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.

 

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

When I first got into learning about raw food, Elliot and I were planning our move to London. We just spent months giving away everything we owned -downsizing to one suitcase each (plus a surfboard)- but my wishlist of purchases upon our UK arrival was growing by the minute. This list had every book and DVD I ever came across that had anything to do with my newly formed obsession for green smoothies and superhuman wellness. One of the DVDs on my list was called Food Matters.

When I finally got to watch Food Matters, I discovered James Colquhoun (pro. col-hoon) and his now wife Laurentine ten Bosch, the nutritional consultants, interviewers and producers of this film. Aside from James being from Aussie (the part of the world we were coming from) and Laurentine being from Europe (the part of the world we were making the move to), it was their very reason for producing the film that won me over.

It was family. More specifically James’s dad, who was beyond unwell and heavily medicated, and the only way he was going to get better was by implementing the advice of top nutritionists and alternative medicine doctors from around the world. If it meant for James to travel the globe looking for these experts to interview and then bring back the footage for his dad to watch, then that is exactly what he’d do.

The story has a very happy ending for his family (more like a beginning), but the actual film also enjoyed much success over the years. There’s the mega well known and loved website www.FoodMatters.com and even a new film www.HungryForChange.com. Food Matters has nearly 1 million fans on Facebook and the website has seen 11 million visitors since 2008.

Meet our July’s Master of the Month…

DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL DAY OF EATING AND DRINKING.

WHAT (OR WHO INSPIRES YOU TO EAT WELL AND STAY HEALTHY?

My family. We all support each other to eat healthy since we helped my dad get well.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

Gluten. Buckwheat.

MY TOP TIP FOR…

…improving your diet is: easy when you’re mind is in the right place. Keep it simple. Don’t stress. Focus on adding in good food and not taking out bad food. Drink green juice.

…staying healthy while travelling is: a fun and exciting challenge! It’s like playing a game where you have to pack the right foods to take with you or secretly survey all the food options available and make fun and silly calculations in your head about which is the healthiest!!!

…detoxing is: one of the best things you can do a few times a year. Get out in nature. Be barefoot. Have as much of your entire body as possible see the sun. Drink green juice. Drink lots of water. Rest. Meditate. Read a good book. Forgive yourself. Take long baths.

…immunising is: done through good food, good bacteria and a powerful mindset and not through a needle.

WHAT’S THE NICEST THING ANYONE HAS EVER SAID TO YOU?

Your story and films have inspired me to study nutrition and help more people in need of this lifesaving information.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

As someone who together with a group of nutrition superhero’s from around the world like yourself and those in our films, helped pave the way for an era where processed and nutrient depleted foods became a thing of the past.

IF YOU GOT TO KEEP ONLY 3 OF YOUR BELONGINGS: 1 THING FROM YOUR KITCHEN, 1 THING FROM YOUR GARDEN AND 1 THING FROM YOUR BOOKSHELF- WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

IF YOU COULD HOST A DINNER PARTY FOR 3 GUESTS (DEAD OR ALIVE)- WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU SERVE?

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS BETTER RAW?

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Our Master of The Month shares his favourite raw food recipe (direct from Food Matters The Recipe Book)…

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For more on James Colquhoun, visit www.FoodMatters.com or www.HungryForChange.com

When I first started blogging (I’m literally talking: my second blog post ever), and before I even knew that there was such a thing as internet etiquette and before I understood that it’s always a good idea to ask the original author about publishing their recipe online, I posted this>>

Luckily for me, Russell James didn’t mind, because he is cool like that. And the ‘cool’ bit, I happen to know for a fact, since we got to hang out on the coolest road-trip to the coolest place on the coolest day in history. Check out Russell’s post about our Stonehenge visit for Winter Solstice 21.12.12 and our 11:11 meditation, here>>

Apart from his cool, witty, fun and sweet character, Russell James also happens to be one of my biggest inspirations in the culinary world of raw. He is super creative and passionate about his insane food and you can see that radiating in all of his photos. It’s one thing to produce a stunning picture, but something else when it comes to producing an amazing recipe. Russ does it all! His ingredient combinations are flawless  and if there was ever a dude to make raw food sexy- he is your man.

Meet our February’s Master of the Month…

Describe your typical day of eating and drinking.

What (or who) inspires you to eat well and stay healthy?

The way I feel on a daily basis inspires me to be healthy.  Having energy and a passion for life, and for living a life that's not the norm really drives me.  I also love the vibrancy and the simplicity of raw foods; I love that we can thrive so much on plants!  It just seems to make so much sense.  Our time on this planet is so short, why wouldn't I want to live with as much energy and vibrancy as I can.

What is your biggest weakness when it comes to food and how do you deal with that?

Dates!  I know they're not good for my teeth, but when there's an open pack of medjools around, you know, the really soft ones, I just cant' stop myself.  I've read it's good to swish water around your mouth after something sweet and sticky, so I do that and hope it helps.  I visit the dentist very regularly and everything looks good, so I guess I'm not doing too bad.

My top tip for:

Improving your diet is... Start learning about new foods.  There's so many options out there, that if you genuinely find a few new foods and recipes that excite you, there'll be no stopping you.  Motivation is temporary, so if you have the motivation to change things, that'll only last so long.  Use that motivation to take some cooking classes and get some new recipes under your belt.  If you're going to raw food classes, you'll meet other people that are into their health too, which really helps.  To become a healthy person, you need to do things that healthy people do.  That means not just what you do in your kitchen, but exercise and social stuff.  The good news is that in the process, you'll meet some amazing people that will keep you going.

Staying healthy while travelling is... It's all about the preparation.  Car journeys are easy in terms of being able to take what you want.  Generally lots of water and some dehydrated things with a dip are great.  The longest car journey I did was a road trip from Austin, Texas to Phoenix, Arizona.  It was 16 hours of driving, so I wanted to stay alert.  I filled a cool box with a load of ice and just had liquids all the way.

Detoxing is... Breathe!  Did you know that 70% of the toxins that leave your body do so through your breath?  Deep belly breathing is so important for the detoxification of your system, and has so many other benefits too.

Immunising is... You know, this is such an emotive issue.  People get really passionate about it on both sides of the argument.  I always get negative comments and arguments start between people, whenever I post something on Facebook about the dangers of immunisation, which really surprised me.  I think my best tip for this is to get educated.

What's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?

I had a lovely email from a 70 year old lady last week, about her being so happy with learning new recipes, she said I have added years to her life.  That genuinely choked me up, because it really brought me close to why I do this.  Not just adding years to someone's life, but to make a difference in the quality of life that a person has.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone with integrity that followed my passion, lead by example and did it all with a smile on my face.

If you got to keep only 3 of your belongings: 1 thing from your kitchen, 1 thing from your garden and 1 thing from your bookshelf- what would they be?

If you could host a dinner party for 3 guests (dead or alive)- who would they be and what would you serve?

I'd make it boys' night and would invite Bruce Lee, Russell Brand and Bill Hicks.  I'd want to have lots of flowing conversation, and for that I think I'd serve food that can be passed around.  Lots of really amazing tree nut cheeses, with fruit chutney, balsamic vinegar, pear crisps and crackers - they can all be experienced really nicely in a shared environment, and almost always really blow people's minds as to what's possible.  I wonder what Bruce Lee would think about raw food.  Bill Hicks was known as being really unhealthy and smoked a lot.  I'd loved to have added years to his life - we lost someone with so much more to give when he died.

Why do you believe that life is Better Raw?

It'a all about the vibrancy!  What you eat reflects the life you have, I'm sure of that.  Who wouldn't want a vibrant life?

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Our Master of The Month shares his favourite raw food recipe...

 

SMOKY MAPLE SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Serves 2

This is a quick and hearty recipe that you’ll especially love if you like spicy foods with lots of flavour. I haven’t made the spice in this recipe too intense, but if you’re like me and want to increase the chili powder or add some cayenne powder, go ahead and do so!

Of course the chipotle chili will not only add to the heat, but will give you a beautiful smokiness to the dish.

If you really want to go all-out and replace the oils in this recipe with a smoked oil, you’ll create an incredible flavour that will make this an absolute staple.

2 little gem lettuce or similar, dressed in a little lime juice and olive or avocado oil
1/4 cup hemp seed

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 4 to 8 hours
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not the ones in oil), soaked for 1 hour or so
1/2 cup fresh baby tomatoes, halved
1 chipotle chili, soaked for several hours until soft
1 tbsp dark miso
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp olive oil
2 soft dates, chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tsp garlic powder
1 chili with the seeds removed and then finely diced
3 spring onions (green onions), diced
1 small handful fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

In a food processor, grind all the ingredients together, so they are broken down but still a little chunky.

Tear up your lettuce, toss in the oil and lemon juice and place in a bowl, ready for this seed mixture to go on top.

This is a great dish to serve to guys if they think they’re not going to enjoy raw food. It’s really filling and hearty and can be made even more so with the addition of some avocado.

WANT A REAL TREAT?

Of course you do!

So here’s an incredible quesco fresco dressing to tip you over the edge. . .

QUESO FRESCO DRESSING

1 cup cashews, soaked for 20 minutes
1/2 a red pepper
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic
1 green chili
1 shallot
2 tbsp coriander (cilantro)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt

This is nice and simple and will make a beautiful dressing for a salad on its own, or as a sauce to top this dish with. Just blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and that’s it!

This will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

HAVE A DEHYDRATOR?

If you make smoky maple sunflower seed mixture into balls and dehydrate them, you can make this into quite a spectacular wrap!

Here’s what to do. . .

Make the sunflower seed mixture using the recipe above, but instead of serving it as it is, form into small balls and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 8 to 12 hours.

To make the wrap itself. . .

3 cups peeled courgette (zucchini)
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup leek
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

Blend all the ingredients using a high-speed blender, until they’re smooth. You’ll then be able to spread them out into 2 wraps approximately 22 cm (9 inches) across on a non-stick dehydrator sheet.

Dehydrate them for 6 to 8 hours removing them from the non-stick sheet and finishing on the mesh dehydrator sheet for the last 30 minutes or so.

Build the final wraps using lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, the dehydrated smoky maple balls, queso dressing, microgreens if you have them, and chopped spring onions. Wrap or just roll into a cylinder and enjoy eating!

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Oh! And I loved those Thai Nori Rolls so much (see first paragraph), that I ended up buying Russell James’s Thai recipe eBook and every single other eBook he’s ever produced and a home study guide too! Yep, a fan and proud.

For more on Russell James and his work, visit www.TheRawChef.com