It's World Nachos Week!!!

Well, Nachos Day was yesterday 6th November actually, but I would happily devote an entire week to nachos, so let's not limit ourselves to a single day, shall we?

I'd be the first to admit that the Nachos dish is one of those things I miss most of all about the restaurant days of Tanya's Cafe...

You do require a dehydrator to make them so I never thought to publicise the recipe, but seeing just how many of you have taken advantage of the 50% OFF discount code for my beloved Sedona Dehydrator and are now proud owners of this super exciting toy in your kitchen, I feel it is my obligation to supply you with really really good dehydrator recipes.

So here is one, delivered to you straight from the files of cafe (Tanya's Phase 1.0) before the deli (Tanya's Phase 2.0)...

Raw Living Nachos 

(This Instagram picture is by @itseileens. The featured blog post image above is by @monicabeatrice)

For the nachos:

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked 2-4 hours

2 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed

2 cups (600g) courgettes, chopped 

2 cup (115g) sundried tomatoes, soaked 2-4 hours

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cayenne

-Transfer all the ingredients into a food processor with an S blade (or a high powered blender for a smoother crisp) and process until you get a mixture, which resembles a paste.

-Separate the mixture into 2 equal portions and spread each half over a teflex sheet. Using a spatula, bring the mixture as close to the edge of the sheet as you can without it separating. Transfer both trays to the dehydrator and set it at 47 degrees C for 10 hours.

-Place a mesh tray over the cracker and holding both trays together at each end, quickly turn them over, then peel off the teflex sheet. Return the trays to the dehydrator for another 15 hours. Chop up the large plank of ready cracker into equal sized squares, then halve into triangles and store in an airtight container.

If you have The Uncook Book, serve with:

Oyster mushroom meat (p. 98)

Guacamole (p. 105)

Cashew soured cream (p. 106)

Pineapple salsa (p. 64)

If you don't have the book or you're pressed for time, serve with:

Lazy salsa and raw vegan taco meat >>

By the way, in the below pictures you will see how the nachos appear being produced in a food processor vs a blender...

(Here's the smoother version as they were made in a blender. Instagram pic by @tanyasliving)

During one of my recent workshops, I taught you guys all about cravings, how they come up, what they might mean about the nutrients you're missing and what healthy stuff to eat in order to see those cravings vanish. Something that came up a lot was the craving for cheese. On the one hand it is the flavour and the creamy texture that people dream of but really it is a sign of calcium and essential fats deficiency. This recipe will sort you out! So so so delish, I really hope you get to make it.

3/4 Cup Pinenuts
3/4 Cup Macadamia
6 Sundried tomato halves, soaked if they are too dry
Juice of 1 Lemon
¼ Cup Udo’s Choice Oil Blend (or another healthy oil blend like flax, hemp, olive oil, etc)
3 Tablespoons Liquid Aminos (or 2 Tbsp Tamari)
2 Garlic cloves
1/3 Chilli with seeds, or more to taste
Water as needed
 
-Put all the dip ingredients into a high speed blender, starting with about 1/4 cup of water and adding more if required. Use a tamper to assist the blending process.
-Scoop out into a dipping bowl to serve with your veggie platter or on sourdough bread.

Today is all about yummy healthy foods for kids! I've had so so many requests to share what I feed Lake ever since she came along nearly 16 months ago, that I've had the brilliant idea of filming a whole day's worth of her food intake. So 'brilliant', that it took me an entire week to film it and then another week to paste it all together. (Mums and dads - I know you hear me!) But I did it and if you're into it, then prepare to see a monthly edition :) In this one short video, I cover everything from making seed milks from scratch to using supplements to three ingredient purees and raw porridges, as well as share my tips on how I keep her teeth clean of dehydrated fruits (it's not with a toothbrush). Enjoy watching and please let me know what you think! Happy Friday! P.S. There is already a post packed with three ingredient weaning recipes, here: http://betterraw.com/2016/08/healthy-baby-weaning-recipes-3-ingredients-less.html P.P.S. The Alkaline Cleanse returns in June! Check your inbox for all the details next week. Here's how to subscribe if you aren't already receiving my updates>>

I’ve been making this pickle a lot over the summer, it’s just so quick, looks beautiful and goes with just about anything. Pretty much all ingredients in here can be adjusted to your taste, so play around and find your flavour.

Note that when first made, the colour difference between the veggies is more defined, however I experimented with taste and texture by leaving this mixture in the fridge overnight and you can see how the beetroot coloured all contents. The texture did soften up if that’s what you are after, but the taste stayed the same. I think I prefer the overall dish to be made and eaten within the same day though, that’s how you get the crunchy fresh summer experience on a plate.

FIVE MINUTE SUMMER PICKLE

250g carrots, grated
1 raw beetroot, grated
350g cabbage, thinly sliced
juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp manuka honey
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tsp Himalayan salt
optional: fresh garden peas, edible flowers, avocado, cherry tomatoes, lettuce

-Prepare the carrots and beetroot by peeling them and chopping to fit into your food processor chute, if needed. Pick a medium grater blade and feed them through. If you don’t have a food processor, you can simply grate manually.

-Thinly slice the cabbage into long strips. Toss with grated carrot and beetroot in a bowl.

-Sprinkle with all other ingredients, except the optional ones and massage the mixture together thoroughly. You can need to roll your sleeves up and really get in there applying some force so the fibres begin to soften and vegetable juice will begin to mix with all the other flavours.

-Serve over your burger patties, along side other meals, throw into soups, mixed with optional salad ingredients, as a side salad, in a wrap or simply eat on its own.

The UK has seen such a gorgeous and long summer, that I still get shocked each time I walk outside nowadays.

I forgot what it’s like to be cold and my lordy it is coooold!

Winter is well and truly here, or so it seems, and right around this time is when I dust off the printed versions of my eBooks ‘Nourished- Comforting raw foods for winter‘ and ‘Festive- The best raw food Christmas recipes‘.

I wanted to share with you a recipe from Nourished, which is the most perfect side to any meal, just like mashed potatoes, except there’s not a potato in sight. There’s also no starch. Or dairy. Or anything cooked or processed for that matter. Instead though you get a beautiful combination of nourishing seasonal ingredients to keep you balanced, comforted and immunised this winter.

Oh and I thought I’ll compile a few other recipes, that were a big hit during last frosty season and share with you below. You’ll be happy to know that no dehydrator is required for any of them.

There are also some epic recipes, that have been featured on the blog recently but not yet in my newsletters. Keep scrolling for the round-up from our four most recent Masters of the Month…

CREAMY RAW FOOD MASH

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

1 cup cashews, soaked
¾ cup warm water
¼ cup olive oil
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp manuka honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

-First blend the cashews and water to make a creamy paste.
-Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
-Serve as a side dish or with ‘Never Miss Meat’ Stroganov recipe (pg. 48 of Nourished) or Mushroom Jus (pg.16 of Festive).

APPLE & CINNAMON CHIA PUDDING

2 cups nut milk
1-2 apples, peeled and deseeded
3 pitted dates
2 tbsp chia seeds
½ -1 tsp cinnamon
Optional sprinkles: bee pollen, raw honey, goji berries, chopped fruit, fresh berries, cacao nibs, figs, etc.

For instructions, go to the original post here>>  

GINGER HEATERS

10 inch ginger root

2 apples

small bunch of mint leaves

For instructions, go to the original post here>>  

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

3 cups butternut squash/ pumpkin
1 cup pure water
1 golden sweet apple
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp tahini
1/2 inch ginger root
1/2 red chilli, deseeded
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt pinch pepper
optional: fresh thyme, pumpkin cubes and seeds to garnish

For instructions, go to the original post here>>  

NATIVE SUPERFOODS' PROTEIN BALLS

1/2 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

1 tbsp cacao nibs

10 pitted medjool dates

3 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp virgin coconut oil1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla powder

2 tsp spirulina powder

1 – 2 tsp water

1/2 cup shredded coconut to coat

For instructions, go to the original post here>>

FOOD MATTERS' SKIN BEAUTY SALAD

2 handfuls of young rocket
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 carrot 2 radishes
2 small cucumbers
1 small red onion
3 limes, juiced
1 avocado
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp raw honey
1 handful fresh herbs
¼ tsp sea salt

 For instructions, go to the original post here>>

TARA STILES' GREEN DREAM SMOOTHIE

1 handful of spinach

1 banana

1 cup of almond milk

For instructions, go to the original post here>>

DELICIOUSLY ELLA'S GLUTEN FREE ENERGY BALLS

1 cup medjool dates
3/4 cup almonds
3/4 cup walnuts or any other nut
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp hemp protein powder
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
For instructions, go to the original post here>>