homemade vegetable broth powder

when you make a lot of soup, the cost for healthy bouillon cubes can get expensive. the cartons of vegetable stock are even pricier, and i noticed that the powder sold in bulk at the health food store contains some questionable ingredients. (corn syrup solids and autolyzed yeast extract?)

so i decided to make my own broth powder. there are several methods for making homemade stock, but i was sold on the dehydration method. adding more veggies to vegetable soup? i like it! plus we already had all the vegetables, herbs and the dehydrator.

not going to lie though, slicing all those veggies as thin as i could get them (so they would dry more quickly) was a bit of work for one cup of powder. but the broth is so wholesome and clean! plus my mandolin slicer made the work a little easier, and dare i say sort of fun?

the bell pepper, yellow squash and red onion were from the csa. the zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs grew in our garden. i used green and purple basil, oregano and thyme, and later added rosemary and parsley. also, i used some store-bought organic produce, because what's veggie broth without carrots and celery?

the recipe i loosely followed suggested adding a good amount of arrowroot starch. that would really bulk up the powder, but would also thicken our soups, which i don't always want, so i left it out. i also didn't add salt because i like to season as i go to avoid adding too much.

the dried veggies were stored in an air-tight bag a few days until i was ready to process them in the vitamix. they smelled sooo good, i kept opening the bag for a little sniff!

all in all, i say the dehydrated vegetable broth powder is delicious and worth the effort. it'll feel good to know i'm adding local organic nutrition to our soups in the dead of winter, if i can make it last that long. maybe i should make another batch...anyone want to come help me slice veggies?=)

xoxoxo

raw vegan zucchini rollatini

looking to wow your friends and show them how amazing raw, animal-friendly food can be? well do i have the dish for you! these bite-sized rollatinis look fancy, taste incredible and can be served as a nutritious appetizer or main dish.

john ate his right up and declared "these are great! the sauce mixed with the cheese reminds me of something my mom used to make." coming from a man whose a) mother is an exceptional cook and b) response has been an unenthusiastic "not bad" to many of the things i've been making lately, this really means something.=)

the rollatinis were actually john's suggestion. we love raw zucchini lasagna but it can be a bit of a production to make. these rollatinis do require the same steps (minus the walnut meat) but to me, they're worth it! you can also make some of the filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.

soak: the first thing you want to do is get some ingredients soaking in water to make them easier to blend. for the cheese you'll need to soak 1 1/3 cup cashews, and for the tomato sauce 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes and one medjool date. they can soak anywhere from an hour to overnight, whatever works for you.

slice: next you want to slice your mushrooms thin and get them marinating. you'll want to use about 12 baby bella, cremini, or button mushrooms. mine were tossed with a drizzle each bragg's liquid aminos, extra virgin olive oil and some fresh thyme from the garden. if you don't have bragg's you can use soy sauce, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. fresh or dry herbs are optional.

blend: while your mushrooms are marinating, make your cashew cheese and sauce in a high speed blender. you could also use a food processor but your cheese may not come out as smooth. to lessen the clean-up and add a little creaminess to the sauce, i make the cheese first, pour it into a ramekin, then make the tomato sauce right in the messy blender.

cashew cheese
(this recipe makes enough cheese for about 16 rollatinis)

1 1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked
1/4-1/2 cup water
2 tsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 T nutritional yeast (optional, to taste)

drain the cashews and place all ingredients in a high speed blender. process until smooth. you can see that i stirred some leftover kale salad into the cheese. you could also add chopped chard or spinach, or nothing at all. it's up to you, but i do recommend the simple kale salad! 

tomato sauce
(adapted from delightfully raw by carmella soleil, also makes enough for about 16 rollatinis)

3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medjool date, soaked
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
fresh or dried herbs, to taste (optional)

drain the date and sun-dried tomatoes, and give them a little squeeze to remove the excess liquid. place everything in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

 

now we need to cut 16 thin rollatini strips. to do this you'll need two medium zucchini and a mandolin or v-slicer. spread about a tablespoon cheese and marinated mushrooms onto the zucchini strips like in the picture above, then roll carefully from bottom to top.

to serve your rollatinis raw, gently warm them in the dehydrator at 118 degrees for three to four hours. if you don't own a dehydrator, you could probably warm them in the oven on the lowest setting. the heat may be too much to keep them "raw", but they will still be good and healthy.

lastly, top with tomato sauce and chopped basil and enjoy your homemade, raw gourmet meal! yay for the garden still producing zucchini because i can't wait to make these babies again! do you think you'd give something like this a try?

xoxoxo 

long time no post

can you believe it's been two months since my last post? did anyone even notice? haha! amazingly this blog still gets visits everyday so i thought i'd share a little update.

the garden is still thriving and buzzing with bees. the harvests have slowed but we're finally getting plum tomatoes that somehow avoided the blossom rot. i've been warming them in the dehydrator to make sun-dried tomatoes and filling the extra trays with herbs and kale for green powder.

on the food front, i just purchased angela liddon's the oh she glows cookbook and love it. her lentil loaf was great, though i changed some ingredients because i was cooking up pinto beans that day.

i've been slow-cooking dried beans and using them every way i can. the pinto beans made "meat" loaf and a big batch of spanish rice that served up two dinners! today i've got great northern beans in the crock pot and will be making a rosemary white bean soup and white bean wraps with homemade tortillas. the leftover beans go into the freezer and get used in all sorts of things.

if you have animal-friendly recipes, please send them my way! i'm on the search for healthy spins on old favorites but also fresh dishes with great flavor. food to please vegans and non-vegans alike!

i hope everyone is enjoying these last weeks of summer and is looking forward to the foods that come with fall as much as i am...bring on the squash, hearty chunky soups and sweet apples!

xoxoxo

week of meals

source

at the start of the week, i like to jot down meal ideas and carry them with me in my little binder. the list changes with produce availability and what i'm in the mood for, but it's always there for reference. here is my list for this week:

dinner

• vegan minestrone soup with salad
• vegetable stir-fry with white rice
• lentil and potato soup
• raw pizza with salad
• persian tah dig

it's freezing cold out (snowing as i type this), so soup is on the menu twice this week. when i make soup, i try to double or even triple the recipe so i can freeze the rest in jars for those days when i just don't feel like cooking. they also make great quick lunches for when i'm babysitting.
edit: when freezing in glass jars, leave at least an inch headspace to prevent cracking.

white rice is easy to digest and when i cook it, i make extra for another meal. this saves time and energy. that is why i'm trying persian tah dig this week - to use up the leftover rice, and also to use up the big bag of organic potatoes i bought. (persian tah dig, i just learned, is an iranian dish with rice and potatoes.) i'm going to add turmeric since i'm always looking for ways to get it in.

i bought a big bag of russet potatoes with the vow to use every last spud. (too many times they spoil before i get to use them all). chopped potatoes made their way into the minestrone soup and next week i'm thinking of making baked potatoes loaded with veggies.

back to the rice - cooking rice used to intimidate me until i found this perfect white rice recipe.

perfect white rice (pressure-cooked)

2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups water
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil

rinse rice well. in a pressure cooker with the lid locked, bring all ingredients to pressure and cook for 7 minutes, turning the heat down to medium. then turn the heat off and let the pot sit for 15 minutes. do not open the lid. the rice will continue to cook in the pot. open lid carefully after 15 minutes and fluff with a fork.

with my stir-fries, i just saute an assortment of vegetables with soy sauce and oil, then add the cooked rice to heat it. stir-fries are so simple and they make my favorite kind of leftovers. some veggies i've used in my stir-fries are: broccoli, bok choy, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, peas, green beans, cabbage and zucchini or yellow squash. 

over the weekend i began to sprout mung beans. they'll make a nice raw element for our stir-fry. i may also sprinkle some on our raw pizza, soup and salads. sprouting beans and seeds is so easy and a great way to grow some of our own food during the winter months. see my tutorial here.


lunch: 

• leftover soup
• nori wraps with avocado
• mashed avocado and toast
• smoothies with green powder
• red lentils with nutritional yeast 

my favorite quick lunch right now is simply sliced avocado wrapped up in a nori sheet. so easy, yummy, and nutritious to boot! i just got the idea to add the mung bean sprouts to them, too!

red lentils are also great when you're short on time because they cook up so quickly. i just place about a quarter cup red lentils in a pot with about a half cup water and boil a few minutes until they're tender. with a little olive oil or butter, nutritional yeast flakes and salt, they're divine!

snacks:

• carrot curry flax crackers with hummus
• dehydrated mangoes
• coconut yogurt
• steamed non-gmo edamame
• fresh fruit (bananas, apples, oranges, pinapple)

as i mentioned last night, i made a sweet and savory flax cracker with carrot, curry and raisins. flax crackers are my go-to because they're easy for me to make and i like that they're high in omega-3's. i just happened to come across an article today that said eating the flax seeds provides much more nutrition than the flaxseed oil supplements. i also enjoy their crunchiness, though the seeds sticking to my teeth are still very annoying. they're worth it though.

carrot curry flax crackers with raisins

1 cup raw flax seeds
3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 raw shelled hemp seeds
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup shredded carrot (about 2 carrots)
1 1/2 tsp curry powder (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 tsp bragg's liquid aminos (optional)

place seeds and raisins in a large bowl with enough water to cover and let them soak for about an hour. add carrot and seasonings and stir. if the batter seems too stiff, mix in a little bit more water.

spread batter over two teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115 degrees until dry, flipping halfway onto mesh screens. if you don't have a dehydrator, these could probably be baked in the oven on the lowest temperature with the oven door cracked, but keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

so there you have it - a week full of animal-friendly meals. (i left out breakfast because i usually just eat a banana.) this post was fun to put together and i got even more ideas as i was writing, so i will definitely try to do this again! what are you excited about making this week?

photos from today

though more snow is in the forecast for tomorrow, the pretty sunset after 5 pm had me thinking of spring. only 2 more months to go, and february's a short month!;)

it cracks me up to watch kati clean her feet. she spreads her toes all out and chews on them. (kati never did warm up to our little houseguest, though she did allow sweet annie to sleep in our bed.)

a few months ago i won a blog giveaway for kevita sparkling probiotic drink. the local health food store ordered some for me and i tried the lemon cayenne flavor. it was pretty good - not at all spicy like i was expecting. they also gave me a scoby so i can make my own again. need to get on that.

today i made a huge mess batch of minestrone soup - enough for three dinners and three lunches. we had some tonight, we'll have leftovers tomorrow and the rest of the jars were put in the freezer. last week i wasn't feeling good and all i wanted was homemade soup. now i feel prepared.

our mangoes were ripe but bland so i decided to dry them out. now they're perfectly sweet. yum, and chewy, like candy. while the mangoes were in the dehydrator all day, i also restocked raw pizza crusts and created carrot curry flax crackers with raisins that i can't seem to stop eating. i'll tell you about those soon. sleep tight my friends!

raw pizza three ways

if you've been reading this blog for awhile, you're probably aware of my love for raw pizza. if you're not familiar with raw pizza, let me break it down for you (with links for more information.)

the crust is a mix of zucchini (or any summer squash), sprouted buckwheat groats and flax seed.

the cheese is a delicious blend of soaked cashews, lemon juice and nutritional yeast.

the toppings for raw pizza are endless. this time we went with walnut sausage and basil, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, and rainbow chard with raw tomato sauce, lightly heated in the dehydrator.

why raw? raw or living food is food not heated above 115 degrees, to preserve the live enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and minerals that can otherwise be destroyed or altered when heated. raw food is more nutritionally dense and is generally easier to digest, giving our systems a huge break. although i don't eat an all raw diet, i make it a point to eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as i can. it seems the more raw food in my diet, the more energy i have and the better i feel overall. 

as i heard someone say just yesterday, your body is the place you live, take care of it!

(in order to make raw pizza, a dehydrator is needed. i recommend an excalibur 5 or 9-tray system. if you search around you may be able to find a good deal. it will probably run you around $150-200. for us it was a great investment. we make kale chips, cheez-its, fruit roll-ups, eggplant bacon, crepes, crackers, raw lasagna, nori snacks, granola, green powder, buckwheat crunchies...all kinds of things! ours is running right now, making "sun-dried" tomatoes with the surplus of romas.)

enjoy your weekend! i plan to be back soon with a community garden update.

xoxoxo

weekend recap

friday, my four year old niece alaina came over to spend the night and the next day with us. what an imagination she has! the best was when she turned my crochet hooks into dental instruments. it was so cute watching john the dentist work patiently on alaina's teeth with two yarn needles.=)

source

we broke up our saturday with trips to the pop shop, the collingswood famers' market, and the local library. the weather was rainy and the last time i took alaina to the community garden, she wanted to go home shortly after. and i had to carry her back. so i didn't mention it this time. however, alaina surprised me by asking, "can we go that garden place again?" we sure can!=)

 community garden 9/18/11

this time she ate tomatoes and lettuce straight off the plants. she admired each and every flower and wanted to know what the plants were called. she asked if she could pick things for me to take home. it was so sweet!

at the library, i read her some stories then let her choose some movies to watch later. she picked ramona and beezus and one of those teenie bopper's concerts whose name i can't remember. (do i sound old or what?) i chose mary poppins.=)

thankfully we didn't get to the concert, but we did watch about 15 minutes of ramona and beezus, which i enjoyed more than she did! as a child i loved beverly cleary books, and this was a surprisingly good adaptation. like many booknerds, i'm hesitant to watch movie versions, but ramona and beezus was pretty cute.

before alaina left, she told me i was her best friend, then sang a song about me being her best friend. there's nothing sweeter than her little voice. really there's nothing sweeter than just spending time with a child. i'm already planning her next visit!

we finally got some sun and i was able to photograph the results of my kitchen marathon.

first we have apple-banana fruit roll-ups. making fruit roll-ups is great because 1) they're a perfect way to use up ripe fruit 2) they're easy and inexpensive to make 3) they're a nice candy-like snack for when i'm craving something sweet and chewy.

i don't have a recipe for my fruit roll-ups, though my friend heidi has some good ones on her blog. what i do is throw about 2-3 ripe bananas and 1-2 apples in the food processor with juice from half a lemon per excalibur dehydrator tray. i've used all kinds of fruit with banana, like watermelon, pear, peach and berries.

when using ripe banana, there's so need for added sweetener. after processing the fruit until smooth, i spread the batter onto teflex dehydrator sheets thin, but not so thin that the teflex shows through, and dehydrate until dry and pliable anywhere from 110-135°. then with kitchen scissors, i cut each tray of fruit leather in sixths, roll them up, and store them in ziploc bags or glass jars.

rosemary and sage are growing gorgeously this time of year. i paired the two herbs to create savory flax crackers and raw pizza crusts.

a sweet version of flax crackers was made with apples, dates and maple syrup. they were lovely with a little peanut butter. i'd like to do some tweaking before i share the cracker recipes, as the batter was a little too thick and took a long time to dry.

my mom and i also had a nice two-and-a-half hour gabfest on the phone. we love to gush over alaina, and we're talking about doing a detox challenge together.

i hope your weekend was full of love, laughter, and yummy treats!

::floral divider source

raw pizza with sunflower pesto

photo from sunset.com  

not only do sunflowers cheerfully resemble the sun, they produce a little seed loaded with nutrients to nourish humans and animals alike.

sources say sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, fiber, protein (6 grams per ounce) and phytochemicals. they also have a beautiful history....

*

"Sunflowers are native to both North and South America where indigenous people were first to cultivate them. The natives, following a 4,000-year-old practice, chose the largest seeds from the biggest heads year after year, developing the largest sunflowers that, in turn, produced the largest seeds. Ancient farmers tended their sunflower gardens with bone hoes and antler rakes. To encourage an abundant crop, they created special songs and held ceremonies at the time the seeds were sown.

Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa Native American farmer born in 1839, carried the ancient tradition forward and sang to her plants. Native Americans form deep spiritual bonds with the earth and are grateful for all it produces. Buffalo Bird Woman said, "We cared for our crops in those days as we would care for a child, for we Indian people loved our garden just as a mother loves her children ..."

(from vegparadise.com. you can read the rest of the write-up here.)

  *

another glorious aspect of sunflower seeds is the price. i find them to be considerably cheaper than other seeds and nuts used in raw food recipes (less than a quarter of the price). i use a very heavy hand when pouring my sunflower seeds from the bulk bins!

with all its wonderful qualities, i try to use sunflower seeds often in breads (see sunny bread recipe below) and other raw delights. tonight i decided to make a sunflower seed pesto (instead of walnut or pine nut) to top my favorite dinner, raw pizza.

Sunflower Pesto

1/2 C. sunflower seeds, soaked
4 C. lightly packed basil
1/4 C. water
3 Tbsp. olive oil
5 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt or shoyu
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. lemon juice

for the last four ingredients, use more or less to taste (note: i like garlic). process all ingredients until smooth.

Herb Pizza Crusts

1 1/4 C. buckwheat, soaked overnight

2/3 C. sunflower seeds, soaked overnight

5 T. ground flax seed

1 C. zucchini, chopped

1/4 C. water

1 T. olive oil

1 tsp. herbs

1 tsp. garlic

1 tsp. sea salt

1. blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

2. spread batter about 1/4 " thick on 3 3/4 dehydrator trays covered with teflex sheets. score into 9 squares per tray (or make pizza rounds).

3. dehydrate at 125 for 2-3 hours, then flip onto mesh and turn the temperature down to 110.

4. dehydrate until dry.

the pizza was assembled with cashew cheese, marinated mushrooms and bruschetta, then warmed in the dehydrator for about one hour.

not the most flattering pic, but doesn't that cashew cheese look like mozzarella?!

it seems like every raw pizza i make is tastier than the last. i was literally dancing in my seat while i ate it. so much better than SAD pizza!

~*~

photo from nps.gov

once when i was feeling really down, my bestest friend missy's mother bought me a sunflower to cheer me up. it sure did! i remember that as one of the nicest things anyone has done for me.

i guess the moral of this post is sunflowers are a great way to brighten someone's day...

...and raw pizza is another! =)

delicious

i have to share these recipes that made our ny eve so yummy!

Vegan Bay Crab Cakes

Recipe by Cherie Soria (as printed in Purely Delicious magazine)

Serves 6 (Yields twelve 1/4 cup cakes)

1/2 C. dried porcini mushrooms, soaked for 1 hr, drained and diced
1 1/2 C. zucchini, spiralized
1 1/2 C. macadamia nuts, ground
1/4 C. onion, finely minced
1/4 C. celery, finely minced
2 Tbls. nutritional yeast
2 Tbls. lemon juice
2 Tbls. red bell pepper, very finely diced
2 tsp. kelp powder
2 tsp. ground golden flax seeds
1 Tbls. ground psyllium seed
1 tsp. garlic, pureed
1 tsp. red jalapeno, minced (or substitue cayenne pepper to taste)
1 tsp. Himalayan crystal salt

1. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the spiralized zucchini into pieces about one inch in length. (A spiral slicer and a chef's knife are perfect for this task.)
2. Combine the zucchini and all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Add a few drops of water, if needed, to form a firm dough.
3. Using a 1/4 C. measure, create small cakes, about one inch deep.
4. Place the cakes on a nonstick dehydrator sheet and place in dehydrator at 120 degrees for 1 hour; then turn over to dehydrate the other side for another 1-2 hours. (This temperature will not be too hot to destroy the nutrients and enzymes, since the dough has enough water to stay cool during this time.)
5. Serve with a generous serving of Cocktail Sauce and/or Creamy Dill Sauce.

kelli's notes:
i used 3/4 diced button mushrooms instead of porcini, 1/2 macadamia and 1 cup cashews, omitted the onions and psyllium powder, and served with a mixture of ketchup and wasabi. i needed to dehydrate longer, more like 6 hours. they are a bit flat (most likely due to the lack of psyllium powder), but still scrumptious! i will follow the recipe to the T next time so they look as good as they taste!


Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Walnuts
from Raw-Riffic Food's Recipe Blog

1 lb Brussels Sprouts (stems removed, and sliced thin)
1/2 cup walnuts coarsly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries chopped
1/2 – 1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 T (more or less) cold pressed Hemp Oil
1/2 T cold pressed Olive Oil
2-3 drizzles of raw agave nectar (or to taste)

Preparation:
Lightly steam the Brussels Sprouts and place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. This dish is a very hearty meal. Try exchanging the walnuts for chopped pecans, or dried apple pieces and raisins in place of the dried cranberries. I think you will agree that this dish is super yummy, and makes you feel cozy too! Perfect for Winter! =)

kelli's notes:
i did not have hemp oil so i added more olive oil. i sliced the brussels thin, tossed with all ingredients, and dehydrated a few hours instead of steaming. the flavors go together so well in this dish that i'm sure any way you make it will be delicious!

~*~

 

Quinoa Veggie Sushi

4 nori sheets

1/2 C. quinoa

1 C filtered water

1 small carrot

1 small zucchini or cucumber

1 avocado

agave

rice vinegar

tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)

wasabi

1. rinse quinoa. bring water and quinoa to a boil, lower heat, cover, and cook 15 minutes.

2. shred or cut veggies thin.

3. add a few drizzles each of agave, tamari, and rice vinegar to the cooked quinoa.

4. place nori sheets on sushi mat, add ingredients and roll. i've watched youtube videos to learn how to do this.

5. serve with tamari and wasabi.

6. mix leftover ingredients and top with wakame for a yummy salad!

~*~

Chocolate Pecan Pie

from Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw for Dessert

altered and posted at Beautiful Living Food in Vermont

(a lovely blog i stumbled upon recently)

by Joyce

This recipe includes a few components so I’m going to list them in the order that I made them:
1 Cup of Date Paste (here’s what I used since I cut the recipe almost in half)

• 20 pitted medjool dates
• 1 1/2 cups of water (and a couple teaspoons extra)

Soak dates in the water for 20 minutes, massaging them with your hands for a minute. Drain dates but reserve the soaking water.
Place dates in food processor along with a bit over 1/4 cup of soak water and blend until smooth.
Almond Pecan Crust

• 3/4 cup of unsoaked almonds
• 3/4 cup of unsoaked pecans (recipe calls for 1/2 cup)
• 8 pitted medjool dates
• 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

Place almonds and sea salt in the food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add the pecans and process until both nuts are finely ground. Add the dates and process until mixture begins to stick together. Don’t overprocess. Form a pie crust in a 9 inch pie plate or tart pan. I used a pie plate.
3/4 cup of Chocolate Ganache

• 3/4 cup of dark agave syrup or maple syrup (I used mostly dark agave with a bit of maple syrup)
• 3/4 cup of cacao powder
• 1/3 cup of virgin coconut oil, melted (in dehydrator)
• 1/8 teaspoon plus pinch of sea salt

Blend everything in the Vitamix until smooth. Add most of it on top of the crust. Scatter 3/4 cups of pecans on top of the ganache. Press down with your hand. Put in the fridge while making the filling.
Filling

• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of agar flakes
• 1 cup of date paste from above
• 1 tablespoon of dark agave or maple syrup (I used maple syrup since I live in Vermont)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

Place the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan on the stove and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Place the date paste, maple syrup or agave, vanilla extract, and sea salt in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the agar mixture and process until blended.

Spread the date mixture evenly over the ganache and pecans with an offset spatula. Scatter the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup of pecans on top, pressing them down slightly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

kelli's notes:

i followed another blogger and used 1/2 C. melted coconut oil in place of the agar flakes. it worked wonderfully, but i think i will use a bit less coco oil next time (maybe 1/3 C). the pie was amazingly sweet and decadent, and i will definitely be making it again! 

 

dried strawberry rhubarb aka Ruby Snacks

since i have some difficulty pronouncing rhubarb, i'm going to call these my homemade Ruby Snacks.

my Ruby Snacks were inspired by these AMAZING dried strawberry rhubarb pieces sold at the local Whole Foods.

photo from nutsonline.com

i didn't know they existed until i recently spotted them in the bulk section. it was love at first sight, but there was one thing putting a a wedge in our relationship - the price. $17.99 a pound! i said screw it, these look like the most delicious fruity snack in the world, i have to try them!

so i bought a small handfall, and i was correct. they were the yummiest chewy snack i've ever tasted. better than any dried fruit i've had. the sweet taste is similar to a really fresh strawberry fruit roll-up (the natural ones, not the neon colored ones), but with an amazing chewiness and texture.

on a recent shopping trip, i had to pass on the heavenly strawberry rhubarb chewies (not without sampling some, of course =). shortly after, i happened upon a bag of frozen rhubarb pieces in the freezer section. the wheels in my head got to spinning. i picked them up, along with a bag of frozen strawberries,  and set out to make my own dried strawberry rhubarb.

here's what i used-

1 bag frozen strawberries
1 bag frozen sliced rhubarb pieces
(i'm sure fresh rhubarb would work even better!)
1/4-1/2 C. organic cane sugar
a dehydrator 

here's what i did-

1 - let the frozen strawberries and ruhabarb thaw a few hours.

2 - pureed the strawberries with about 1/4-1/2 cup of organic cane sugar. (i didn't measure). what i ended up with was an incredibly sweet strawberry syrup.

3 - drained the rhubarb pieces and poured them in a glass bowl of the strawberry syrup, making sure each piece was submerged. let the rhubarb marinate overnight in the fridge.

4 - the next morning placed the rhubarb pieces on a teflex sheet and in the dehydrator at 135 degrees. let them dehydrate about 24 hours.

the outcome - delicious chewy homemade fruit snacks! (my ruby pieces were not as dried out or sweet as the ones in the store, but they were just as tasty!)

these snacks have really got me looking forward to strawberry season! only 5 more months!

dehydrated yummies

clockwise from top:

Rainbow Flax Crackers, Herb Pizza Crusts, Raw Cheez-Its, Cumin Flatbread, and "The Best Granola in the Universe Plus One"

Rainbow Flax Crackers

by diana stoevelaar of www.awesomerawsome.com

here is the recipe halved to make 2 trays. i also needed to make a few minor changes to avoid running out to the store for ingredients. i'm sure the original recipe is great, but everyone (including myself) loved these!

makes 2 dehydrator trays

2 1/2 C. water

2 C. golden flax seed

1 1/2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1/3 C. purple cabbage

1 red pepper, coarsely chopped

1 orange pepper, coarsely chopped

1/3 C. parsley

1/3 C. spinach

1/3 C. cilantro

2 T. white onion

1 clove garlic

2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning*

1 tsp. salt

* i did not have poultry seasoning so i used a 1/2 tsp. equal parts sage, margoram, rosemary, black pepper and celery seed. i would have added thyme if i had it.)

1. presoak flax seeds in 2 1/2 cups of water for at least 1 hour or overnight. place in a large mixing bowl.

2. puree fresh tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic and seasonings in the food processor. add to the flax mixture.

3. process all the vegetables individually in the food processor until finely chopped but not pureed. add to the flax mixture.

4. stir the flax mixture until well combined.

5. using an offset spatula, spread the mixture about ¼” thick onto Teflex sheets on the dehydrating trays. score into squares or triangles with a plastic utensil so as not to damage the Teflex sheet.

6. dehydrate for at least 12 hours. the crackers easily separate from the teflex sheets without stickiness, usually after 12 hours. remove the dehydrator tray. flip the crackers by placing a mesh and another tray on top of the crackers. hold both sides of the sandwiched trays and flip them towards you so the top tray is now at the bottom. remove the new top tray and the mesh. now peel off the teflex sheet from the crackers, which are now facing downward. return the crackers to the dehydrator for approximately an additional 4 hours until completely dry.

7. let cool before storing by leaving them on the dehydrator trays outside of the dehydrator or inside of the dehydrator with the door open.

8. store crackers in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard, fridge or freezer.

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Herb Pizza Crusts
this is my variation of the recipe to fit one dehydrator tray

(9 pizza crusts)

1 1/4 C. buckwheat, soaked overnight

2/3 C. sunflower seeds, soaked overnight

5 T. ground flax seed

1 C. zucchini, chopped

1/4 C. water

1 T. olive oil

1 tsp. herbs

1 tsp. garlic

1 tsp. sea salt

1. blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

2. spread batter about 1/4 " thick on dehydrator tray covered with teflex sheet. score into 9 squares.

3. dehydrate at 125 for 2-3 hours, then flip onto mesh and turn the temperature down to 110.

4. dehydrate until dry.

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Raw Cheez-Its

(batter covers 3 teflex sheets)

1 C. sunflower seeds (soaked overnight)

1 C. almonds (soaked overnight)

1 C. brazil nuts

1 big tomato, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/4 C. sun-dried tomatoes, soaked overnight

1/4 C. ground flax

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. taco seasoning

2 tsp. nutritional yeast

1 tsp. onion powder

blend all ingredients in food processor, then spread batter fairly thin onto teflex sheets. score into squares. dehydrate at 110° until dry, flipping cheez-its onto mesh screens after a few hours.

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Cumin Flatbread
from Matthew Kenney's
Entertaining in the Raw

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The Best Granola in the Universe Plus One

2/3 C. sprouted buckwheat
1/2 C. sprouted sunflower seeds
1/2 C. sprouted oats
1 C. chopped soaked almonds

1/4 C. melted coconut oil

1/4 C. maple syrup

1 T. vanilla
cinnamon to liking
sea salt to liking

 

mix everything together with hands. spread on teflex sheet and dehydrate at 115 for 8-12 hours.

(you can put this in the oven at a low temperature if you don’t have a dehydrator… it may not still be “raw” but it will still taste awesome and is still a pretty healthy alternative to Twinkies and Mountain Dew…=)

serve with a nut milk and dried or fresh fruit!! enjoy!

kelli's notes: i added  1/4 C. dried coconut flakes and only soaked the buckwheat overnight. the granola was pretty tasty, but i'm not sure it's the best in the universe. my granola did not stick together too well but it did make for a yummy, crunchy cereal (topped with dried cranberries or raisins and almond milk...yummity yum!=)