Chia Pudding (raw vegan)

Combine and let sit in fridge:

1/2 C chia seeds
1.5 C almond or other nut milk (see recipe for home made nut mylk)
2 TB agave
1/2 tea vanilla
pinch salt

The chia will gel up as it sits. Give it 5-10 minutes at the least or overnight is fine too.

Summer Salad Rolls with Mango

I love salad rolls, so I thought I'd try out a new recipe that includes mangoes!

Get a kettle going with water. When it is ready, you will fill a shallow pan (like a pie pan) with the hot water and use to moisten the rice wrappers.

Dipping sauce: the recipe I followed called for a vinegar & peanut dipping sauce, which was ok but clearly lacking something. I will keep working on a better "light" summery dipping sauce... for now use your favorite dipping sauce, or simply combine soy sauce and mirin!

Prepare the fillings:
mango slices
bean sprouts
thinly sliced green onion
cilantro or chives
tofu (medium firmness)- cut into matchsticks
yellow or red bell pepper
chopped peanuts

In a moistened rice paper wrapper, add about 1 C total of various fillings. Carefully roll the rice wrapper around the fillings, burrito style, stretching slightly to ensure the rice paper sticks. Set aside for a couple minutes before serving to firm up.

Chirashi (sushi lunch bowls)

This is a fun way to eat raw fish (sashimi) and is easier to prepare than actual sushi. Make sure to buy and use fresh fish-- any kind or a variety of fish will work in this type of recipe. I used some Tai fish (not sure what the english translation is- we don't have as many words for fish as the Japanese!), but salmon or tuna would be good too.

Cook some Japanese rice (my favorite kind is Tamaki Haiga which has more nutritional value than normal white rice). Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients:

• avocado
• daikon sprouts (you could use other types, but daikon sprouts have a nice peppery spicy flavor that pairs well with sashimi)
• bean sprouts
• other delicate vegetables, like thinly sliced green onion (or the Japanese negi if you have it).
  

When the rice is ready, assemble in small bowls with rice on the bottom, then layer on the thinly sliced raw fish and other toppings.

Serve with dipping sauce or plain soy sauce and enjoy with chopsticks.

Green Juice

I have seen several recipes like this in raw food books, and found I really like it! It is a great way to shake up breakfast or lunch. And the lemon and apples do a good job of cancelling out the bitter taste of the kale.

I love the color of the finished juice- it looks a bit like matcha (but tastes nothing the same).

Juice in this order:
3-4 kale leaves other greens like cabbage, lettuce etc.
1/2 organic lemon (seeds, peel and all)
1 apple (seeds removed) or some other sweet fruit (grapes work well too)

Watermelon Juice!

Watermelons juice easily and produce a lot of juice since they are so watery. The juice is quite refreshing on its own, but tastes best when fresh right off the juicer.

It is also really good blended with bananas and raspberries or tayberries.

Raw Zuchini Marinara Pasta

Surprisingly for someone who is not big on zuchini, these noodles taste better than brown rice pasta or whole wheat pastas, without all the calories and refined flours! And this version is much more filling than normal pasta. Inspired by this recipe. This is a great summer "pasta" that won't heat up the kitchen!

Prepare the zuchini noodles by cutting them into small fettuccine like shapes. I used a small hand held julienne slicer, but I've seen it done with a "spiral slicer", mandolins or even with a vegetable peeler. Set aside "noodles".

Raw marinara sauce
Blend in a food processor until sauce-like:
4-6 tomatoes (depends on size)
up to 1/4 C sundried tomatoes
basil (couple leaves)
onion powder to taste
salt to taste

Compile the "noodles" and top generously with sauce and pine nuts.

Ceasar Dressing (Raw & Vegan)

Actually very good dressing, looks and tastes like ceasar!

Blend:

• 2 stalks celery
• shoyu
• white miso (like saikyo type)
• lemon juice
• water
• 2 delget dates (pitted)
  
• salt & pepper to taste
  

Raw Vegan Onion rings in the dehydrator

I followed a couple different recipes to make raw onion rings. Some people go as far as making their own almond milk to soak the onions in first, but I'm much too lazy for that. I did find that the thick onion rings were too onion-y. Unlike deep fried onion rings (where I like the thick ones best!) these should be kept thin so they dry faster-- raw onion in the middle gave me heartburn!!

1. Slice 1 sweet onion (Walla Walla) into THIN rounds. If they are too thick they won't fit in the dehydrator or dry properly. I did mine 1/2" to 3/4" and that was way to thick. Next time I will do 1/4" or 3/8" thick.
2. Food process almonds into fine chunks, add salt, pepper, paprika to taste. Pour the mixture into a ziplock bag.
   
3. Dunk the onion slices into the almond mixture and shake to coat (won't stick so well yet but it helps).
   
4. One by one, coat the onion slices in a bit of olive oil and water mixed together, then stick back in the back and toss to coat a second time in the almond mixture.
   
5. Dehydrate overnight or longer at about 115 F.
   

Raw Vegan Coconut Ice Cream

Combine in a blender and blend until smooth:

• 2 C Nut milk or blend 1 cup of nuts and 1 cup water in a blender along with the other ingredients. THe original recipe featured cashews, but I think hazelnuts or almonds would be better
• 1/3 C agave, honey, or maple syrup
• 1/4 C coconut butter/oil
• 1 C soft young thai coconut meat or 1/4 C shredded coconut, or mixture of both

Chill in the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour to aid in freezing, then process in an ice cream machine until frozen, then transfer to a container and store in the freezer.

Juicing Melons!

I had never thought to juice a water fruit like a melon before but saw it in a book and decided to gie it a try! So delicious! It would be a decadent and unique beverage for summer guests- just buy melons in bulk at Costco!

Run through the juicer:
1/2 ripe cantaloupe melon
1 carrot

Add & stir:
1 TB fresh lime juice

Serve as is or chilled. This would be good as a flavor base for cocktails as well- I could see it pairing with vodka or perhaps tequila.