My First Recipe! Raw Pecan Pie

Yes friends, I have developed my first recipe with the help of my wonderful wife. One of my favorite desserts of all time has been pecan pie. I remember as a boy going to my Grandma's house for Thanksgiving. She would bake 2-3 of them for the holiday and set them on top of her refrigerator to cool. She baked them 3 days in advance and I would spend hours just staring at the edges of that buttery crust waiting for a slice. Only slightly less painful than seeing presents under the tree days before Christmas and not being able to open them. Well, when we decided to only eat raw desserts my heart wept a little at the thought of no more pecan pie. I'm sure there are other recipes out there but I've made enough raw pies to have a pretty good idea of how various ingredients work. So I set about on a trial and error run to make my very own recipe for pecan pie. Well, it only took two tries! I guess we're getting pretty good at this. After my first pie my wife and I discussed what worked and what didn't. We talked about what a regular pecan pie has going for it and how to best recreate that in a raw way. The result has had a great response. My supervisor at my internship loved it and my wife's co-worker has demanded the recipe. And now I share it with all of you, my raw friends.

Muffin's Raw Pecan Pie
Use the Walnut crust from the Apple Pie and Chocolate Mousse Tort recipe.

Filling;
2 cups dates (soaked 20-30 minutes)
1 cup Raisins (Soaked 20-30 minutes)
2 cups Pecans
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 TBS Agave
1/2 cup coconut water (you can use regular water if you choose)

Blend the dates, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon, and agave in the blender fitted with the S blade until smooth. Slowly add the water until you get a creamy consistency.
Scoop the filling into the pie crust smoothing it out.
Evenly spread out the pecans on top.
Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Enjoy and Be Healthy!

Blueberry Ice Cream

That's right, raw ice cream and it's yummy. The best thing about this recipe is that unlike many other raw ice creams, this doesn't lose the consistency of regular ice cream. Most raw ice creams will freeze solid, that's why it's usually best to eat it all at once, fresh out of the maker. Not that that's a bad thing, eating a whole dish of fruit is never bad. But if you don't have room for it all, or you're the kind of person who likes to make it ahead of time, then you'll have to let raw ice cream thaw for at 20 minutes before it's ready to scoop. Even then you wont have the consistency you had when it first comes out of the ice cream maker. But this recipe does, and the only reason I can find is the cashews. I've used fruit and agave before and it freezes solid, but I think the cashews give this recipe what it needs to remain soft. In fact I would recommend you make this ahead of time and freeze it at least one hour before serving. When we first had it out of the ice cream maker it was a little softer than soft serve. Still good, just really soft. But when we had left overs the next day it had the texture of actual ice cream(see photos).
The recipe is an adaptation from "Vice Cream" by Jeff Rogers. All these recipes need are an ice cream maker and a blender, some require a juicer but I think with many of those recipes you can just blend up the fruit, especially if you have a good blender.

Blueberry Ice Cream
-2 cups blueberries
-1 cup chopped blueberries
-3 TBS Cocao Nibs(optional)
-1 cup raw cashews
-1/2 cup Agave (or 1 cup pure maple syrup)
-1 TBS vanilla
-1/8 tsp Almond Flavor (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. About 1 minute
Set blender in refrigerator for at least 1 hour to over night, or in freezer for 40 minutes to 1 hour, to chill.
Pour mix into ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturers instructions.
When there is five minutes left to freeze in ice cream maker add the the chopped blueberries and optional Cocao nibs.
If ice cream does not have desired consistency after freezing in ice cream maker then pour ice cream into a freezer safe container and place in freezer again for about 1 hour to overnight.
As stated earlier this ice cream maintains it's consistency so it's a great dessert to make ahead of time so that after dinner you scoop it up right away and enjoy.

Chocolate Truffles

We got this recipe from our friend Victoria Boutenko's book "12 Steps to Raw Foods". http://www.amazon.com/12-Steps-Raw-Foods-Dependency/dp/1556436513/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266266195&sr=8-3
She calls them Sergei's Amazing Truffles. These are great for either dessert or a travel snack. They're small so you can easily pack them in a lunch for easy snacking or enjoy them after dinner. We like to cover them in either carob or coconut, but you can top with fresh fruit or whatever strikes your fancy. It's a pretty easy recipe with few ingredients, just be prepared to get your hands dirty, but don't worry, these make for guilt free bowl licking when you're done.

Chocolate Truffles;
1 cup Raw Walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup young coconut water(you can also use regular water if you like)
4 TBS Raw Carob

Blend the dates and walnuts in a food processor until smooth.
In a bowl mix in the carob and coconut water. Shape the mixture into small balls and roll in carob or coconut.

Usually makes around 8-12 truffles.

Yab Yum Elixer

This sensuous beverage was given to us by our good friend and manifesting mentor, Ayanna Mojica. The blend of cocoa, or carob, and coconut create a wonderfully sensuous treat for a romantic night in. For those who do not know, carob is a fruit that is dried and powdered. It has a flavor very close to cocoa, but since it is a fruit it is a low glycemic index food. If you've never used carob before, a fair warning. It smells quite bad. In fact your first instinct will be that someone has passed gas, but the smell goes away after you use it and it's very delicious.

To open the young coconut;
Set the coconut on a stable cutting surface.
Using a large butcher knife cut off the top of the coconut so that you can easily drain the water inside. I have tried several ways and the one that works best for me is to rotate the coconut as I bring the knife down into the topside. This allows me to chop a hole in the top of the coconut without spilling water. (See above photo) You can also google, 'opening a young coconut' to find other methods.
After you have drained the water you can now scoop out the meat. If your hole is too small to scoop you can use the knife to cut it in half to make scooping easier.

Yab Yum Elixer:
The meat of two young coconuts
The water of one young coconut (save the water from the second one for smoothies, or other desserts that call for coconut water. I'll be posting one soon.)
1 tsp of vanilla
3 TBS of raw agave nectar or pure maple syrup
2 TBS of raw cocoa or carob powder

Place all ingredients into a high powered blender and blend well (Approx 30 Sec)

You can also 1 to 1 1/2 cups of ice to make it more milkshake-like.

Yield: about 26 ounces - 30 ounces with ice

Raw Chocolate Mousse

This is truly one of my favorite desserts. Believe it or not it actually tastes like chocolate mousse. The reason is the avocado. The texture of the avocado is what will give the mousse the creamy texture. But, if you're not an avocado fan don't fear, neither am I. Eating them plain I cannot do, but avocado will generally take on the flavor of most anything you add to it. So as long as you don't use too much you wont even taste it, all you get is the creamy smooth texture of chocolate mousse. The other thing I like about this pie is how well it holds together. UNlike with the 'raw'pple pie, which doesn't hold a pie slice shape, the mousse stays together quite well, giving you not only a delicious dessett but a slice you'd be proud to serve any guest whom you'd like to introduce to raw desserts. Also, if you don;t want to make the curst, that's fine to. Just dish the mousse into dessert cups, top with fresh berries and you're good to go.
This recipe also came from our good friend Jennifer Cornbleet's book "Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People" http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Food-Made-Easy-People/dp/1570671753/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266265861&sr=1-1

Walnut Crust-
Makes 3 cups for a 9 inch pie or tart pan

2 cups raw walnuts, unsoaked
1 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, unsoaked (if you can't find medjool you may use another kind of date, but medjool are the best)

Place walnuts, coconut and salt in food processor fitted with the S blade and process until finely ground. Add dates and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and sticks together. A good test is to pinch a little between your index finger and thumb, if the mixture sticks then you're good to go. Do not over process. If you're not using the mixture right away place in a sealed container for up to one month in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer.
If you're ready to go then pour mixture evenly into a 9 inch pie or tart pan. Use a light circular motion with your palm and fingers to distribute the crumbs uniformly along the bottom and sides of the pan. There should be a 3/4 inch lip of crumbs along the sides. After the crumbs are evenly distributed press down with your palm on the bottom of the pan, be sure to press firmly where the bottom meets the sides of the pan. Press the crust against the pan's sides, shaping it so that the edges are flush to the rim. Place crust in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse-
1/4 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked (soak for around 20 to 25 minutes, no more than 30)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
3/4 cup mashed avocado (about 1 1/2 avocados)
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1/4 cup water

Place the dates, maple syrup(or agave) and vanilla in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Add the avocado and cocoa powder(or carob powder) and process until creamy. You will need to stop occasionally and scrape the sides with a spatula. Add the water and process briefly.
Add the mousse to the piecrust, garnish with fresh fruit if you like and chill for at least one hour before serving.

Raw 'Cook'books

Madame Fromage has requested a list of my favorite raw 'cook'books. Here they are in no particular order;

1) Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People by Jennifer Cornbleet - Jennifer has easy to follow recipes that are perfect for a couple, they don't make a lot of food but if you love something and want to share then you can easily double the recipe. Jennifer also has modifications for many recipes so you can enjoy variations on a dish and discover your own favorite.

2) Victoria Beutenko is a raw food activist who healed her entire family of sickness (including her son's diabetes) through a raw food diet. Her first book "12 steps to Going Raw" is not really a cookbook but it has great insight into the reasons to adopt a raw food lifestyle, or at least incorporate more raw foods into your diet. Her book "Green For Life" explores the health benefits of drinking a quart of green smoothies everyday and lists many recipes.

3) Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen - Alissa has more complex recipes for the more adventurous, such as raw ravioli and raw lasagna, but all are yummy and very satisfying. We went to her restaurant Grezzo in Boston over the weekend. I'll write about that visit soon.

4) The Art of Raw Living by Jenny Ross - Jenny is the Owner/Chef of 118 degrees in Costa Mesa, CA. It is by far our favorite raw food restaurant that we have yet visited. Her recipes run the gamut from appetizers through desserts so you could do a three or four course meal completely raw. And her ice cream recipes do not need an ice cream maker. But I highly recommend that if you love ice cream your own maker would be well worth the investment.

5) Vice Creams by by Jeff Rogers is a raw and vegan ice cream book. No dairy in any of these recipes and of course most are raw and yummy. And you will need an ice cream maker for these. One thing about raw ice cream. It will not freeze the same as regular ice cream, no preservatives or chemicals to maintain its consistency. If you don't eat all of it when it's made and want to save it that's fine, just take it from the freezer about 15 minutes before you want to serve, this will allow it to thaw so as to be more easily scooped.

6) The Raw 50 by Carol Alt - Yes, I know, another celebrity fad diet book. NO! Carol has been a raw foodist for many years and believes in the benefits of a raw food lifestyle. The book helps you outfit your kitchen and your pantry to embark on a raw food adventure. The recipes are easy and fun to follow, perfect for raw beginners.

7) Raw Foods for Busy People by Jordan Maerin - Exactly what it sounds like. A Raw food cookbook for most of us. Busy lives mean coffee and bagels, drive thru's and microwaves. But this book gets you started on raw foods that will fit into your on the go schedule.

For further reading; The China Study by T. Colin Campbell PhD and Thomas M. Campbell - The most comprehensive study of the Standard American Diet and it's health ramifications for all of us. We are all slowly committing suicide with the food we eat. This book explains why. I also recommend books by Matt Monarch one of the most active lecturers on the raw food circuit and his wife Angela Stokes-Monarch. Angela lost over 160 pounds by going raw and was featured on CNN in a story about the raw food movement.
I hope these help.

Enjoy and Be Healthy

Thanksgiving Rawpple pie

Hey everyone, just wanted to update you on a new twist to the rawpple pie. On Thanksgiving my Mother-in-Law had some raspberries so I tossed them into the mix. I replaced one of the sliced apples with a cup of frozen raspberries. Using frozen ones helps them stay in one piece. This mixture I let sit in the refrigerator overnight then brought to room temp in the oven the next day. The raspberries brought a wonderful new tanginess and sweetness to the pie. Definitely going to do this from now on.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and I'll be back soon with more raw sweets.

Enjoy and be healthy!

Rawpple Pie

Raw Apple Pie, or as we like to call it Rawpple Pie. I got this recipe from one of our favorite raw foods book; "Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People" by Jennifer Cornbleet. Jennifer's book is full of easy to make recipe's that don't require a lot of equipment. Just the usual stuff the average person will have in their kitchen. If there's something you don't have but won't, or can't, invest in a new appliance, I'm sure a friend or family member will have one you can borrow, just make sure you share some of your tasty goodness. You can also get a companion DVD where Jennifer shows you how to make some of her favorite dishes.

We love the rawpple pie because it uses the best part of a traditional apple pie, the apples! Sweet, juicy delicious apples. The combination of apples, dates and raisins (and a dash of cinnamon) do not leave you lacking for sweetness. Now, on to the good stuff. We love this because it is a sweet dessert with a crust that still has a buttery flavor, that's due to the salt. The sliced apples stay crunchy in the filling that literally melts in your mouth. No butter, oil or eggs to weigh you down after you eat it either. And if you must have it ala mode stay tuned for some of my raw ice cream recipe's, yes, you can make raw ice cream.

Granted, I have never made a traditional apple pie from scratch so I can't tell you how long it takes, but I can tell you this pie took me less than 45 minutes to make. The only machinery needed was a food processor. I will admit, the crust took me a few times to get down, but after a few mishaps I got it. My only recommendation, as far as any modifications would be, is to drain the apple slices of the lemon juice you soak them in, this will make for a less soggy crust when you eat the rawpple pie over the next couple of days. And let me tell you, rawpple pie is best after a couple of days. Also, Jennifer says to peel the aples, I don't, I like the peel, but that's just me.

Now for the recipe;

Walnut Crust-
Makes 3 cups for a 9 inch pie or tart pan

2 cups raw walnuts, unsoaked
1 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, unsoaked (if you can't find medjool you may use another kind of date, but medjool are the best)

Place walnuts, coconut and salt in food processor fitted with the S blade and process until finely ground. Add dates and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and sticks together. A good test is to pinch a little between your index finger and thumb, if the mixture sticks then you're good to go. Do not over process. If you're not using the mixture right away place in a sealed container for up to one month in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer.
If you're ready to go then pour mixture evenly into a 9 inch pie or tart pan. Use a light circular motion with your palm and fingers to distribute the crumbs uniformly along the bottom and sides of the pan. There should be a 3/4 inch lip of crumbs along the sides. After the crumbs are evenly distributed press down with your palm on the bottom of the pan, be sure to press firmly where the bottom meets the sides of the pan. Press the crust against the pan's sides, shaping it so that the edges are flush to the rim. Place crust in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Rawpple filling-
Makes 8 servings for one 9 inch pie or tart pan

2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Medjool dates, soaked (When soaking dates and raisins I usually soak them for around 30 minutes so this would be a good step to do at the beginning)
1/2 cup raisins, soaked
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Toss the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and set aside (This is what I recommend you drain before adding to the filling). Place chopped apples, dates, raisins, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the cinnamon into the food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Remove from processor and add to the sliced apples.
Remove crust from the freezer and pour filling into the crust. Flatten down with a spatula. To bring it to room temperature I place in a slow oven. Simply preheat oven to 200 degrees. When oven is hot turn it off and place pie inside. Leave pie in oven for about 15 minutes. I like to sprinkle some more cinnamon on top and then serve.

To keep just cover and refrigerate. Pie should keep for a week or so, but I doubt it'll last that long. Marina and I have found rawpple pie also makes a great breakfast.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do, if you have any questions please e-mail me and I'll do my best to assist.

Enjoy and be healthy!

No more detox

It would seem beginning a detox with a water fast when you are addicted to the SAD is considerably difficult. Marina and I tried but it was just too hard. Especially for me given that I am addicted to caffeine so without my morning coffee I am useless. Add to that Marina is still sick and I think you have a recipe for a bad water fast. We didn't break it with pizza or burgers, we had a nice healthy lunch and a good dinner. I did go to the store and buy lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I also made an apple pie that I will review for you next. Get ready for a yummy dessert that is remarkably easy to make.

Enjoy and be Healthy

7 Day Detox

On November 15 Marina and I will begin a 7 day detox. It will begin a with a 24-hour water fast ending that night with a mono fruit meal. (And no that does not mononucleosis for those who want to ask.) The rest of the week will consist of small meals made up of either all fruit or all uncooked vegetables, with lots of water drinking in between. I will blog every day, hopefully, about what we've eaten, how much I weigh and how I'm feeling.
Join me on this first step of our journey to getting healthier, becoming cleaner and being happier for many years to come.

Enjoy and be healthy

Welcome to Raw Muffin

I will not bore you with all the details of enjoying a raw food lifestyle. I can, and will, direct you to those who are more knowledgable than I am to give you more information about raw food and the lifestyle. Many raw foodists will call this a 'diet' because that is the term most people are familiar with. I call it a lifestyle, because if you want to lose weight and improve your overall health diets just don't work unless you stay on them. At that point it's no longer a diet, it's a lifestyle. This is a lifestyle my wife and I have tried to incorporate into our lives for the last 2 years. Like many Americans on the Standard American Diet (SAD) we have not been 100% successful, yet. But we are taking steps to improve our lifestyle and eat better. We have started with desserts. Who doesn't like dessert? Chocolates, ice cream, pies, cookies and cakes. Who doesn't feel better after having dessert? But, who feels good weighing yourself after dessert? Exactly! Well, we have discovered so many wonderful recipes that use fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts and seeds to make wonderful desserts. Most ingredients can be found at your local supermarket, but for some you may need to visit a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or other specialty store that sells organic and raw food items. You can also order ingredients from various websites that you will be able to link to from here.
I will regularly post recipes for desserts and write about them. Whenever possible I will also provide a link to the individual who provided the recipe. I will blog about my progress in the raw food lifestyle and how it has affected me. Most people will shed the weight and then tell you about it. You can experience it with me. I welcome your comments and if you have a recipe you'd like me to try and write about please send it my way and I will give it a go.
Once again, welcome to Raw Muffin. Enjoy and be healthy!