Honeycrisp Apples

It's apple season in upstate NY! That can only mean one thing; raw applesauce! I used the recipe from the recipe book "Kristen's raw sides and snacks". My favorite apple is the honeycrisp variety. Kristen's raw uses delicious flavors of cinnamon and almond butter for a yummy texture and warm flavor. This was my midnight snack, and boy it filled me up!

photo courtesy of flickr

Cheesecake video!

Here's a photo of my backyard. Behind these trees is my creek. After taking the photo, i've created a bonfire circle in the circular dip by the creek (center of the photo). Many a good bonfire has happened out there! Beers and veggie skewers. Grilled potatoes by the fire. The raw version? Just eat the skewers before folks cook em :)

My living room, which has already hosted THREE raw/cooked vegan potlucks. Folks bring a combination of raw and vegan foods, it has worked out well for folks of all diets.

Also, I'm featured in this video:

http://vimeo.com/6034801

And I'm cheerfully promoting the benefits of raw food at the vegan *cooking* skillshare. Here's a photo from the event:

Nacho Soup

This vibrant red soup reminds me of a childhood favorite: cheesy tomato soup. It's hearty and filling, and I can't wait to go home and whip up another batch on this rainy fall day.

Nacho Soup

• 1 large red bell pepper


• 1 cucumber, peeled


• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes


• 1 Tbsp lemon juice


• 1-3 tsp agave (taste and adjust)


• pinch of italian seasoning


• dash salt & pepper


• 1/4 cup cashews
  

Blend all ingredients. Adjust amount of lemon, agave, salt, and cashews to taste. Serve immediately. Garnish with chives or fresh italian herbs if desired.

photo courtesy of flickr

Cajun Portobellas

Kristen's Raw Entrees book has a yummy recipe for portobella mushrooms. These are a deliciously hearty, filling mushroom. They're best when marinated in an oil based dressing, then dehydrated for 1-2 hours - until they're tender but not dry. I slice the portobellas in thin strips to help them dehydrate more quickly.

The recipe I made is called "Cajun Portobellas with Wild Rice". I don't have any raw rice on hand, so I simply didn't make any rice and focused on the entree. I didn't use much cayenne pepper, and cut back a little on the olive oil, but otherwise followed the directions exactly. The dish was DELICIOUS!! I devoured it warm, right out of the dehydrator. As with most raw foods, they're best eaten the day they are prepared. I highly recommend trying out this recipe.

photo courtesy of flickr photo 2

Swap Meets!

You must hear about the coolest project my friend has started. It's called Share Tompkins. The blog explains the whole project. Basically, a large group of people meets every month to swap goods, services, etc. I've included a photo of myself at a recent swap meet - notice the goods displayed behind us. I was part of a moving swap, where four household helped each other move boxes. Great success!

Quick Compost Bin

image courtesy of flickr

Today I constructed a compost bin like the one at right. It's super fast! I bought one roll of 10ft, 2" galvanized wire. I didn't even use stakes, that way i can move the compost bin when i want to. I used some plastic zip ties to secure the wire in a circle. Tools? None! Cost? $12. Time spent? 5 minutes!

I'm very pleased with the result. I will be buying more wire sheets, to construct several additional compost bins.

I bought a Raw Food Paradise

Yes, that's my house. I bought it last week on Wednesday!! I've been rather busy with shaping my new house into the raw food paradise it was destined for. Can't wait to tell you all about it. Stay tuned for more updates.
My project this weekend is to cover the front yard with mulch. It's going to be a flower garden, eventually. I have 1.14 acres of land, so it has been a challenge deciding what to plant where! A deer fence and bonfire pit are upcoming projects that I'll talk about soon.

Slaw and Spice

On a hot day, I'm usually in the mood for light side salads. One of my favorites is cabbage carrot slaw. This can be served with a variety of dressings. Ani Phyo's book has several types of cabbage dressings, including a variation with fresh thyme. A simple vinaigrette works well, or a creamy cashew dressing would also be delicious. Fresh herbs add a zing to the salad.



My favorite at the moment is a spicy, sweet almond sauce (for example this recipe). Lightly dress the cabbage and shredded carrots in the sauce, and add shredded basil and finely chopped green onions.

I'd like to experiment with red cabbage slaws. The photo below is an excellent inspiration of serving fresh cilantro and diced veggies.

When shredding carrots for a large slaw, it is useful to employ the cuisinart food processor shredder attachment. In seconds, you can shred pounds of carrots. Carrot salad is a favorite at many potlucks i've attended. I typically make the salad from 'FRESH' by Sergei and Victoria Boutenko. Their recipe calls for honey, which you can easily substitute with agave to make a vegan dressing. Don't worry - the book is entirely vegan and raw, except for the occasional honey reference. FRESH is a good addition to any health minded kitchen, and I find it most useful in summer months. FRESH uses minimal dressings and sauces, which is nice when fresh summer produce is actually available. In winter I find myself gravitating toward more heavily spiced foods or prepared raw foods, in order to disguise the flavor of some bland winter foods.

photos courtesy of flickr