Raw Carrot Cake

During the last year, I visited a Whole Foods store and purchased one slice of Raw Carrot Cake for $9. I loved the cake but thought the price was too high for me and decided to make my own at home.  This weekend,  I found this website and recipe.  The website is entitled  the Rawtarian.
Here is the link to her  Carrot Cake Recipe .

I only made a few changes to the site's original recipe. The purchased Raw Carrot Cake, from Whole Foods, was not dehydrated, so I decided to leave out the water and not dehydrate.  I also added a few more dates:  1  3/4 cup dates.  I used the icing she included at the bottom of the recipe, Raw Cream Cheese Icing.  I thought it was also great.  Next time, I plan to use pure maple syrup or honey in the icing to change the flavor a little for variety.

Make a carrot cake and icing for yourself using this recipe and you will be very happy with your new raw cake creation.  Thanks, Rawtarian!

Best Raw Fudge

I have been making raw fudge now for about a year and I think this may be my best recipe yet. Unfortunately, I don't always measure ingredients so each is a close estimate. It doesn't seem to matter with the fudge if you vary the ingredients a little. Here is my favorite raw fudge to date:

Raw Fudge

1 pound of Medjool pitted dates

2 cups of raw walnuts

2 tablespoons of coconut butter

8 tablespoons of cacao

2 tablespoons of cacao nibs

1 tsp vanilla bean powder (may use liquid vanilla)

1/2 cup broken or chopped raw pecans (add at the end and only blend until mixed)

Combine the first six ingredients in your food processor. Blend until the mixture forms a very thick and smooth fudge consistency. Stir in the pecans and only continue to chop for a minute to combine the ingredients. If you prefer, you can stir in the pecans in the Pyrex glass pan, rather than add them to the processor.

Add to a small glass pan (8 in by 8 in) and press with a smooth spoon to form fudge.

Refrigerate and cut inch cubes. Serve.

Dehydrated Energy Bars

This recipe is the same that I made last week, which can be viewed here. In the original recipe, it had two ways to complete the bars.  You could either roll the ingredients in balls and then into unsweetened coconut, which I did last week.  Another way was to dehydrate the bars after moving the ingredients to a Teflex-lined tray (or you may use parchment paper on the tray).  Before I moved them into the dehydrator, I scored them into 12 bars.  They are in the process of drying.  If you choose to make the bars, they may be much easier to transport to work for lunch, which I did so I could take them to school. I decided they would be much easier than a moist, refrigerated ball. ) :-)

Directions for dehydrating the recipe link from above:

Flatten onto a Teflix-lined dehydrator tray to about 1/4 inch thick and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 12 to 15 hours.  Flip halfwary through and remove the Telflex.

  

This is what they look like before they go into the dehydrator.

After 15 hours, I removed the bars and placed them in snack bags.  I wasn't sure if they needed refrigeration to make them last longer, so I put them in the fridge, just in case.  They will be perfect to carry to work (school).  Can't wait to try them!

Energy Bars

Energy Bars

(Adapted from Green Energy Bars with Goji and Cacao from “Eating Raw”)

This recipe may be used as bars or rolled into balls. The bars are dehydrated and the balls are not so I decided to go with the balls. Here is my version of the recipe:

¾ cup almonds, soaked for one hour in purified water, then drained

1 cup dates, pitted, soaked for one hour in purified water, then drained

¼ cup sunflower seeds, soaked for one hour in purified water, then drained

¼ cup goji berries

¼ cup raw cacao nibs (or you may use cacao powder)

¼ cup tahini (or raw almond butter)

½ cup raisins, soaked for one hour in purified water, then drained

2 TB flax seeds, soaked for one hour in 1 TB of purified water

1 TB dark cocoa powder (not raw; may also use carob powder)

1 ½ tsp. Maca powder

1 tsp. Cinnamon

pinch cardamom

shredded coconut (unsweetened, raw)

Place almonds and dates in food processor and process with S blade until you have small chunks. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except the coconut. Mix until well blended.

Roll into 2 inch balls and roll in coconut, then refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

May be used as a snack for high energy. Recipe makes 12 balls or bars. Approx. 195 calories per bar.   

Live Cashew Hummus

I love hummus and I wanted to make "raw" hummus so I found this recipe in EATING RAW.  I am amazed at the difference in raw cashews when they have been soaked for two hours.  The soaking of the cashews makes the hummus rich and creamy.  Here is the recipe.  I know you will love it!

2 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked at least two hours
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil
1 medium clove garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon (heaping) ground cumin
Pinch cayenne
1/2 cup water
1  1/2 teaspoons nama shoyu

Rinse and drain cashews well and add to the bowl of the food processor.  Add remaining ingredients and blend on high speed for 60 seconds.  If needed, add a little more water.

A listed variation, which I plan to try, is to use macadamia, brasil nuts, or hazelnuts for the cashews.

Focaccia

So far, I've been very pleased with each recipe that I've made from the book EATING RAW. This flat bread  is the live version of Italian flat bread.  I will be making this recipe a lot. The flavor is excellent!  The batter makes nine pieces.  You need a dehydrator for this recipe.  Each piece is 3x4 inches and may be stored in a fridge for up to five days.



1 cup flax seeds, ground fine
1 cup sunflower seeds, ground fine
2 cups of onions
1 1/2 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons nama shoyu
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

Using a food processor and the S Blade, process all ingredients (except only use 3 Tablespoons of the sesame seeds) on high until you have chunky batter.
Spread evenly over Teflex-lined dehydrator tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12 hours, flip over without Teflex-lining and continue dehydrating for another 10 to 12 hours.
EXCELLENT!!!!