Remember my trip to The Valley of Longevity?
I'm baaack!

This time our whole family are together for the first time in over two years. And since it won't be quite complete without Elliot, he also gets here in a couple of days in time for Christmas. So much happiness!!

Vladimir (dad), me, Alissa (sister), Elena (mum), Kiwi (doggie), and Irina (friend)




That's the kale growing on my parents' land! Mum is using organic homemade pesticide of water + tobacco leaves + chili peppers + garlic




3 Tbsp liquid aminos or tamari
3 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds*
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 garlic cloves
7 pitted dates
1 Tbsp raw honey
1/2 Cup pure water
huge bunch of kale
packet of kelp noodles
optional: avocados, extra sesame seeds, olives

*Roasted sesame seeds are a naughty exception here. They are not bad for you at all, in fact my theory here is that when they are in this recipe- they are extremely good for you! That's because you would find the recipe so delicious that you'd consume much more than you normally would including all the mega nutritious chlorophyll and protein packed kale.
-To roast the sesame seeds, just heat a non stick frying pan and toss them in it for a couple of minutes
-Blend all the ingredients apart from kale, kelp and optional ingredients in a blender
-Cut the stalks off all the kale leaves and chop them into a large bowl
-Massage the blended dressing well with the kale and then mix in the noodles
-Add any optional ingredients and serve
[Note it tastes even better if you make it in advance and leave for the flavours to infuse. That way the kelp noodles also have time to soak up some of the juices and to soften]

In Tanya’s 2.5 hour class you will learn all the basics, such as: ◈ Which equipment is necessary and which is just for fun. ◈ What superfoods are all about. ◈ The difference between smoothies and juices. ◈ Why dairy is not the answer to calcium. ◈ Why fermenting is so important. ◈ What on earth a dehydrator is and what you can create in it. ◈ Secrets to staying raw in winter time. ◈ Guidelines on sprouting at home. ◈ Practical tips and tricks to creating easy meals and snacks in under five minutes. ◈ How desserts can very much be a part of your diet. ◈ Hear truly inspiring success stories.

Entre: nut balls, crackers and bites

Main: Raw Food Lasagna

Dessert: Strawberry Cheesecake

I've always had this notion that making a raw lasagna should take a massive amount of time and just left it to the full time chefs in raw restaurants. All those layers, all that soaking, all the chopping and the blending and the marinating. Not the kinda talk you expect to hear from a Raw Food Coach hah?

Well I am a busy woman and as much as I love the kitchen and playing with food, I simply don't have the time for gourmet meals every night of the week. So I was determined to make this one a 'fast meal'...

You may not think so seeing all the listed ingredients below, but it really is very simple to make and took me less than an hour! Now can you make a cooked lasagna in less than an hour? Well this one doesn't even compare, so forget I even said that :)




For the essentials
Deep dish ( I used 26 x 18 x 6 cm)
Blender
Mandolin/ good knife

For the mushrooms
3-4 Portabella mushrooms
3 Tbsp Tamari Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

For the lasagna sheets

2 large zucchini
Extra Virgin Olive oil

For the Cheese layer
1 Cup Brazil nuts
1 Cup Cashews
2 Lemons, juiced
1 Cup Fresh Basil
5 Garlic cloves
water to cover

For the Tomato Paste layer
2 Cups Sundried Tomatoes, soaked in warm water
2 Large Fresh tomatoes
5 Pitted Dates
2 Tbsp Herb mix incl. Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Parsley
1 tsp Salt (only in sundried toms haven't been preserved in salt)

For the Extras
1 Red Capsicum
1 Large Tomato
Pine nuts
Basil to garnish

-Unless you have given yourself plenty of time for preparation, make sure you start in the order I've listed to get the lasagna done in an hour
-Peel and thinly slice the mushrooms, mix with all mushroom marinade ingredients and set aside

-Use a mandolin on the smallest setting to slice the zucchini very thinly into long flat sheets. Alternatively use a knife. Spread a pile of zucchini slices on a separate plate, brushing each side with olive oil and set aside to penetrate and soften

-Put all the Cheese Layer ingredients (apart from Basil) into a blender and pour only enough water to cover everything. Add the fresh basil and blend until smooth. You may also do this in the food processor, as some may prefer a chunky bite. Set aside

-Roughly chop tomatoes for the Tomato Sauce Layer and put them as well as the remaining ingredients into the blender. Blend.

-For the extras, thinly slice the capsicum and tomato

-Layer as you wish or follow my pattern from the picture below. Either leave at room temperature until guests arrive or serve right away. Slice with a sharp knife while the lasagna is still in the dish and scoop out each slice with a spatula. Sprinkle with pine nuts and a basil leaf garnish




Elliot, Alissa, Jenny, Grant and me below. Team approval of each course :) Strawberry cheesecake recipe is next!

Remember my last post about Vilcabamba?

I do! I remember Vilcabamba so well, that I can't stop thinking about it and certainly can't wait an entire year till May 2012 for the next Raw Food Conference, so guess what!!!!!....

Elliot, myself and my sister are all heading there to see mum and dad for Christmas! Woooo! Waaahoooo! A warm Christmas! Family! Raw cacao and coconuts in December! Another holiday! Reunion with Kiwi the puppy! So many exclamation marks in one paragraph!

Right... now that I am breathing [semi] normally again... in my last post I mentioned that I will be having a separate blog entry about the Monarchs' Potluck. Keeping my promise :)

Matt Monarch, Tanya Alekseeva (me), Angela Stokes-Monarch

The Raw Food World's Matt and Angela's potluck was very much one of my Vilcabamba highlights, easily. There was something very special about the evening too, a really pleasant electric energy vibe created by all the amazing individuals brought together in one place, sharing their delicious clean raw and organic creations full of love.


Forgive me for sounding dorky, but how else do you describe an evening that really is that 'pleasant' and 'full of love'?.. just a feel good atmosphere, where everything flowed in a seamlessly relaxed fashion and unfolded into what one may have thought to be the most pre organised event of meal courses and performances.


Look look look at all the food:










My contribution was 'raw hummus on dehydrated crackers' with a twist (I made them to look like Monarch Butterflies for none other than Monarch butterflies Matt & Angela). Here is the recipe for you...



1,5 Cup Sprouted Chickpeas (see below)
1 Cup Sprouted Lentils (see below)
4 Tbsp Tahini
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Medjool dates, pitted
2 Lemons, juiced
Salt, Pepper
Optional: to the Monarch Butterflies hummus I added parsley; to the hummus in Savoy cabbage leaf I added sundried tomatoes

To sprout
-chickpeas take 4-5 days to sprout, lentils 2-4. Plan accordingly
-soak chickpeas/lentils in water overnight, rinse, transfer to sprouting bag/jar and leave in a dark spot at room temperature
-run water through the sprouts daily, twice a day in summer. Do not leave sitting in water

To prepare
-transfer all the ingredients into a high powered blender
-use the tamper during blending
-if you have a basic blender, you’ll just need more liquid (eg. water and oil), pulse while blending

To assemble
-Either serve in a Savoy Cabbage leaf with carrots and celery sticks or
For Monarch Butterflies:
-Score your favourite cracker recipe into equal size squares
-Scoop a spoonful of hummus onto each cracker
-Cut tomatoes into equal slices and then cut each slice in half (I dehydrated my tomato slices first)
-Gently press each tomato slice into the hummus, rounded part towards the middle
-To create antennae, I used sunflower shoots, see what you can find :)

The Raw Food World has a TV Show on YouTube and of cause this very potluck was a feature...