppers and place on a baking sheet. You can roast the garlic if you’d like, but I prefer not to. Roast for about 20 minutes at 400°F.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to your blender.
3. Once the veggies are roasted, allow them to cool a bit, then add to the blender.
4. Puree until smooth. Add another tomato or a little broth to thin, if necessary.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Store in a mason jar in your refrigerator for 10 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Quick BBQ Sauce
This is a yummy, quick sauce to use if you have ketchup made. Actually, that blender ketchup is so quick and easy you may want to make it specifically for this sauce.
Makes about 2⅓ cups
1 cup homemade ketchup (page 72)
½ cup honey
½ cup coconut aminos or tamari
¼ cup prepared mustard
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1. Whisk everything together in a small bowl.
2. Use or store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for two weeks.
Cultured Mayo
I loooove this mayo recipe. I also love avocado oil, but prefer it to be green, cold-pressed, and taste a bit like avocados. So, these oils are a good choice for my mayonnaise.
Makes about 1½ cups
1 whole egg
¾ cup macadamia or sunflower oil
¼ cup MCT oil* or other favorite oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ teaspoon sea salt
A pinch of both cayenne and turmeric
1 tablespoon whey liquid (drained from yogurt or sour cream), cultured veggie juice, or a probiotic capsule (optional)
1. Put everything into a wide mouth mason jar in the order listed.
2. Use your immersion blender to blend until whipped and creamy, literally about 30 seconds.
3. If you’ve added the whey, simply let the mayo sit on your counter for about 8 hours to begin fermentation. This will allow the mayo to keep a little longer in your fridge.
Note: If you don’t own an immersion blender yet, use your mini food processor or blender.
* MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oils are a great energy source and contribute to mental clarity instead of being stored as fat. These oils are altered from their natural state so use only the highest quality such as the one recommended on my Resources page.
Tip: If you use the whey or fermented veggie or sauerkraut juice, let the mayo rest on your counter top all day to start fermentation, it’s a natural preservative.
Raw Fermented Ketchup
This ketchup recipe is not only easy and quick (my favorite adjectives) but it tastes awesome too! Make sure your tomatoes are flavorful and the sun-dried ones are reddish rather than super dark.
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
2 pounds (about 10 large) very ripe Roma tomatoes (or a 28-ounce can)
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 ounces, no salt added)
⅔ cup soft, pitted dates (about 10–12 or 2–3 ounces)
½ cup roughly chopped yellow onion
¼ cup fermented vegetable juice, kraut juice, or whey (liquid drained from yogurt)
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon anchovy paste, or 1 anchovy
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1½ tablespoons sea salt
⅛–¼ teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1. Blend everything in your blender on high until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, taste, and adjust seasoning if desired.
2. Pour into a glass jar or bowl, cover, and let set on your counter for a day to begin fermentation.
3. Store in the refrigerator 2–3 weeks or freeze.
Note: If your tomatoes are really juicy, you can add 1–2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Tip: Grate some fresh Horseradish in for a delicious Cocktail Dipping Sauce for Shrimp.
PROBIOTIC DRESSINGS: Make these dressings using whey (the liquid drained from yogurt or sour cream) or the juice from sauerkraut or the fermented veggie recipe on page 65. Of course, you can use store-bought fermented veggies as well; see my Resources page for my favorites. This is another way that makes it easy to get plenty of raw vegetables, probiotics, and healthy fats on a daily basis. When you’re not feeling like a salad, drizzle these on simmered veggies, potatoes, or meat. All of these dressings are deliciously creamy, but if you prefer an even thicker dressing, add a tablespoon of chia seeds or a handful of sunflower seeds to thicken them up.
Caesar Dressing
1 egg
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 tablespoons whey or lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan or blanched almond flour
1. Put everything into a glass mason jar and use your immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy.
2. If using whey, let it rest on your counter for a day to begin fermentation.
Honey Herb Dressing
¾ cup fermented vegetables (page 65, or store bought)
4 tablespoons honey, preferably Manuka/raw (see Resources, page 296)
½ cup macadamia nut oil
1–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or a handful of your favorite fresh herbs
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1. Put everything into your blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Note: The amount of honey and salt you use will depend upon the flavor of your fermented veggies.
Tip: Switch the whey for a probiotic juice such as sauerkraut, coconut kefir, or kombucha.
French Dressing
½ cup fermented vegetables
2 large tomatoes, quartered
½ cup MCT oil* or olive oil
A couple of slices of onion
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
3–4 tablespoons honey, preferably Manuka/raw
1½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons paprika or smoked paprika
1–2 teaspoons sea salt (depending upon the saltiness of your fermented veggies)
½ teaspoon black pepper
1. Blend everything in your blender until smooth and creamy, taste and adjust seasonings, adding stevia or monk fruit, if desired.
*MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oils are a great energy source and contribute to mental clarity instead of being stored as fat. These oils are altered from their natural state so use only the highest quality such as the one recommended on my Resources page (296).
Avocado Ranch Dressing
½ cup sauerkraut
A couple slices of white onion, or 1 garlic clove
1 avocado
⅓ cup homemade mayo (page 70)
½–1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon freshly minced dill and oregano
½–1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon freshly minced tarragon, parsley or basil (optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1. Blend the sauerkraut, onion (or garlic), and avocado in your blender until smooth.
2. Pulse in the mayo and herbs.
3. Chill for a few hours.
Tip: No sauerkraut on hand? Swap it for 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 medium peeled zucchini.
Quick Raw (or Not) Marinara
Sometimes our schedule or time available becomes too big of a factor on how we eat—well, you’ll have to think of another excuse now, because it takes only minutes for this raw version. Or, if you prefer, you can toss it in a slow-cooker while you gossip with the neighbors. If your sun-dried tomatoes are dark, the sauce will be dark. That’s good for a “Bolognese” sauce over meatballs, but if you like to keep it a bright reddish marinara, it’s best to use bright red sun-dried tomatoes (or substitute tomato paste instead). Double the herbs if using fresh instead of dried.
Makes about 4 cups of sauce
10–12 fresh Roma tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 cup softened sun-dried tomatoes (about ½ cup chopped) or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 medium peeled carrots and/or ½ medium beet or a small yam
1 zucchini
½ medium onion
1 garlic clove
¼ cup virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dry wine (or use 1 tablespoon wine vinegar)
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning or 1 tablespoon each oregano, rosemary, and basil
1–2 teaspoons sea salt
⅛–¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds (optional)
Broth or water to thin as needed
1. Roughly chop the vegetables and add to your blender with the olive oil and wine and blend until smooth.
2. Add the herbs and blend briefly. Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning to your liking and add the ground chia to thicken, if desired.
3. Toss into hot pasta or steamed veggies/red potatoes, or use as a dipping sauce.
4. For a hotter sauce, gently warm on the stove top.
5. For a thicker, cooked sauce, simmer until desired consistency.
Tip: If you like your sauce chunkier, save a few tomatoes and a little zucchini to add after you’ve blended the rest smooth. Stir in some finely grated Parmesan and use for pizza sauce.
Tip: Whenever you’re roasting meat, throw some vegetables in with it, then use the veggies and meat juices to blend into a gravy. Leftover mixed veggies, potatoes, or sweet potatoes, work really well here too, but we don’t always have leftovers to use so I’ll just use raw. If you blend it long enough, the raw veggies cook right in the blender for that real gravy taste.
GRAVY, PESTOS & SAUCES: This is not just a cook (or un-cook) book full of easy-to-follow recipes. This is a book I hope will encourage you to be brave in the kitchen. It’s not always about perfect planning or needing to run to the store to follow every recipe to a T. Sometimes a substitution can create your own masterpiece! Don’t be afraid to try new ingredients, especially when it comes to raw soups, dressings, and sauces, because so many veggies and herbs blend together beautifully for a delicious, creative dish. It’s so boring to follow just another pesto recipe with basil, garlic, and olive oil when it can be recreated so many ways. Use your favorite herbs, nuts, and oils. Try beet greens, arugula, or Swiss chard. Leave the garlic out and try fresh turmeric or ginger. Sometimes you’ve just gotta live a little on the wild side. To get you started, here are some ideas . . .
Lazy Gal’s Blender Gravy
Yup, I admit, I can be a bit on the lazy side, so de-glazing pans, scraping brown bits, making a flour roux, and whisking the lumps from refined starches just don’t happen in my kitchen anymore. But that’s okay because this gravy tastes like I made it that old-fashioned way.
Makes about 2 cups
1 cup stock, veggie or bone broth
1 small yellow or white sweet potato (approximately 7–8 ounces)
1 carrot, peeled
1 celery stalk
½ small onion
¼ cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder and your favorite herbs (thyme, sage, and so on) (optional)
1. Heat the broth in a small saucepan until almost boiling.
2. While the broth heats, rough chop the vegetables and add everything else to your blender. No need to peel the sweet potato so long as the skin is not bitter.
3. Pour the broth into the blender, let rest a minute, and blend on high until smooth and velvety. Adjust the seasonings, or add more liquid if needed. If you like thicker gravy, toss in a little coconut, sweet potato, or almond flour, or ground chia seeds instead of a starch.
Note: The color of broth you use will affect the color of the gravy. For Southern “Red Eye” gravy, try using coffee instead of stock and adding a generous shot of hot sauce.
Sweet and Spicy Orange Pesto
Who says pesto has to be green? And who says it has to be served over pasta? How about with veggies, potatoes, or as a cracker spread? Why not combine it with mayo for a sandwich spread? Stir it into soups, salad dressings, or top pizzas with it. And rather than raw, I often use roasted and salted sunflower seeds because I’m a rebel.
Makes about 3 cups
1 small peeled yam
1 medium red or orange bell pepper
2 carrots
½ cup sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or cashews
1 two-inch piece of turmeric or 1 teaspoon ground
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 thin-skinned juice orange
1 or more cups olive or avocado oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1. Chop and add everything into your food processor and blend until smooth or chunky, to a consistency you prefer.
Green Pesto
I’ll admit that the classic recipe for pesto: basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan is a simple and nourishing summer treat. But why stop there? Remember to be brave, it’s your kitchen!
Makes about 3 cups
Greens from the tops of 1 bunch of carrots (taste to make sure they are not too bitter)
2 big handfuls of spinach
1 medium zucchini
1 bunch of basil
4 big sprigs fresh oregano or your favorite herbs
½ medium onion
½ cup raw sunflower seeds or walnuts
1–3 garlic cloves (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 or more cups olive or macadamia nut oil, + more to top
1. Add everything into your food processor and blend until achieving your desired consistency.
Tip: Store in a glass container and top with more oil.
Creamy Raw Alfredo Sauce
The raw sweet potato is good for the tummy and this makes for a refreshing variation of the old classic.
Makes about 2 cups
2 yellow summer squash (or peeled zucchini), about 12 ounces
1 small yellow or white sweet potato, peeled (about 7 ounces or 1½ cups, roughly chopped)
¼ cup chopped onion (about 2 ounces)
1 garlic clove (optional)
1 cup heavy cream, or ¾ cup nut milk
2–4 tablespoons butter, ghee, or macadamia nut oil (optional, use if not using cream)
Broth or water for thinning, only if needed
½–1 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast or almond flour as desired)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper to taste
1. Add everything to your blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Warm on the stove top, stirring constantly just until hot (use your finger to test), be careful not to overheat or it will no longer be raw.
3. Toss with hot pasta or gnocchi.
Raw Dipping or Pizza Sauce
3 Roma tomatoes
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, softened in water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon sea salt
1. Blend everything together in a small food processor.
2. Thin to desired consistency with water or carrot juice.
Tip: For a crispy coating, dredge the pre-cooked “meat” in egg, dip in almond flour, and fry in desired oil/fat. Almonds burn easily, so I like to cook the “meat” through first. Re-crisp leftovers in the oven at 375˚F for about 10 minutes.
MEATLESS MEATS: Whether you have vegetarians in your household, or you’re just doing a “Meatless Monday,” these days every household needs choices—good choices that don’t involve the processed fake-meat-junk at the store.
No-Chicken Strips
These days, I find I need more vegetarian options in my household. I was shocked when I went looking for chicken substitutes. It seems everything contains tons of soy or wheat gluten, even in the recipes I found. I can’t eat chickpeas either, so I went back to what made sense to me. This also makes a yummy patty on a bun and little stir-fry pieces for other “No-Chicken” dishes.
1½ cups roughly chopped cauliflower, about 7–8 ounces
1½ cups roughly chopped yellow sweet potato
1½ cup almond, cashew, or other nut flour
2 eggs
¼ cup coconut flour
4 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
3 tablespoons melted butter or ghee
1½ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder or any other seasoning desired (optional)
1. Puree the cauliflower and sweet potato in your food processor to very fine bits.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a good minute, stopping to scrape sides at least once.
3. It will be a thick, sticky batter. Remove the blade and turn into a bowl.
4. Let it rest a few minutes, then knead it together with a rubber spatula.
5. With damp hands, shape into desired shapes (strips, patties, nuggets, etc.).
6. Fry in ghee or coconut oil on medium-high heat for a few minutes on each side in a lightly oiled skillet.
Note: For “stir-fry pieces” pull off small, random pieces of dough and drop in boiling water for about three minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet with a cooling rack and dry in a 325˚F oven until no longer moist, about 10 minutes. Use in casseroles, taco filling, Asian dishes, etc.
Ground No-Meat
This recipe makes life a little easier because the meat eaters even like it. Heck, if you don’t tell them it’s not meat they may not even notice! I usually double this batch because I like to keep some in my freezer or fridge to have on hand for burgers, etc. This recipe will make a nice sized “meatloaf” or 12–16 good sized meatballs. It’s also great filling for tacos or tostadas, or just about any place you’d use ground beef. If the beet makes it too pink for you, just use less, or use all yam instead.
2–ounce package of dried shitaki mushrooms or 8 ounces fresh mushrooms*
½ small beet with skin, about 2 ounces
1 small yam with skin, about 4 ounces
1 cup walnuts or pecans
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons coconut aminos, or tamari
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons psyllium husk powder, or 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds
1 cup grain-free bread crumbs, or cooked/soaked quinoa, or ⅔ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon sea salt and pepper to taste
Optional: onion, garlic, herbs
Meatloaf glaze
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 teaspoon medicinal mushroom powder (optional)
1. Add the mushrooms to your food processor and process until fine and powdery. Chop the beet and yam, and add these with the nuts. If using fresh mushrooms, add them to the food processor along with the other vegetables and nuts and process until finely minced.
2. Add the eggs, tomato paste, coconut aminos, and beans, and blend until the beans are chopped.
3. Add the psyllium or chia seeds and bread crumbs or almond flour and pulse several times until the consistency is similar to ground beef.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
5. Bake times will vary. At 350°F approximate times for meatballs and burger patties is 25–35 minutes; meatloaf should be approximately 50 minutes; if crumbled and spread on a sheet pan for taco filling, 30 minutes.
6. To store, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer or refrigerator.
7. For the Glaze, stir ingredients together in a small bowl and brush over meatloaf halfway through baking.
*Note: I always keep dried shitaki mushrooms on hand in my pantry. If you use fresh mushrooms, add a tablespoon of coconut flour to the mix because there’s more water in them.
Tip: If you use medicinal mushroom powder, add a tablespoon for extra flavor and nutrition.
SEMI-RAW SOUPS: I’ve always found soup to be one of the tastiest and sneakiest ways to get those extra raw veggie nutrients into my (big or little) kids’ bellies. These creamy, semi-raw soups are still favorites around here.
Carrot Yam Soup
Orange is my hub’s favorite color. Halloween is my favorite holiday (no gift shopping or wrapping, lots of crazy food, and adults get to act like children). This is a fun autumn soup. Feel free to spice it up with a dash of cayenne and stir in a little cooked quinoa or white rice if you’re feeling dangerous.
Serves 6
Ingredients
4 cups broth of choice
4 carrots, peeled
1 small yam, peeled
2 apples
2 celery stalks
½ small onion
A few slices of red bell pepper
¼ cup butter or cream
1 teaspoon sage
2 teaspoons curry powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1. Warm the broth in a small saucepan until hot to the touch.
2. Roughly chop the vegetables (and apples) and add to the blender along with the butter or cream and spices.
3. Pour the broth into the blender and blend until smooth, creamy, and hot.
Creamy Broccoli Soup
I like raw broccoli, but the flavor just doesn’t transfer to the favorite comfort soup most of us like. For this reason, I cook the broccoli until tender and keep the rest of the ingredients raw.
6–8 servings
About 1 bunch (3–4 heads) of broccoli + their stems (about 1 pound)
Water to cover broccoli, 4–6 cups
1½ cups roughly chopped cauliflower, or peeled yellow sweet potato (about 7 ounces)
2 celery stalks
¼ cup diced onion
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon ground turmeric, or a fresh 2–inch piece
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 big handfuls of spinach
A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup heavy cream or 6 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into ½ inch pieces (optional)
1. Chop the broccoli into equal sized pieces, including the stems, and put into a medium-sized pot, cover with water, and cook until tender, about 5–7 minutes.
2. While the broccoli is cooking, add the rest of the ingredients to your blender, except the parsley.
3. When the broccoli is tender, use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl. Set aside a few florets to add to the bowls when serving.
4. Pour enough of the cooking water or broth over the contents of the blender so that it blends up nice and smooth.
5. Add the broccoli and cheese, if using, and blend again. Do this in a couple of batches if necessary.
6. Return the soup to the pan to heat and adjust seasoning to your taste. Add enough of the cooking water to get the consistency you like.
7. Add the parsley and the florets you set aside to each serving.
Quick Tomato Bisque
Don’t forget tomatoes are a fruit. I know science says that cooking the tomatoes and carrots releases more of the carotenoids but I think a high-speed blender does a pretty good job too. Either way, I think I could live on fresh, juicy, ripe tomatoes. Juicy, ripe tomatoes and cheese. Ripe tomatoes, cheese, and baguettes. Okay, tomatoes, cheese, baguettes, and wine. Done.
Serves 4
8–10 lovely, ripe, Roma tomatoes, divided
1–2 carrots, peeled (optional)
1 garlic clove
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup heavy cream or milk of choice (optional)
1. Set aside 1–2 tomatoes to add at the end for a chunkier texture, if desired.
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes and carrots, toss in your blender with the garlic, olive oil, and salt, and blend on high until smooth.
3. Chop and add the rest of the tomatoes, seasoning, and cream, if using, and pulse a few times.
4. Warm on the stove top until hot to the touch.
Raw Summer Squash Soup with Dill
This recipe is so quick and easy I almost feel guilty calling it a “recipe,” but I make it so often I couldn’t leave it out. It’s refreshing cold in the summer, or simmer up some sliced squash to add to the soup base for a heartier comfort meal. I guess that would then be considered semi-raw instead of raw, but let’s not nit-pick, right? Sometimes I toss a handful of spinach or another green in too. Remember to have fun experimenting!
Serves 4
2–4 summer squash, crookneck or zucchini
4 cups broth (veggie or bone)
2 celery stalks
A couple pieces or about ¼ small onion
A few sprigs fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill
Sea salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter or ghee (optional)
1. Cut up the squash and toss everything into the blender and blend until smooth.
2. Serve warmed or cold.
Tip: For a refreshing change if you serve this cold, substitute a cucumber for half the squash or add a diced cucumber to the soup after it’s blended.
Tip: Add a sprinkling of chia seeds, ground psyllium, or sweet potato flour if your tomatoes are super juicy.
Tip: Add a dose of MCT oil or a scoop of collagen powder if you have them on hand. However, I’ve tried many of the “tricks” that supposedly help to keep a soft and creamy ice cream and haven’t found much difference from adding gelatin, glycerin, or vodka to this.
THE NECESSARY SWEET TOOTH: Ice cream is my must-have-on-hand-at-all-times emergency sweet tooth satisfier. Not to mention it’s great for last-minute desserts and late-night snacks.
Vanilla Custard Ice Cream
Is my household the only one that views vanilla ice cream in the freezer as a basic need for survival? Creamy homemade ice cream (especially if you choose to do a non-dairy version) can be hard to achieve, mostly because our home freezers just don’t freeze it quick enough to keep the ice crystals really small. But I was on a mission to figure out a way around this obstacle. Even though ice cream churners are easy to use, being the lazy gal I am, I sometimes need a recipe that’s still great without churning. I don’t use plantains that often because, as I said, I’m a bit lazy and they can be a pain in the patootie to peel. For the love of delicious, nutritious ice cream I must get over it. The eggs add flavor and texture; the dates, plantain, or sweet potato, add fluff and keep the ice cream from melting quickly; and the syrup and guar gum keeps it creamier.
2½ cups cold cream and/or full-fat coconut milk or cream
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks
3 large soft, peeled and pitted dates, or 2 tablespoons date paste
A small piece of yellow sweet potato or barely ripe plantain or banana (about 1 ounce)
⅓ cup syrup of choice
½ teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
1–2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
A pinch of sea salt
¼–½ teaspoon guar gum (optional)
1. Add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth and fluffy.
2. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze or, use your ice cream maker until it’s a soft serve consistency, then transfer to an air-tight container and freeze.
Note: I use raw eggs because I believe they’re safe and nutritious, but you can cook the eggs with the cream (if you must), stirring constantly until thickened, strain if necessary, then chill mixture before continuing.
Fresh Fruit Soft (or Frozen) Serve
Keeping with my philosophy that you can’t go wrong with fresh, organic whole foods, especially fruit, go ahead and throw abandon to the wind! Vary your choices at the market or use what you have on hand. The likelihood of it not tasting great is slim to none. This recipe is the basic recipe I use, typically just switching out the diced mango for anything from berries to grapefruit. The juicier the fruit is, the more banana you may want to throw in, otherwise it’s more like a sorbet. I’m sorry, but if that’s a mistake, it’s okay with me. If you eat fresh eggs, you can toss one in too.
Makes about 2½ cups
1 banana
2 cups diced mango
1 cup chilled coconut cream (the solid part of the coconut milk at the top of the can)
2 tablespoons MCT or coconut oil (optional)
⅔ teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
1. For an immediate soft-serve consistency, have the fruit frozen. Add all of the ingredients to your blender or your food processor and blend until smooth.
Note: If you use room temperature or chilled fruit, you’ll have more of a smoothie consistency, but you can always toss it in your ice cream maker and freeze as directed.
Hot Fudge Sauce
When I was just a lass (oh brother, would you rather I say “little gal”?), my favorite treat was a Banana Royal Sundae from Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor. Vanilla ice cream, bananas, walnuts, hot chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry, of course. Now that I’m all growed up, I occasionally have this for dinner, except I make it myself, and I make my husband serve it to me.
Makes about 2½ cups
4 ounces 100% chocolate (such as baking chocolate)
½ cup butter
½ cup syrup of choice
1 teaspoon pure monk fruit or stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract or instant espresso crystals (optional)
½ cup water or cream
Pinch of sea salt
1. Melt the chocolate with the butter and syrup in a small pan on the stove top.
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Store in a glass jar in your fridge for a month.
Tip: Add more water or cream for a thinner consistency. For a “hot fudge” sauce that remains thick when heated, use cream rather than water.
Caramel Sauce
Dates make an amazing caramel sauce and they blend so smoothly they aren’t even detectable (you can press them through a strainer if you don’t have a powerful blender). You can leave this sauce raw, but for real gooey, deep caramel flavor and texture I recommend the cooked version. Dates bring so much whole food goodness and such delicious sweet flavor that sometimes I stir a spoonful into my morning coffee.
Makes about 1½ cups
¼ cup butter
½ cup cream or coconut milk
1 cup soft, pitted dates (preferably Medjool), about 5 ounces
½ cup syrup of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of sea salt or as much as ½ a teaspoon for a “salted caramel” taste
1. Melt the butter with the cream in a small saucepan.
2. If your dates are not soft, add them to the pan, cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Otherwise, just add the dates directly to your blender.
3. Add the contents of the pan and the syrup to the blender and blend until very smooth.
4. Keep raw or pour the sauce back into the saucepan (straining it, if desired).
5. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, checking and stirring as necessary.
6. Let cool somewhat then stir in the extract and salt. Store in a glass jar in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Note: This makes a thick caramel. If you want a pourable sauce, add more syrup or cream.
