Raw Corn Chowder

I always love making raw soups because they are super fast and almost always come out deeelish. Plus blended foods are so good for you! When it comes to summer one of my favorite treats is fresh corn, there is just nothing like it! This soup was so flavorful and had the most gorgeous color from the cumin and corn combo.

corn soup

Raw Corn Chowder

Around 3 Servings

1 cup fresh corn kernels + 1/4 cup corn kernels, separate
1 clove garlic
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup cashews
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lecithin or psyllium (optional to make the soup thicker)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
Ground pepper to taste
2 cups water

  1. Combine all the ingredients except the separate 1/4 cup of corn in a blender until smooth.
  2. Place the whole corn kernels in a bowl and pour soup over.
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy 🙂

Flatbread Pizza with hummus, green olives, cherry tomatoes and za’atar

This was soooo good! I made the complete recipe for the crust and halved the rest as I knew there was never anyway we would eat all of this deliciousness. But I figured we could use the crusts for other recipes as they are very versatile. I love everything Pure Food and Wine and can’t wait to check out Sarma’s new cookbook, Living Raw Food! But this is recipe is from Raw Food Real World. All their recipes are pretty complicated but I am guessing that 99% of them are amazing! Due to the complexity level and the gourmet heaviness of some of the foods they are not everyday recipes for us. But when we make them we sure love them! I could see this dish being served at a fancy Middle Eastern restaurant or you can make them bit sized and serve them as hor o’dourves!!!! How fun!! So deeelish! I loved the use of Za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend of sumac, sesame seeds and the wild Syrian hyssop plant) in this recipe. I had bought some the last time I was in Israel and this was the first time I got to break it out and use it. Ahhhh… 🙂 The crusts were delicious and the hummus was the best raw hummus I have ever had! Such a great recipe! You could always break this recipe down and use just one component when you need it.

Flatbread Pizza with hummus, green olives, cherry tomatoes and za’atar

 pizza close-up

pizza crust on dehydrator sheet

The crust still on the dehyrdrator sheet

For the crusts:
5 cups walnuts, soaked 1 hour or more (I soaked them overnight – when soaking nuts, make sure to rinse well after)
5 cups cubed yellow squash or zucchini
3/4 cup golden flaxseed, finely ground (1 cup ground)
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/4 to 1/2 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon sea salt

1. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor to chop into tiny pieces (like couscous), but not completely smooth. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl. Add the squash to the same food processor bowl and grind into tiny pieces, but again not completely smooth. Transfer the squash to the bowl with the walnuts. Add the flaxseed, hemp seeds, salt and about 1/4 cup of water, stirring to combine. Add more water until a sticky dough forms – like wet muffin batter. You may need more or less water.

2. Divide the batter between four 14-inch Teflex lined dehydrator trays. Using an offset spatula spread the dough to the edges of the trays. The dough can be a bit gummy and sticky, so it helps to dip the spatula in water as you spread the dough (the excess water will all evaporate in the dehydrator)

3. Dehydrate the flatbread at 115 degrees for 6-8 hours, pr overnight. When the tops are dry, flip over and peel away the Teflex liners. Dehydrate on screens for another 2-4 hours.

4. Once both sides are dry, slide the flatbread onto a large cutting board. With a large chef’s knife, cut into 3×5 rectangles (or whatever size and shape you want). Place them back in the dehydrator trays and dehydrate for another hour or more, as necessary for firm crusts.

hummus

For the hummus:
4 cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours or more (when I woke up I starting soaking them, so around 8 hours)
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 small cloves garlic
1/4 cup sesame tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt
Up to one cup filtered water

In a food processor, add the nuts, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and salt and process, adding water 1/4 cup at a time until you get the smooth, fluffy consistency of hummus. You may need to add more water, or you may want to add olive oil for a richer hummus – just make sure it has enough stiffness so it will hold the topping on the pizza without running off the sides of the crust

olive tapenade

For Green Olive Tapenade: (You only need a half cup for recipe, so reduce if you want, or make the entire batch to have on hand.)
makes 3 1/2 cups

3 cups putted green olives
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small handful of parsley (optional) (I used the parsley. I think it added a nice texture and color)
freshly ground pepper

1. Process the olives in a food processor. With the motor running, add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add the parsley (if using) and process to combine. Season with pepper to taste

2. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Will keep up to 1-2 weeks.

For serving:
1 pint cherry, teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 of a large bulb of fennel or 1/2 of a small bulb, shaved very thin on a mandolin
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup Green olive Tapenade
1/2 cup Green olives, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning
fennel fronds for garnish

Spread each crust with hummus and top with tomatoes, fennel, cucumber, olive tapenade and olives. Sprinkle with za’atar and top with fennel fronds

pizzas

za'atar from Israel
My Za’atar from Israel

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Although I eat primarily raw I still enjoy a fabulous home-cooked vegan meal every now and then. This is one that I made sure to partake in and I was so glad I did! I can’t say I have ever had a ‘real’ sloppy joe, but so far I have never met a vegan one that I didn’t love! This was so comforting and warm and most importantly yummy!! You can serve it on buns for a more authentic take, but I didn’t want all that bread and the wraps really did the job. This dish was surprisingly super quick and easy in the kitchen 🙂 Enjoy!

open toritllas

Vegan Sloppy Joes

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
16 ounces of veggie soy crumbles (I used Morningstar)
6-8 ounces of tomato paste
1/4-1/2 cup water
2 heaping Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 onion, chopped
2 roma tomatoes or 1 large tomato, chopped
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Chili Powder
2 Tbsp. organic ketchup
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Salt and Pepper, to taste
buns or tortillas

  1.  Heat olive oil in a (non teflon) saucepan and add the soy crumbles to let brown. Stir for 2 minutes to prevent burning.
  2. Add the brown sugar and tomato paste and mix well, adding water to bring to thick but smooth consistency.
  3. Mix in the mustard, onion, and tomatoes.
  4. Once well combined add the oregano and chili powder, ketchup and rice vinegar and stir.
  5. Season with the salt and pepper.
  6. Serve on toasted sandwich buns or in heatede tortillas.

open toritillas 2sloppy joe's on the stove

Chicken Fajitas with Crunchy Lime Cabbage and Avocado

fajitas 2

Michael loved this one. I think with the crunchy cabbage, the spice of the chicken and the cooling avocado this was a real winner. Plus who doesn’t love grilled marinated onions and peppers?! And the colors are so divine!!! I marinated the chicken over night which made this a super fast meal the night that I did cook it. Love that when I am super busy!

Chicken Fajitas with Crunchy Lime Cabbage and Avocado
recipe adapted from Bon Appetit March 2008

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for griddle
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch-thick strips
  • 1 large red onion, halved, sliced lengthwise
  • 3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
  • 6 to 8 fajita-size whole wheat flour tortillas
  • 1 avocado, halved, pitted, sliced
  1. Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and chili powder in large bowl. Add chicken, bell pepper, and onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature or let marinate overnight in the fridge.
  2. Toss red cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, lime peel, and 3 tablespoons olive oil in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, place large griddle over 2 burners and heat over medium-high heat. (We use the wonderful Cuisinart Griddler!) Brush griddle with olive oil. Spread chicken on griddle and cook until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are browned, turning frequently with tongs, about 7 minutes Total.
  5. Divide chicken among warm tortillas; top with cabbage mixture and avocado slices.
cabbage close up

I couldn't resist! How gorgeous is this red cabbage?!?!?

chicken on the grill
Marinated Chicken, Onions and Peppers Grilling on our Griddler

fajitas

Corn & Red Pepper Chips

I love love love Corn Chips. So when I had made my Super Amazing Raw Jalapeno Corn Chips I thought I had gone to heaven!! Hence, the Super Amazing part of the title 🙂 But of course I wanted to play and experiment more. I have been trying to cut back the amount of nuts in my diet, so I tried a nut-free chip. They were originally going to be just corn, but my mom was so sweet to pick me up some gorgeous red peppers and I wanted to put them to good use. These came out super tasty and could be enjoyed on their own. But I love the chips and dip meal, so of course I made a salsa with guacamole to go along with these. Michael and I both liked my Super Amazing Raw Jalapeno Corn Chips better, but these were still super delicious and nut free!

corn & pepper chips

Sorry for the super fuzzy picture, but you can at least see the Gorgeous Color!!!

Corn & Red Pepper Chips

4 cups sweet corn, fresh or frozen
2 medium red peppers
1 jalapeno
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

  1. In a food processor combine all the ingredients until smooth
  2. On dehydrator tray, spread about 1/8″ thick
  3. Score diagonally left to right, then across right to left into triangles
  4. Dehydrate about 5 hours, or to desired texture

Breaded Herb Chicken & Summer Quinoa with Corn

chicken & quinoa

Breaded Herb Chicken & Summer Quinoa with Corn

Breaded Herb Chicken

serves 3-6 depending on how hungry everyone is

I like that this chicken is pretty low in fat and is baked. It is a pretty simple breaded chicken recipe that you can mix and match with. You can serve as is or make a lemon butter sauce to go along with this. I am sure many other sauces would go great with this as well. You can also mix up the spices/herbs in the breadcrumbs for a different flavor.

  • 6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
  • 6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  1. Wrap individual pieces of chicken between parchment paper or plastic wrap and tenderize with a mallet till 1/2-3/4″ thick.
  2. Place the pieces in a baking dish and pour lemon juice over them. Let sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the next steps.
  3. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  4. Melt butter with oil in small saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Mix breadcrumbs, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in pie pan or plate.
  6. Remove chicken from dish and pat dry with paper towels.
  7. Brush chicken breasts on both sides with melted butter and then coat chicken on both sides with breadcrumb mixture.
  8. Place on baking sheet and bake until cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden, 20 minutes or so.

Summer Quinoa with Corn

serves 5-7

I love fresh raw corn! It is one of my favorite summertime loves. Just peel off the husk and dig in! Many people miss out on the wonders of raw corn because they are always eating it cooked. It is so fresh and sweet when it is raw, it should not be missed. Also a great nutritional benefit is that raw corn acts like a vegetable in your body where as cooked corn acts like a starch!

We also love quinoa in my house! Such a supergrain!! Plus of course it is super delicious! Here is a fun recipe to try out for the summer. The butter can easily be substituted with oil or margarine to make this vegan. This can even be served as an entree because of all the nutrition packed into those little adorable quinoa grains!

  • 4 ears corn, shucked
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter/Earth Balance or 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon mild honey (or agave)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups quinoa
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
  1. Melt butter with oil in small saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Whisk together lemon zest and juice, butter, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined.
  3. Cook quinoa in a 3-4 quart bot of boiling salted water.
  4. Add quinoa to the lemon mixture and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in corn, scallions, mint, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spanish Tortilla

Eggs are not just for breakfast 🙂 You can make a tasty, nutritious and fast dinner with them too. A tortilla is a Spanish omelet that you let sit and cook until the bottom is browned and then you flip it so that the other side is browned as well. I love all the Spinach that I packed into this tortilla! This is a great meal morning, noon or night that is fast and delicious.

tortilla 2

Spanish Tortilla
adapted from EatingWell Magazine 

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can cooked new potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2-1 cup shredded Jack cheese
3-4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add potatoes, thyme and paprika and cook for 2 minutes more.
  2. Lightly whisk eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Gently stir the potato mixture into the eggs along with cheese, spinach, salt and pepper until combined. Wipe the pan clean; add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and heat over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture, cover and cook until the edges are set and the bottom is browned, 4 to 5 minutes (it will still be moist in the center).
  3. To flip the tortilla, run a spatula gently around the edges to loosen them. Invert a large plate over the pan and turn out the tortilla onto it. Slide the tortilla back into the pan and continue cooking until completely set in the middle, 3 to 6 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

 

tortilla platetortilla plated

Neapolitan Ice Cream Pie

cake top

How fun is this dessert! I have always felt that you eat with your eyes first, so I love the colors and fresh take on this age old dessert. I know that the bottom later has nuts it in, but I love that the rest is nut free! We make banana ice cream all the time in my house as a quick go-to dessert, so this was a great way to mix it up a little. And now that it looks like the temperatures are finally rising, who wouldn’t love a big, delicious ice cream cake in their freezer?!?! The crust tastes like a fudgey cookie; the chocolate and the banana layers are like smooth ice creams and the strawberry layer is like a sweet/tart sorbet to round out the whole cake. mmmmm….

Neopolitan Ice Cream Pie
Recipe from The Raw Table
Serves 8-10

Pie is in four layers:

Bottom Fudge Layer:
3 C almond meal or flour (finely ground raw almonds)
3 T cocoa powder
1/4 C honey
1/2 C dates, pitted and soaked in water for 2 hours
pinch of sea salt

Prep:
Drain dates and combine with other ingredients in food processor. Blend until very smooth. Press into spring form pan and freeze for 30-40 minutes.

Chocolate Ice Cream Layer:
4 frozen bananas
3 T. cocoa powder
3 T. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Prep:
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Pour over fudge layer and smooth out with knife. Freeze for about 30-40 minutes. (I would suggest freezing this layer a little longer, more like an hour. )

Banana Ice Cream Layer:
5 fozen bananas
2 T. honey
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Prep:
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Pour over the Chocolate Ice Cream Layer and smooth out with knife. Freeze for about 30-40 minutes.

Strawberry Layer:
3 C strawberries
1/2 C raspberries
1/2 C peeled black plums
2 frozen bananas

Prep:
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Pour over banana layer and smooth out with knife. Freeze for at least 6-8 hours or overnight.

Serving: Remove spring form pan sides. Lift off with the wax paper and place on serving tray. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes prior to serving.You will need a sharp knife to cut through the berry layer. Return to freezer when you are finished serving as this dish will melt quickly. Seriously!!

cake side

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce & Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

chicken and broccoli

I love the use of fresh ingredients in this dish. Cutting up the apricots reminded me of summer, although you can never tell these days from all the rain! I also know my husband really likes thin cuts of chicken, so flattening the chicken is something I enjoy doing for him. I am sure you can play around with this recipe to use other fruits and preserves for totally different flavors!

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce
From EatingWell Magazine  –   Makes 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed and tenders removed
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 medium shallot, minced (I used 2, I just love Shallots!!)
4 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1. Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a rolling pin, meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm. (If necessary, cook the chicken in two batches with an additional 1 tablespoon oil.)
3. Off the heat, add wine and shallot to the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add apricots and cook until the fruit begins to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in preserves, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

broccoli

Michael loves broccoli in general. I might even say it is his favorite vegetable and he loves it roasted. So here is another take on Roasted Broccoli. I love seeing the bright red tomatoes and I know the flavors are so fabulous with the olives, lemon and capers! Delicious! Also see here for my Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Broccoli Dish.

Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes
EatingWell Magazine  –   Makes 4 servings

12 ounces broccoli crowns, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (about 4 cups)
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 pitted black olives, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss broccoli, tomatoes, oil, garlic and salt in a large bowl until evenly coated. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the broccoli begins to brown, 10 to 13 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine lemon zest and juice, olives, oregano and capers (if using) in a large bowl. Add the roasted vegetables; stir to combine. Serve warm.

C&B

Blueberry Flax Pancakes

MMMM Raw Vegan Pancake Love on a Saturday Morning!! MY goodness, this was perfect! They were so super good and pretty simple to make. I woke up early, so these were almost ready by the time Michael woke up, perfect timing!! I love that so many foods can be easily made raw! These were so satisfying and fun to make & eat!

blueberrie pancakes

Blueberry Flax Pancakes recipe from Rawmazing

1/2 C flax seeds (ground)
1 C flax seeds (not ground)
3 T coconut oil melted
1/2 C agave
1/2 C water
1 C blueberries
1/4 C coconut

Mix all ingredients. Dehydrate at 145 for one hour, flip and then dehydrate for 30 minutes at 114.

Marisa’s Tips: I would suggest using a coffee/spice grinder for the flax seeds. It grinds them in seconds!! Plus it makes so much less of a mess than pulling out the Vita-mix or a food processor!

Also for the coconut I used dried coconut (ground in the coffee grinder as well) and found the batter a little runny, so I doubled the amount.

Totally drizzle with maples syrup! This made them even more wonderful!!

blueberrie pancakes2

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