Thursday, May 31, 2012

IT'S A TOSS UP


This is a  DE-LICIOUS RAW Taco Salad! There are a few components to this recipe, but don't get discouraged it's pretty easy and well worth your time. I start by making a raw vegan corn chip/cracker.  You will need a dehydrator, if you do not have a dehydrator simply substitute a good yellow corn taco chip...YUMMY.
The next step is the taco meat which is nut based and is very similar in taste and texture to the lader  you may be surprised.  The cheesy nacho sauce and the sour cream are irresistible and both work well as a veggie dip.  Finally the base of the salad.  I love using fresh organic greens and any type of sprout I can get my hands on sunflower, pea and arugula are a few of my favorites. Finally the add-ins and there are no rules as to what you can put in.  I like  green onion, carrots, red pepper, avocado and black olives, the choices are endless....experiment! Don't feel like salad? Use all of the components and create your own raw vegan nachos.
At the end I have tossed in some photos from my journeys that did not make into  any of my previous blogs. Enjoy! ;-)


Corn Chips/Crackers
2 cups sunflower seeds soaked 24 hours
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup ground golden flax seed
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp. olive oil ( I have used an oil infused with garlic and one with basil, very nice)
3 1/2 cups corn ( cut off the cob is best, but frozen will work)
2 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp.  lemon juice
1/8 cup  fresh chives, snipped

Process 2 cups of the corn, sunflower seeds, salt, oil, cumin and lemon juice until smooth. Add the hemp and flax,  corn and chives, stir to combine.

Spread out on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 for 24 hours.

Taco Spiced Crumbles                                             Makes 1 1/2 Cups
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/4 cup raw  pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes  (preferably not in oil)
1 small clove garlic
3/4-1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp.  cumin
1 tsp. paprika ( half smoked paprika is nice)
several dashes cayenne (optional)
juice of 1 lime

Soak walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for 1-2 hours.  Drain, rinse and set aside to fully drain. Soak sun dried tomatoes for 30 min and set aside.

In a food processor combine tomatoes, lime juice, garlic, salt cumin, paprika and cayenne.  Process until smooth scraping down sides as needed.  Add walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and process until well combined; the texture should be crumbly, not chunky but not quite a paste. At this point I place the mixture in a dehydrator for about 30 minutes,  this is not necessary but it gives it more of a fried hamburger texture.  The crumbles keep for 3 days in refrigerator.

Adapted From: Vegan Joy

Cashew Nacho Sauce                                                  Makes 2 cups
1 cup raw cashews, soaked 1hour and drained
1/2 cup water
3/4 red bell pepper
1/4 jalapeno (optional)
1 small clove garlic
4 tsp. raw  tahini
4-5tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tsp ground flax seed
3 tbsp lemon juice
3/4-1 tsp sea salt ( taste and adjust)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix  until smooth.  Can be kept 3 days in refrigerator.

Adapted From: Vegan Joy


Tart Sour Cream                                                          Makes 3 Cups
1 cup young coconut meat
1/2 cup cashews, soaked 1 hour
1/4 cup macadamia, nuts soaked 1 hour
2 tbsp.  apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup water
1 tbsp. white miso paste
3/4- 1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.  Can be kept 2-3 days in refrigerator.


Adapted From:Raw Food Real World





True!
Hudson Valley in the fall, gotta love it!







Cruisin' in The Valley

Cruisin' in The Valley
Beauty in the Hudson Valley ...Just minutes from my door! 

Hudson Valley in the Summer!
Regina in the winter!
Prairie Skies at Wascana Park!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

ON..TART..IO

A month ago I packed up my condo, car and cats and began  a 3500 km (2100 mile) journey from Pleasant Valley, New York back to Regina, Saskatchewan  Canada. It took five long days with pitstops in Toronto, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg and finally Regina.  Here are some pictures of my trip through Ontario with a very yummy butter tart recipe to follow. Enjoy! :-)















Butter Tarts        Serves 12

Pastry

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/8- 1/4 cup ice water

In food processor place flour, sugar and salt and process to combine.  Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Pour 1/8 cup water in a slow steady stream until the dough just holds together when pinched, if necessary add more water.  
Turn dough onto the work surface and gather into a ball.  Flatten into a disk and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.  This will relax the gluten in the flour.
After the dough has chilled, place on a lightly floured surface.  Roll out the dough and cut 12- 4 inch rounds. Gently place the rounds into a 12 cup muffin tin.  Cover and place in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to  firm the dough.



Filling

1/4 cup raisins
boiling water
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup golden corn syrup
enough cream to bring the syrup to 1/2 cup ( I will measure next time)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 vanilla bean, scrapped

Plump raisins in boiling water 5-10 minutes. Cream together butter and brown sugar.
Add salt, syrup, cream, egg and vanilla. Stir well. Add the drained raisins and chopped nuts.
Fill tarts 3/4 full.
Bake tarts at 375 for 20-25 minutes until brown and bubbly.