Posts Tagged ‘raw dessert recipes’

This is a guest post by Ingela Johansson.

What I eat is determined by how delicious it is. How healthy the food actually is, comes second. I think we’re all in the same boat, which is why it is so crucial to make delicious raw food recipes.

The last couple of years I have been experimenting with raw and vegan foods, trying out people’s recipes and making up my own. To the amazement of both my boyfriend and I, we are able to eat delicious foods without processed sugar, dairy products and wheat.

Sure, my taste buds might have changed a few times along the road and gotten used to and more sensitive to different flavors. But I don’t care. What matters is that I love the food I eat.

Below are three recipes I enjoy on a regular basis. My measurements aren’t 100% accurate as I go by feel a lot, so feel free to experiment and find your own special formula.

Photo of Spring Salad by Ingela

1. Fresh Spring Salad

When summer is around the corner, I start craving salad. I love this spring salad recipe because it is so fresh and light, perfect as a side-dish or just as is. I like to make a big batch of it and have it ready to snack on whenever I want.

The sweetness of the carrots and peppers eliminates the bitterness of arugula, which is always good. Arugula is loaded with powerful minerals. Alongside with the immune boosters, garlic and ginger, it’s a match made in heaven.

Here’s the recipe:

• About 200 g Arugula
• 1 Bunch of Radishes
• 1 Cucumber
• 2 Stalks of Celery
• 2 Medium Carrots
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Clove of Garlic
• A Little Fresh Ginger
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Slice all the vegetables and combine in a big bowl. Crush the garlic and chop or grate the ginger. Combine the rest of the ingredients with the vegetables, and taste it to see if it needs more vinegar or salt.

2. Simple Frozen Berry Smoothie

This one is a regular breakfast for me. I usually make it big, about 1 liter, because I’m so hungry in the morning.

It is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from the berries and spinach. I don’t actually like the taste of raw spinach, but it is covered up by the tasty berries. You won’t even notice it.

Here’s the recipe:

• 3-5 Bananas
• 2 dl Frozen Raspberries, Strawberries or Blueberries
• 100 g Spinach
• 1 dl Water

Put everything in your blender and blend until smooth. Increase the amount of water if needed. Pour into a tall glass, sprinkle a few berries on top and enjoy!

[Editor's Note: If you want to start ramping up the greens, you can get more information on green smoothies here.]

3. Apple Pie

Oh my, of all the apple pies I’ve had this one is my favorite. When I first tried this recipe, I couldn’t believe it was actually healthy for me. The dates can be switched to dry fruit (raisins, apricots, figs etc.) if you so desire.

The crust:

• 2 Cups of Brazil and Pecan Nuts
• 1 Cup of Fresh Pitted Dates
• ½ Tsp Cardamom
• ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
• A Pinch of Sea Salt

Put the nuts in the food processor for a few seconds, until they are small crumbs. Add dates and spices and process until the dates are in small pieces and everything is nice and crumbly.

You can process it longer if you want it more like dough, but I find it yummiest when it is like crumbs.

At this point I usually taste it to see if I’d like to add a little more salt or cardamom. Now press the crust into a round form of 9 in/22 cm and freeze until it’s firm. While I wait for the crust, I make the filling.

Filling:

• 6 Large Apples (or 8 Smaller)
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Cup Fresh Dates

Slice 4 apples and put into a bowl. Cut 2 apples into chunks and put in the blender with the lemon juice and the dates, and blend until smooth. Now combine the mixture with the sliced apples and mix it together. Take out the pie crust and spread the filling evenly in it. Eat instantly or refrigerate, it keeps at least a few days in the refrigerator.

There are so many tasty raw recipes that you have no excuse to keep eating unhealthy foods.

Ingela Johansson is in love with taking care of her skin naturally. If you want more health and beauty tips, you can visit her blog, where you will find topics ranging from how to prevent oily skin to removing age spots.

Welcome to a new, fun, lighthearted feature here at The Raw Foods Witch. I’m interviewing some of the most exciting voices in the raw food world, and letting you pick between the two… in a raw food fight.*

*Note: No food was harmed or wasted in the making of this raw food fight, all deliciously sweet treats were consumed.

Onto the questions!

The Questions and Answers

Shannon Marie of Rawdorable	Heather Pace of Sweetly Raw
1. What brought you to raw food, what’s the story there?
I first learned about raw food, while watching an interview with Juliano on the Style Network. I was already vegan at the time, so of course, it caught my attention. I couldn’t believe how creative he could be with raw fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. Having an art background myself (as well as years of playing around in the kitchen with my family), I was so ready to dive in and try it. I bought his uncookbook the very next day.	At the age of 14 I read the book Fit For Life, and turned vegan over night! I stumbled upon a raw restaurant when I was 16 and was in awe. I kept my cooked vegan lifestyle, but went to a raw retreat in California for one month when I was 18 and decided I wanted to eat this way permanently… this didn’t last long as I returned home to a cold Canadian winter and lacked support. With a passion for food preparation I graduated from Culinary School with the intention of bringing healthy food ideas to people. Since then I have gone from 100% raw to low raw (remaining on a mostly vegan diet), and everything in between, but for the past 3 years I’ve remained mostly raw.
2. What is your favorite raw dessert?
Raw cupcakes, but I’m sure you could figure that one out. Sometimes they’re rich and decadent, and other times I lighten them up a bit. There’s just something about that cute little shape.	Oooh, that’s a toughy! Usually it’s whatever dessert I’m eating in the moment… BUT, I suppose my 3 overall faves are: Strawberry lime mousse cake (from my ebook Just Desserts), my chocolate caramel turtles, and ice cream sundaes!
3. Outside of raw desserts, what does your diet look like on an average day?
Although I mainly post recipes for satisfying my sweet tooth, the rest of my diet is fresher and more fitness-inspired. I am a huge fan of Brendan Brazier and his “Thrive” approach. The first thing I have in the morning is just water, followed by some fruit. I get my workout in after that, and recharge with a huge green smoothie. Lunch is usually a salad and/or raw pudding (I’ve been eating a lot of blended things now that there’s a baby in the house again). Sometimes I do have a raw cupcake at that time. I also graze throughout the day on fresh produce, raw energy bars, homemade trail mix and smoothies. As for dinner, that’s when I tend to eat more veggies. I love huge salads, zucchetti (spriralized zucchini to look like pasta), wrap sandwiches (using collards, romaine or nori for the “wrap”), raw soups (especially the ones with a variety of textures) … the list goes on, but I will admit to sometimes having lightly steamed veggies or a sweet potato from time to time. I also occasionally consume Ezekiel products, as well as cooked pseudograins like buckwheat and quinoa. Don’t forget dessert; I never do. I’m so bad about ending the day with a piece of fruit (bad food combining, I know, but it somehow works for me). I also enjoy a good piece of raw chocolate, as long as it’s not too close to bedtime.	LOL, it’s true I eat a lot of dessert! I start my day with a large mug of hot water/lemon juice, and then I drink fresh grapefruit or green juice. Lunch is either a superfood smoothie or green soup, and dinner is usually a salad: greens, veggies, nori, spirulina, avocado based dressing. Dessert is whatever I have on hand that day, or a pudding – frozen berries, banana, superfoods, nuts. Raw chocolate (with gojis/mulberries/nuts) is my snack of choice – I always keep some in my purse, and around the house!
4. What has been the most life changing aspect of eating more raw food for you?
I have so much more energy than before I went raw. It helps me keep up with the little ones around here. Being a busy mom really requires a lot of energy :-)	I feel as though raw food allows easy access to my “higher self” because it is so light, and vibrates at a high level. I experience greater mental clarity, inner peace, energy, and intuition.
5. If you had to give someone who was just starting out advice about raw food, what would it be?
I advise to start out slow. Don’t be afraid to “test the waters” first. If you change too many things at once, you might be more likely to quit the first time you “fall off the wagon.” Nobody’s perfect, so don’t stress yourself out trying to be.	Baby steps! Don’t worry about being “perfect” – you may have the intention of eating 100% raw immediately, but if you happen to fall back into some cooked food, forgive yourself and jump right back on the wagon. Make one change per week that is do-able for you – maybe start by having a green smoothie for breakfast, or replace your afternoon snack with a healthy raw version!
6. To you, what is the meaning or purpose of life?
I think we’re all still trying to figure that one out. I do know that it is meant to be lived to the fullest. Learn from your experiences and enjoy every moment.	Big/good question! I believe that I am a spiritual Being who’s purpose in this life is to learn and grow from all experiences that I create. I feel I am here to live out my passions, speak my truth, and inspire others to live a life they are passionate about too!
7. Tell me about your latest project and how people can get their hands on it.
I finally fulfilled my dreams of putting out a raw cupcake book, in electronic form (maybe one day it will be sold as a hard copy, but right now I’m saving some trees). “The Little Rawdorable Cupcake Book That Could” e-book can be purchased on my site at Rawdorable. I also have some raw cupcake-inspired shirts at my Cafe Press online shop, where I hope to add more designs soon. I’d even love to add an Etsy store in the near future.	I am SO excited about my new dessert project! The Moonie Pie Challenge is the chance for bloggers to get their creative juices flowing. I’ve created three (vanilla, mint, banana) delicious moonies: silky smooth cream, wrapped in a dense cacao nut cake, encased in rich dark chocolate. Participants make one of the three moonies (with two ingredient changes of their choice), and blog about it. I will judge the creations and then do a moonie pie swap with the winner, who will receive each of my pies. Here’s more information on how to enter and get a copy of the recipes.
8. If you could summarize your evolution and success with raw food, what one word would you use?
Happy :-)	Acceptance

Vote for your Favorite

(If you’re reading this via email or news feed, click through to cast your vote!)

Let me know what you thought about this raw food fight, who you’d love to see participate and what kind of questions I should ask next! :)

This week-end it was Canadian Thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving happens earlier because our harvest season is shorter, and we want to enjoy it when it’s fresh!

As it happens I had two social gatherings to attend, one all raw and the other not so much. What’s a girl to bring to please such different groups?

Luckily I have been immersing myself in the wonderful world of raw desserts for the past few weeks so it was just a matter of choosing one recipe from my new book “28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day“.

I decided to go with the Raw Pumpkin Pie, using freshly cut pumpkin. Jack-o-lanterns are totally appropriate here at the Raw Foods Witch site.

How to Make a Raw Pumpkin Pie Video

(Click here to watch video.)

Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

If itʼs not Autumn and you canʼt get your hands on a fresh pumpkin you can use a variety of replacements: from butternut squash to sweet potato.

Raw Pumpkin Pie Crust

• 2 cups pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup soaked dates
• Dash of sea salt

Blend the crust ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, then evenly distribute in the bottom of a pie plate.

Raw Pumpkin Pie Filling

• 2 cups shredded pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato flesh
• 1 cup soaked dates
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. freshly diced ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• 1/4 cup almond milk or water to help blend

If you donʼt feel like shredding the pumpkin by hand, simply cube and place in a high speed blender or food processor until itʼs nicely chopped.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until nice and smooth. You might need to add more liquid to get it to blend well.

Pour into crust, then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. This dessert might not seem overly sweet, but trust me when I say it can rival even the most traditional of pumpkin pies.

Get More Delicious Free Dessert Recipes

If you liked this raw pumpkin pie recipe, you’ll find it and more great desserts in my new book!

I’ve put together free a downloadable ebook called “28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day”. Yep, that’s right I’m giving it away for free!

Grab your free copy of the 28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day ebook now.

Feel free to share this ebook with all of your friends and family. I really want as many people as possible to experience these healthy desserts.

In my article on healthy foods vs. unhealthy foods I mentioned that there are certain foods that we all agree to be healthy. Desserts tend to fall in the unhealthy food category.

Photo by Klaus Post

Somehow we inherently know that eating too many desserts and sweets is not good for us. Either we’ve been told this growing up, or we just don’t feel so good after we overindulge our sweet tooth.

Why do we crave sweets and desserts?

Since I’ve got a wicked sweet tooth, I thought it would be interesting to investigate why it is that we crave sweets and desserts. (Or at least some of us.)

Sweetness is an Indication that Food is Edible

I was speaking to my dad about this the other day and he mentioned reading an article about sweets that said sugar is an indication that food is not a poison.

This made sense to me, if something tastes sweet then it is probably safe to eat. Think of eating bitter unripe fruit, you immediately get a bad taste in your mouth and push it away. However if the fruit is ripe, it is sweet and edible.

I’m sure this doesn’t apply across the board, and that there are exceptions to this rule. But I can accept the fact that we use our taste-buds and the sweetness factor of a food to determine whether to eat it or not.

The Bacteria/Yeast Connection

Another reason I believe we are big on eating sugar and sweets is the connection between bacteria and yeast. I don’t want to get too deep into this topic, but I have observed it in my own body.

At one point the balance of beneficial bacteria in my gut had been broken and there was an overgrowth of yeast. I’m not talking about female yeast infections here, because anyone can have too much yeast and not enough beneficial bacteria.

I noticed that whenever I ate lots of sugar, I had a huge rash on my stomach. That was the yeast flourishing. Yuck much? Luckily, I knew there were alternatives to traditionally high sugar sweets and desserts.

Can Healthy Desserts Really Exist?

The short answer is yes! Why else would I “give up” my old favorites, if I couldn’t have something equally delicious?

Healthy Desserts That Taste Good

Healthy desserts get a bad rap. Think of desserts made without any sugar, and these seem bland, granola, a little boring.

But what if you could get the richest, most decadent of desserts without all the junk that most processed desserts come with? It’s totally possible with raw, naturally sweetened desserts.

A Healthy Dessert Doesn’t Mean Just Fruit

Okay, you might be thinking that the only thing raw foodies can eat for dessert is fruit. Fortunately, there’s a lot more to raw desserts than fruit.

Take a look at these:

• raw chocolate puddings
• raw apple pies
• raw fudge
• raw ice cream
• raw cup cakes
• raw brownies

28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day

I’ve put together free a downloadable ebook called “28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day”. Yep, that’s right I’m giving it away for free!

Grab your free copy of the 28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day ebook now.

Feel free to share this ebook with all of your friends and family. I really want as many people as possible to experience these healthy desserts.

Because it’s time for us have our cake and eat it too. After all, health is wealth and what would our life be without a little treat now and then?

Get your dessert fix here.