News from the Kitchen by John Amy

The Raw Chef’s News from the Kitchen Recipes 1–20 © Copyright Russell James,The Raw Chef. No part of this book may be produced by any means, nor transmitted, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publisher. The right of Russell James to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs & Patent Act 1988

CONDITIONS OF SALE This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade of otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. First Published by Russell James,The Raw Chef, in Great Britain in 2009 This (first) edition published in March 2009 by Russell James russell@therawchef.com www.therawchef.com

DISCLAIMER The techniques and advice described in this book represent the opinions of the author, based on his experience.The author expressly disclaims any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a result of using any of the techniques, recipes or recommendations suggested herein. If in any doubt, or if requiring medical advice, please contact the appropriate health professional.

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contents What Is Raw Food

Issue No. 1.Marbled Chocolate & Orange Tavoletta

2. Fennel & Cherry Tomato Balsamic Tart with Macadamia Cheese

3. Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Ginger Chocolate Mousse

4. Salsa Finta & Almond Polpetta

5. Cacao Pistachio Florentine & Mint Ice Cream Sandwhich

6. Spinach & Wild Mushroom Quiche

7. Pomegranate Cheesecake & Clementine Gelato

8. Napoleon of Spinach, Avocado & Sour Creamed Cashews

9. Curried Cabbage Pillows

10. Carrot & Orange Cake

11. Pesto & Caramelised Onion Pizza

12. Cherry & Mango Ice-Cream Cup

13. Falafel & Hummus Wrap with Mediterranean “Roasted”Vegetables

14.Vegetable Samosas with Cucumber & Mint Raita

15. Cucumber Mint Raita

16. Mince Pies with Cashew Icing

17. Maca Ice-Cream & Cacao Crackle Sandwich

18. Mushroom Curry with Parsnip Rice & Spiced Mango Chutney

19. Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cashew Cream

20. Mini Flax Pizza Bites

Further Information

About Russell

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what is raw food? W

HEN I first heard about people that ate only raw food, I couldn’t get my head round it. It seemed really extreme, like some fad diet or some totally unnecessary extension of the idea that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Then, through various means, I started to hear about raw foods more and more and realised there was a whole lifestyle based around it that isn’t so extreme at all. Contrary to what I thought, it didn’t mean I had to stop washing, join any kind of cult, grow my hair long or become a ‘hippy’. It also didn’t mean I even had to give up all my cooked food and eat completely raw; I realised I could just start bringing more and more raw foods into my diet as I felt comfortable. I mean, everyone knows that fruits and vegetables in their natural state are good for you, so any extra I could get in would be a bonus. What actually happened though was that as soon as I started experiencing the benefits, tied with the fact that I had started meeting some really wonderful people in the raw food world, I really felt as if I wanted to go ‘all raw’. You’ll sometimes hear raw food called the ‘raw food diet’, but as I’ve alluded to here, it’s not so much of a diet in the traditional sense, as it is a lifestyle. Sure, lots of people are able to lose weight, but it’s quite unique in that many people come to it for all sorts of reasons, including a variety of health concerns, because they want extra energy, or they are simply curious about what effects they will experience by eating food the way nature intended.

So back to the original question: what is raw food? The easiest way to describe it is to say that raw foods are free from animal products and haven’t been heated over the critical temperature that it’s thought most of the enzymes are lost (around 118 degrees F). When we heat food even higher, we then start to lose other nutrients such as the vitamins, minerals and other proteins.

What are enzymes? Enzymes are made up of various proteins and are part of every one of your body functions, including sight, hearing and, most importantly in this case, digestion. Simply put, without enzymes we don’t function. We have enzymes that our own body produces and we also get enzymes from the food we eat. And this is the critical point: if you eat food with the enzymes still intact then your body doesn’t have to overwork to use the enzymes it produces to digest that food. There are many different types of enzymes so nature has done a wonderful job by placing within each type of food exactly the type of enzymes that are needed to digest that particular food.

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I’m not a nutritionist so what I’ve learnt is through my own research; there’s so much more information out there about why raw food is nutritionally superior and suited to our bodies, and will give you much more information and insight than I can in this short space – I urge you to go out and read plenty of it. So raw doesn’t necessarily mean that the food hasn’t been heat treated – it just hasn’t been cooked in the traditional way. By using processes such as dehydrating, juicing, sprouting, blending and food processing it’s possible to eat an exciting and varied raw food diet; you may even attract some positive interest from your friends and family! If you’re looking for a great introduction to raw food, I really recommend you check out The Raw Food Coach’s ‘How To Get Started With Raw Foods’. It will definitely get you off to a flying start if you’re new to all this, but will also teach you a thing or two even if you’ve been around a while. Click here to check it out. It’s part of my mission to bring recipes and food to the world that helps present raw food in a way that seems exciting, mouth-watering and accessible. It’s all really about moving towards what you want, not away from what you don’t want.

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marbled chocolate & orange tavoletta For the marbling 1 cup cashews 1 tbsp agave 1

⁄4 cup coconut oil/butter

⁄2 cup water

5 tbsp melted cacao butter ❖ Mix all ingredients in a high power blender until completely smooth.

For the filling 2 cups cashews 1 cups orange juice 1 tbsp orange zest 2 cups cacao powder 11⁄2 cups grated cacao butter 2 tbsp vanilla1 cups agave nectar

For the crust 3

⁄4 cup carob powder

1 cup almonds 1

⁄2 cup dates

❖ Mix the cashews, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, and agave nectar in a vita-mix until smooth. ❖ Add cacao butter and cacao powder, and blend again. ❖ Pour chocolate mixture onto base and use a spatula to achieve a level surface. ❖ Drizzle the marbling mixture over the top in lines using a plastic bottle or a spoon. Drag a toothpick across the top to create the marble effect.

4 tbsp coconut butter 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp cinnamon 1

⁄4 tsp salt

❖ First process nuts, cinnamon, salt and carob powder into small crumbs. ❖ Add dates, coco butter and vanilla extract and process again. ❖ Press into the bottom of 9” square pan and place in fridge whilst working on filling. Note: Before making this chocolate you should place the grated cacao butter in the dehydrator to melt. Alternatively you can melt it in a bowl over another bowl of hot water.

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fennel and cherry tomato balsamic crust tart with macadamia cheese ❖ Place bases onto a mesh dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 2 hours.They should now be firm enough to remove from the tart cases so you can continue to dehydrate them for a further 6 hours.

For the tomatoes 3c cherry tomatoes on the vine 3T olive oil 2T basil 1

⁄2t salt

❖ Slice the tomatoes and marinade in the olive oil and salt for at least an hour, or overnight. ❖ Transfer to Paraflexx dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 1 hour.

For the macadamia cheese 1c macadamias 1T lemon juice 1T nutritional yeast 2T onion

Makes 8 x 11cm tarts For the base 2c cashews 1

⁄2t salt

❖ Process all ingredients in a food processor until fluffy.

⁄2c pine nuts

2T flax meal

For the fennel

2t Italian seasoning

1c fennel

1 clove crushed garlic

3T olive oil

1T nutritional yeast

1T nama shoyu

1T olive oil

2T agave nectar

1t balsamic vinegar

❖ Thinly slice fennel on a mandoline and marinade in remaining ingredients for at least an hour, or overnight. ❖ Transfer to Paraflexx sheet and dehydrate for 1 hour.

⁄2t salt

3T water ❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly mixed, leaving some texture to the nuts. ❖ Press into plastic film lined individual tart cases so you have a thin crust.You will find that regularly dipping your fingers in a bowl of water helps with this.

Assembly ❖ Arrange a layer of fennel in the bottom of the tart case.Top this with the tomatoes and crumbles of cheese.

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chocolate raspberry cake with ginger chocolate mousse For the mousse 1c cashews 1

⁄4c coconut oil

⁄4c cacao powder

⁄4c + 2T maple syrup

⁄2c water

1T fresh ginger 1

⁄2t ground ginger

1t lemon juice 2t tamari/shoyu pinch salt

For the decoration (optional) 1

⁄2c raspberries

1T maple syrup 1t lemon juice

Makes 4 cakes For the base 1

⁄4c oat flour*

*Oat flour is simply raw oats that have been turned to flour in a coffee grinder or Vita-Mix. **Cashew flour is made by grinding cashews in a food processor until they turn to crumbs.You don’t need it as fine as the oat flour.

⁄2c cashew flour**

2T cacao powder 2T maple syrup 1

⁄2t vanilla extract

3T water 1t lemon juice pinch salt 1 small pack of raspberries for the centre of the cake.

Method ❖ In a large bowl: mix all the base ingredients, thoroughly. ❖ Place a metal ring***, approximately 7cm wide and at least 5cm tall, on a dehydrator tray and Paraflexx sheet. Dividing the mixture into 4, place one part into the bottom of the metal ring and spread evenly. Repeat this until you have 4 bases. ❖ Dehydrate at 115 degrees F, for 2 hours. At this point you should be able to transfer the bases to a dehydrator tray without the Paraflexx sheet; allowing them to dry for a further 8 hours.- Blend all mousse ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and set aside. continues

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chocolate raspberry cake with ginger chocolate mousse (continued)

❖ Take your bases and place the metal ring back over one of them. I like to line the inside of the ring with non-stick paper; I find this aids in the removal of the ring at the end. ❖ Arrange some raspberries at the bottom of the ring, covering the whole of the base.You can then cover them with one quarter of the mousse. ❖ Repeat this with the other bases.This can be done using another 3 metal rings; or you can leave the cake you have just done in the freezer for a few minutes, by which time it will be firm enough to remove the metal ring. ❖ You can decorate the cakes however you like, but for the decoration in the picture I blended all the decoration ingredients, and used a spoon to drizzle that mixture onto a Paraflexx sheet. I then dehydrated it for 24 hours at 115 degrees F on the sheet, and a further 24 hours without, until crispy.❖ Instead of doing that, to save time, you can just top with more raspberries and a dusting of cacao powder. *** The metals rings I used can be bought from most cook shops in a variety of sizes.

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salsa finta and almond polpetta Almond Polpetta 1c almonds, soaked 2T nutritional yeast ½t salt 2t lemon juice 1

⁄4c salsa finta (from the first part of the recipe)

3T fresh, chopped parsley 1T Italian herbs 1

⁄4c onion

❖ Grind the almonds to crumbs, in a food processor. ❖ Add remaining ingredients and process again until thoroughly mixed. ❖ Form into small balls and dehydrate for 6 hours or until they are slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

To serve

Serves 4 Salsa Finta 1c sun Dried Tomatoes 2c fresh Tomatoes 1 soft date 1 clove garlic 1T lemon juice 3T olive oil 5 large basil leaves 1

⁄4c water

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.

Take a couple of handfuls of mixed leaves per person (a mix of rocket & chard is great), and mix with strips of courgette (zucchini) pasta.To make enough courgette pasta for 4 people, use the following recipe: 4 medium courgette 1

⁄4c olive oil

2t salt ❖ Cut the courgette length-wise in a mandoline. Lay the strips on top of each other and, using a knife, cut them length-wise into fettuccini-style strips. ❖ Mix the strips with the olive oil and salt in a large bowl and allow to soften for a couple of minutes. ❖ Mix the polpetta with the salsa, and place even amounts on top of each courgette salad (the pasta strips and leaves, mixed) that you have arranged on the plates.

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cacao pistachio florentine mint and ice-cream sandwich Florentines 1

⁄2c cashews

3T cacao powder 1

⁄4c melted cacao butter

⁄2t lemon juice

3T agave nectar 1

⁄4c almond milk

⁄4c cacao nibs

⁄2c pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

❖ Blend all ingredients, with the exception of the cacao nibs and pistachio nuts, in a high speed blender until smooth. ❖ Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in the cacao nibs and pistachios. ❖ Use a spoon to form 8 Florentines (circles as big as the ice cream moulds you used) on some nonstick paper and place in the freezer to set. If you haven’t got enough room in your freezer to lay them out flat, you can put them in the fridge first, until they are firm enough to stack up in the freezer.

Ice Cream

Before Serving

2c cashews

❖ Remove the ice cream and Florentines from the freezer 1-2 hours before serving. ❖ Assemble the sandwiches with one Florentine on the bottom, and one on the top, of the ice cream that you removed from the moulds. ❖ Decorate the outside of the mint ice cream with some more chopped pistachio nuts.

⁄2c coconut butter/oil

⁄4c agave nectar

1 vanilla pod 1c almond milk* 1t lemon juice 1

⁄2c tightly-packed fresh mint leaves

❖ Scrape the inside of the vanilla pod, and discard the outer part. Alternatively, you can leave the outer part in water to infuse, making ‘vanilla water’. ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Pour mixture into 4, round, equal-sized moulds and place in the freezer to set. I used metal rings with plastic film stretched over the base of them.

* The almond milk you need for this recipe can be be made by blending 1c soaked almonds in 2c of pure water.You should then strain the mixture through a nut milk bag, or a sieve if you don’t have a nut milk bag.

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spinach and wild mushroom quiche dipping your fingers in a bowl of water helps with this. ❖ Place bases onto a mesh dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 2 hours.They should now be firm enough to remove from the tart cases so you can continue to dehydrate them for a further 6 hours. *Tart cases should be approx 11cm wide and no than about 1cm high, to allow the mixture (details to follow) to dehydrate inside.

For the filling 2c wild mushrooms (or substitute for any type of available mushroom) 1

⁄2t salt

1T lemon juice ❖ Wash and roughly chop the mushrooms, then marinate them in the salt and lemon juice and set aside. 2c courgettes (zucchini) 1

⁄4c water

Makes 4, 11cm quiche This recipe will require you

11⁄2c cashews

to make the bases ahead of time.

For the base 1c cashew 1

⁄4c macadamia nuts

2T flax meal (ground flax seed) 1 clove crushed garlic 1T nutritional yeast 2t olive oil 1

⁄4t salt

3T water 1T lemon juice ❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly mixed, leaving some texture to the nuts. ❖ Press into plastic film lined individual tart cases* so you have a thin crust.You will find that regularly

⁄4c white miso

2t lemon juice 1

⁄2 medium white onion

3T nutritional yeast 1

⁄2t salt

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.2c tightly-packed spinach2T olive oil1/4t salt- Pulse spinach, olive oil and salt in a food processor for 10 to 20 seconds until broken down. ❖ Drain the mushrooms from earlier and transfer them to a large bowl, along with the blended courgette (zucchini) mixture, and spinach.Then also mix in the following ingredients: 1

⁄4c finely sliced spring onions

1c diced tomatoes 1T minced basil continues

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spinach and wild mushroom quiche (continued)

❖ Once thoroughly mixed, pour this mixture into the bases.You’ll need to slightly overfill the bases as the filling will reduce slightly in the dehydrator. ❖ Dehydrate overnight and during the day, for anything up to 24 hours. ❖ Remove from the dehydrator and decorate with slices of tomato and fresh basil sprigs. It’s also a good idea to brush the top of the quiche with a small amount of olive oil, to make them more appealing in their appearance.

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pomegranate cheesecake with clementine gelato For the filling 3c cashews, soaked for 1-2 hours 1c coconut oil ½c lemon juice 2T vanilla extract ½t salt 3

⁄4c agave

1½c pomegranate juice ½c beetroot juice (optional, just for colour) ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender under smooth. ❖ Pour on top of the base. ❖ Place in the freezer to set. Once it’s set, the cheesecake can be moved to, and stored in, the fridge until ready to eat.

For the Clementine Gelato 2c cashews ½c coconut butter/oil ¼c agave nectar

For the base

1t vanilla extract

1c cashews

3c almond milk*

2T agave

1c clementine juice

¼c coconut oil

2t clementine zest

2t vanilla extract

Pinch salt

¼t salt 2t lemon juice ❖ First process cashews to flour. ❖ Add remaining ingredients and process again. ❖ Press into the bottom of 9” springform pan and place in fridge whilst working on filling.

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.Taste for sweetness, you may need to add extra agave if your clementines weren’t that sweet. ❖ Pour mixture into a rectangular container and place in the freezer to set. Once set, pass through a juicer with a homogenising attachment on. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture (unfrozen) into an ice-cream maker. *Almond milk is made by blending 1c of almonds with 3c of water, and straining through a nut milk bag or sieve.

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napoleon of spinach, avocado & sour creamed cashews 6-8 hours at 115 degrees F, or overnight until fully dried.

For the sour creamed cashews 1c cashews 1

⁄2t salt

2t lemon juice 1t apple cider vinegar 3t minced lemon thyme, minced (or regular thyme) ❖ Blend all ingredients, except the thyme, in a highspeed blender until smooth.❖ Add thyme and pulse until fully mixed in.

For the pepper sauces The following is for red pepper sauce, if you want yellow pepper sauce as well then you should repeat with yellow peppers. 2 red peppers, chopped 2T olive oil 1t salt

Makes 2 Napoleons For the Napoleon Crackers 1c tomatoes 1T Italian seasoning 3 sun-dried tomato halves 15 basil leaves

❖ Mix all ingredients in a bowl and dehydrate ofr 68 hours at 115 degrees F. ❖ Once removed from the dehydrator, place in a high-speed blender with 1t olive oil, 3t water and 1t lemon juice, and blend until smooth.You may have to add more water, depending on how dry your peppers got during dehydrating.

⁄2t salt

1T lemon juice 1T agave 1

⁄2c pumpkin seed meal*

⁄2c flax meal*

*Pumpkin seed and flax seeds meal is simply the seed turned into powder in a high-speed blender or coffee grinder. ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Spread in 6 even ’rounds’ on a dehydrator sheet, and dehydrate for a few hours until they can be removed from the sheet. Dehydrate for a further

For the assembly ❖ Prepare 300g spinach by mixing in a large bowl with 2t salt and 2T olive oil. Massage the spinach until it wilts and takes on a lightly cooked appearance. ❖ Cut open 2 small avocados and, using a spoon, remove the flesh from each half in whole pieces. Cut each piece into a ‘fan’ by slicing them several times, 4 ⁄5ths down the length, leaving them connected at the top.You should then be able to fan them out. ❖ Assemble by starting with a napoleon cracker then adding a layer of spinach, one of the sliced avocado halves, and finally some of the creamed cashews. Repeat this for a second time and garnish with the pepper sauces.

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curried cabbage pillows ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Add flax meal and blend again until smooth. ❖ Pour mixture onto a dehydrator sheet and spread evenly into a square. you can choose the size, but for the ones in the photo the mixture was spread 26cm x 26cm square. ❖ Dehydrate for 8 hours at 105°F, or until able to peel of the sheet. ❖ Once the dehydrator sheets are removed, return to the dehydrator for 30 mins, until both sides are dry to the touch but still pliable.

For the filling 5c white cabbage, shredded 6 spring onions (scallions) 2t cumin 2t ground coriander 1

⁄4c cold pressed sesame oil

1T toasted sesame oil (optional) 1t salt

Makes 8 pillows For the wrappers

2T tamari or nama shoyu

Make 2 batches of this wrapper recipe for 8 pillows.

2 cloves garlic, crushed/minced

5c peeled courgette (zucchini)

2 red Thai chilies, deseeded and minced

3T olive oil

2T agave

2t Lime juice

3T tamarind paste (see ingredients list)

⁄2t cayenne

1t ground coriander

1c fresh coriander, roughly chopped ❖ Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.

⁄2t salt

To assemble

⁄4c flax meal*

❖ Cut each of the wrapper squares from the dehydrator trays, which should still be pliable, into 4 equal squares. ❖ Start with one of those smaller squares in front of you so that one corner is close to you. ❖ Place a good amount of the filling mixture into the centre of the square. ❖ Fold up the corner that is closet to you into the centre, then fold up the left and right corners so that you form an envelope. continues

* Flax meal is flax seed that have been ground in a coffee grinder or similar, to produce a fine flour.

2t lime juice

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curried cabbage pillows (continued) ❖ You will need to wet the edges as you go along so they stick in place. ❖ Fold down the final corner, as if you were closing an envelope and use water to stick it down (you will find that you’ll get better at this the more you do). ❖ Place on a dehydrator mesh tray. ❖ When all 8 are done, return to the dehydrator for a further 1 to 2 hours at 105 degrees F. Serve with dipping sauce. ❖ Dehydrate any left-over cabbage mix until crispy; it makes a great addition to any salad.

For the dipping sauce 1 cucumber, peeled 1 mango, skin removed 1

⁄4t salt

1t lime juice 1 spring onion, finely chopped 1 small handful fresh coriander ❖ Blend all ingredients, except spring onions, until smooth. ❖ Add most of the spring onion and all the coriander and pulse in. ❖ Pour sauce into a small bowl and top with remaining spring onion.

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carrot & orange cake 3c carrot, finely grated 2c pecans, ground in a food processor 1

⁄4c raisins, roughly chopped

1t nutmeg 11⁄2t mixed spice* Date paste** 1

⁄2t salt

⁄2t orange zest

⁄2c desiccated coconut

* Mixed spice is a blend of cinnamon, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. ** Make the date paste by grinding 1c soft dates and 1 ⁄2c orange juice in a food processor until smooth. ❖ Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. ❖ Shape into individual cakes or press into one large cake, ready to be cut at the end. ❖ Place on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 8-12 hours. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can simply place the cake into the fridge to set.

For the frosting 11⁄2c cashews 1

⁄2c water

2T agave 3T coconut oil 1T vanilla 1

⁄4t salt

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. ❖ Place in fridge to achieve a thicker consistency and spread on cake when you’re ready to serve. ❖ Garnish cake with nutmeg.

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pesto & caramelised onion pizza ❖ Dehydrate for another 8 to 10 hours or until base is dry enough to hold together.

For the caramelised onions 5 large onions, sliced thinly (use a mandoline if you have one) 1c soft dates 3T tamari 2T olive oil 1

⁄4c water

❖ Blend all ingredients except the onions in a highspeed blender, until smooth. ❖ In a bowl, hand-mix the date mixture with the onions until they are thoroughly covered. ❖ Dehydrate on a Paraflexx sheet for 2 to 3 hours, so they soften and take on a cooked appearance.

For the pesto 2c basil 1

⁄4c pine nuts

1T olive oil

For the base

500g (approx 3c) buckwheat, sprouted for a few days until it has a small ‘tail’

2t lemon juice

2 avocados or ⁄2c almond butter 1

⁄4c olive oil

⁄4c fresh basil

❖ Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until broken down, but leaving some texture to the finished pesto.

3T Italian seasoning

For the tomato sauce

⁄2c sun-dried tomatoes

10 basil leaves

3T lemon juice

1c sun-dried tomatoes

⁄2t salt

1c tomatoes

3 medium tomatoes

2t lemon juice

❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor until you have a paste consistency. ❖ Spread onto a Paraflexx sheet in a circle and dehydrate for a few hours or until you are able to turn it upside down onto another dehydrator tray and peel off the plastic Paraflexx sheet.

⁄4t salt

⁄4 of a medium onion

1 soft date ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-power blender until smooth. continues

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pesto & caramelised onion pizza (continued)

For the cheese 1c macadamias 11⁄2T lemon juice 1

⁄4t salt

⁄4c water

1T nutritional yeast ❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor until you have a fluffy consistency.To serve, spread the tomato sauce onto the base then sprinkle the pesto, macadamia cheese and caramelised onions evenly to produce a beautiful layered and textured pizza.

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cherry and mango ice-cream cup For the filling 1

⁄2c cashews 3T coconut oil 2T lemon juice 2t vanilla extract Pinch salt 2T water 1T agave 1 ⁄2c cherries*, stones removed 1 ⁄2c mango, flesh only *You can substitute cherries for any other fruit, such as pineapple or bananas, depending on what you like and what’s available in season. ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender under smooth, it’s nice to have some chunks of mango or cherry stirred in at the end so you get little bursts of flavour. ❖ Pour into an ice-cream maker or freeze in a tub, if doing the latter then once frozen pass through a juicer with the homogenizing attachment on. ❖ Fill the shells with the ice-cream and garnish with slices of mango. Easy!

For the base 3

⁄4c cashews

1T agave 1t vanilla extract Pinch salt 2t lemon juice 1T desiccated coconut ❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor. ❖ Press into 2 small individual cup or cake moulds of your choice that has been lined with plastic wrap. ❖ Dehydrate for approximately 3 hours until the shells are strong enough to hold together without the case, and then remove from the case to dry for a further 6 hours or overnight.

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falafel & hummus wrap with mediterranean “roasted” Vegetables ❖ Once the dehydrator sheets are removed, return to the dehydrator for 30 – 60 mins, until both sides are dry to the touch but still pliable. * Flax meal is flax seed that have been ground in a coffee grinder or similar, to produce a fine flour.

For the falafel 1c pumpkin seeds 2T fresh dill, finely chopped 1t ground coriander 2t cumin 8 sun-dried tomato halves, soaked for 1 to 2 hours and then chopped 3T fresh coriander (cilantro) 1 clove garlic 2 shallots 1

⁄4c olives, stones removed

2t oregano Pinch cayenne Pinch pepper

For the tortilla 3c peeled courgette (zucchini) 3T olive oil 2t lemon juice Pinch cayenne 1t ground coriander

⁄2t salt

1T lemon juice ❖ Process all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. ❖ Form into Falafel and dehydrate on a Parafsheet at 105 degrees F for 6 – 8 hours.

For the hummus

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Add flax meal and blend again until smooth. ❖ Pour mixture onto 2 dehydrator sheets and spread evenly into a circle on each. ❖ Dehydrate for 8 hours at 105 degrees F, or until able to peel of the sheet.

3T lemon juice

⁄2t salt ⁄2c flax meal*

⁄2c mac nuts

3T tahini 1

⁄4t salt

⁄4c water

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-power blender until smooth. continued

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falafel & hummus wrap with mediterranean “roasted” vegetables

(continued) Optional “roasted” Mediterranean vegetables 1

⁄2c courgette (zucchini), sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin 1

⁄2 a medium red onion, sliced

⁄2c fresh tomatoes, sliced

3T olive oil 1T lemon juice 1

⁄4t salt

❖ Marinate all ingredients for a couple of hours, then place on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 105 degrees F for 1-2 hours, until soft. ❖ You could just miss out the marinating & dehydrating part of this recipe to save time, and eat the veg crispy.

To assemble ❖ Start by arranging a selection of your favourite salad leaves at the bottom of the tortilla, so it covers half the tortilla, leaving a small gap at the bottom. ❖ Arrange the vegetables in a line along the salad leaves. ❖ Place 3-4 falafel along the top of the vegetables. ❖ On top of the falafel, spoon over a generous helping of the hummus. ❖ Fold up the left and right hand sides of the tortilla. ❖ The bring the bottom of the tortilla up over the 2 sides that have already been folded up. ❖ Using your thumbs, and keeping the sides and bottom rolled up, roll over the main part of the wrap towards the top so it starts to form the wrap and keep everything tightly packed together. ❖ Once completely rolled, cut at a diagonal with a sharp knife.

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vegetable samosas with cucumber & mint raita ❖ Dehydrate for 8 hours at 105 degrees F, or until able to peel of the sheet. ❖ Once the dehydrator sheets are removed, return to the dehydrator for 30 mins, until both sides are dry to the touch but still pliable. * Flax meal is flax seed that have been ground in a coffee grinder or similar, to produce a fine flour.

For the samosa filling 1c courgette (zucchini), peeled 3T water 1c sunflower seeds 1t dark miso 1T lemon juice 1 clove fresh garlic, minced 2t fresh ginger, minced 2T garam masala 1

⁄4t turmeric

1t agave

For the samosa wrappers 5c peeled courgette (zucchini)

3T olive oil

❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor, leaving some texture to the mixture. ❖ Add the following ingredients and pulse* in:

3t Lime juice 1

⁄2t chili powder

⁄2t salt

2t garam masala

1t salt

2 sliced spring onions (green onions)

⁄4c diced tomatoes

⁄4c coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

⁄2c peas

⁄4c flax meal*

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Add flax meal and blend again until smooth. ❖ Pour mixture onto a non-stick dehydrator sheet and spread evenly into a square. you can choose the size, but for the ones in the photo the mixture was spread 26cm x 26cm square.

8 sun-dried tomato halves

⁄2c tightly-packed spinach, chopped small

*Pulsing in done by switching the on/off switch several times in short bursts, so to chop the ingredients, leaving plenty of texture. Some food processors actually have a pulse button. continues

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vegetable samosas with cucumber & mint raita (continued)

To assemble ❖ Step 1 – Cut the wrappers into strips approximately 7cm by 25cm, and fold over the corner of one end. ❖ Steps 2, 3 & 4 – Fold the pointed end created by the first fold over as in step 4. ❖ Step 5 – You will now be able to open the wrapper up into a cone. ❖ Step 6 – Fill with the mixture. ❖ Step 7 – Tuck the corner in so it doesn’t stick out. ❖ Steps 8, 9 & 10 – Start folding the remaining part of the wrapper around so it forms that familiar triangle shape. ❖ Steps 11 & 12 – Wet the remaining corner of the wrapper and fold into place to seal the samosa. ❖ Step 13 – The completed samosa.• The samosas can be eaten as they are or can be returned to the dehydrator for as long as you like. I like to do this as they will be warm and ready to eat in a few hours.

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cucumber mint raita 1

⁄4c cashew nuts

1c cucumber 2t agave nectar 1t apple cider vinegar 1

⁄2t salt

¼c mint 1

⁄2 clove garlic

⁄2t cumin

1t lime Juice Pinch cayenne ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-power blender. Tip: for a really nice dip for crudités, add extra cashews or avocado and blend to get desired thickness.

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mince pies with cashew icing ❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. ❖ Press the mixture into a tart/muffin tray that has been wrapped in Clingfilm (plastic wrap) and dehydrate on a mesh dehydrator tray for 2-3 hours. ❖ Remove the crusts from the cases and dehydrate out of the case for a further 8+ hours, still on the mesh dehydrator sheet.

For the filling 11⁄2 c soft dates, stones and flowers removed 1

⁄2 c orange juice

2 apples, chopped small 11⁄2 t mixed spice 1c raisins, roughly chopped Pinch salt

For the crust 2c cashews

❖ Grind all ingredients except the apple and raisins until they form a paste. ❖ Add in the apple ad raisins and process for a further 5-10 seconds until fully combined. ❖ Fill each of the cases with a little of the mixture then top with the cashew icing and a pinch of the nutmeg.

1c raw oat flour*

For the cashew Icing

⁄4 c agave nectar

11⁄2 c cashews

2T water

1T lemon juice

3T lemon juice

Pinch salt

3T coconut oil

*Raw out flour is made by milling raw oats in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender. If you don’t have raw oats available and you don’t mind using oats that have been steamed to preserve shelf life, then non-raw oats will also work.

⁄4c agave

⁄2 c water

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until completely smooth.

To garnish Pinch nutmeg

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maca ice-cream & cacao crackle sandwiches ❖ When ice-cream is soft enough to work with shape it into a cylinder (a metal ring is great for this) and re-freeze.

For the cacao crackles 1

⁄2c cacao butter

⁄4c cacao powder

⁄4c agave

3T cacao nibs

For the ice-cream

❖ Blend all ingredients except the cacao nibs in a high-speed blender. ❖ Use a spoon to drop small amounts of the mixture onto a non-stick surface, such as a Paraflex sheet, to form circles only slightly bigger than the ice-cream cylinders. ❖ Leave to set hard.Assembly. ❖ Take the ice-cream cylinders from the freezer and let them soften slightly for a few minutes. That way the next stage will work better. ❖ Sandwich each of the cylinders between 2 pieces of the cacao crackles. You may want to return them to the freezer at this point so the whole thing freezes together as one.

11⁄2c cashews 1

⁄3c agave

1 vanilla pod, insides scraped out 3c almond milk 3T maca root powder 2t lemon juice Pinch salt ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Pour into an ice-cream maker. Alternatively you can pour into a container and place in the freezer to set hard. Once it’s frozen, cut into chunks and run through a juicer with the blank homogenising plate on. This gets rid of any ice crystals that may have formed.

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mushroom curry with parsnip rice & spiced mango chutney ❖ In a large bowl mix the mushrooms, aubergine, peas, broccoli and tomatoes in lemon juice, olive oil, curry powder, and salt. ❖ Spread onto a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate for 2-3 hours at 105 degrees F.

For the curry sauce 1 red pepper 1 clove garlic 1t lemon 1

⁄2T tamarind pulp*

1cm cube of fresh ginger 1

⁄2c fresh coriander

1T curry powder (try to get curry powder without salt in it) 1

⁄2c fresh coconut from a brown coconut

⁄4c water

Salt to taste, depending on whether your curry powder had salt in it. Start with 1/4t.

For the marinated vegetables 3c portabello mushrooms 11⁄2c aubergine (eggplant), peeled & diced small

* Tamarind paste can be made by soaking tamarind in water until it goes soft (the seedless type you can buy in a packet in fine for this) and straining through a sieve. If you don’t have any tamarind available, simply leave out.

1c peas 1

⁄2c broccoli, cut from the stem into 1cm mini-florets

6 medium tomatoes, diced small 1T lemon juice 2T tamari 2T olive oil

❖ Blend all ingredients in a high power blender until smooth and creamy. You may need to add more water depending on what type of coconut you used. ❖ Mix the softened dehydrated vegetables with the sauce and return to the dehydrator in a large covered bowl to warm before serving. continues

2T curry powder 2t salt

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mushroom curry with parsnip rice & spiced mango chutney (continued)

For the parsnip rice 2c peeled fresh parsnips 3T mac nuts 3T pine nuts 1T olive oil 2t agave nectar 1t lemon juice 2 pinches salt 1T white miso ❖ Pulse in the food processor until rice-like. Set aside.

For the spiced mango chutney 1 medium mango 2 pinches salt 2t lemon Juice 1t apple cider vinegar 1t minced ginger 1

⁄2t cumin

❖ Finely dice one mango and set aside. ❖ Blend all remaining ingredients in a high power blender. ❖ Combine the blended mixture with the diced mango.

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chocolate torte with whipped cashew cream 3

⁄4c agave nectar

1c water 1T lemon juice 1

⁄2t tamari

1t vanilla extract ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and pour on top of the base. ❖ Leave in the fridge to set. *Irish Moss paste can be made by soaking 1c Irish Mossin water for 3- 5 hours and rinsing THOROUGHLY until rinse water turns clear (there'll be a lot of sand in the moss). Then blend the rinsed moss with 2c pure water in a Vita-Mix until completely smooth. Leave to set in the fridge if not using straight away. Chef ’s tip: Add 4 drops of food grade peppermint oil to the filling mixture for a mint chocolate variation.

For the cream topping For the base

1c cashews, soaked for 2 hours or more

⁄2c cashews

⁄2c water

⁄2c pecans

3T Irish Moss paste

1T coconut oil

⁄2t vanilla extract

1T melted cacao butter

⁄4c agave nectar

1t agave 1t lemon juice ❖ Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until they bind. ❖ Press into a 9” springform cake pan and place in the fridge to set.

1t lemon juice Pinch salt 1T macadamia oil (optional) ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. ❖ Serve with chocolate torte and fresh berries.

For the filling 2c Irish Moss paste* 1c cacao powder 11⁄2c grated or chopped cacao butter which has then been melted

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mini flax pizza bites ❖ Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 3 hours then invert onto another mesh dehydrator tray to finish drying in the dehydrator for a further 10-18 hours.

Pine Nut Cheese Spread 1

⁄2c pine nuts

⁄2c macadamias

2t lemon juice 1/4t salt 2t nutritional yeast 1

⁄4c water

❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor.

Tomato Sauce 4 medium tomatoes, de-seeded 1

⁄4c sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 2 hours or more

1 soft date 1 clove garlic 2t olive oil

Flax Cracker Base Either use your own flax cracker recipe, flax crackers you already have, or use this recipe. 1

⁄2c flax seeds

1T fresh basil 1T dried oregano 2t lemon juice ❖ Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

⁄2c flax meal

6 medium tomatoes 1c sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 2 hours or more 1T lemon juice

Pesto 2c basil, tightly packed 1T minced rosemary 1

⁄4c fresh basil

3T dried Italian herb mix

1T olive oil 1

3 medium onions 1 clove garlic ❖ Grind all ingredients in a food processor ❖ Spread evenly and thinly over 2 Paraflexxx dehydrator trays, right to the edges and then use a knife or spatula to score into individual squares .

⁄4c pine nuts ⁄4t salt

2t lemon juice ❖ Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until broken down, but leaving some texture to the finished pesto. continues

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mini flax pizza bites (continued) Assembly ❖ Start with the flax cracker as a base to which you’ll add a layer of the nut cheese spread. ❖ Next comes the tomato sauce and then top off with some pesto. ❖ Garnish with olives, capers and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.Variation:This recipe works great using marinated whole mushrooms as a base instead of flax crackers. ❖ Marinate 12 mushrooms in 1⁄4c tamari and 1⁄4c olive oil for 2 hours or more. ❖ Fill the mushroom caps with the nut cheese, tomato sauce and pesto. Going heavier on the amount of pesto works really nicely with mushrooms. ❖ Once the mushrooms are stuffed, place in the dehydrator at 105 degrees F to warm through for 1-2 hours.

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further information For more information, free recipes and to see what other services I offer visit www.therawchef.com Whilst there you can sign-up for my eZine ‘News From The Kitchen’, it’s published every other Thursday – delivered straight to your inbox – and contains a free raw recipe with full detailed instructions and a photo. It also contains a really useful kitchen tip, a Q&A where I encourage you to send in your own questions, and a featured ingredient section where I showcase the health benefits and uses of a key ingredient from the featured recipe. Many people have commented that they can’t believe I give this stuff away for free, so I advise you get yourself on the list and see what you think. For more regular updates about what’s going on in my world, some simpler recipes that don’t make it to the eZine and general updates about what’s going on at The Raw Chef HQ, you can visit my blog at www.therawchefblog.com.You can just drop by there whenever you feel like it, or you can sign-up to receive updates from that via email or RSS feed.

Live Raw Food Class & Chef Trainings If you’re interested in hosting a raw food dinner party for your friends you may be interested in attending my class ‘The Raw Chef ’s Dinner Part Training Experience’, where I’ll take you and the rest of the group through every stage of running a raw food dinner party. Best of all, you’ll get to have a raw food dinner party at the end of the day with your new friends.This is a great course for new and more experienced people alike. The second class I do is a 2-day class on how to become your own raw food chef. It’s called ‘How to Be Your Own Raw Food Chef and Still Have Time to Eat’. Run at the weekend, this class has proved to be very popular with people wanting to further their knowledge and skill level, enabling them to bring in a lager percentage of raw foods into their diet. Again, it’s great whether you’ve been into raw foods for a while, or if you’re just getting started, and it includes being very well fed all weekend. Further details on both courses can be found at www.therawchef.com by clicking on ‘Classes’.

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about Russell Russell James has been hailed as 'the UK's leading raw chef' by The Times. He has honed his natural ability to create incredible raw cuisine by training with the top raw chefs in the world. This includes regular visits to the US to raw food 'hotspots' such as California and, most recently, New York where he worked with the author of upcoming books Everyday Raw and Entertaining in The Raw, co-author of Raw Food Real World and co-creator of the restaurant Pure Food & Wine, Matthew Kenney... “Russell James joined our team at The Plant for an extended visit last fall – on every level, he is a true professional; talented and creative, and a pleasure to work with. I particularly admire his dedication to raw food cuisine, and his unwavering interest in its forward movement. We continue to miss him (and his kale salad!) – Matthew Kenney 2007. Russell recently catered David Wolfe's UK retreat in Dorset... "I was very impressed with Russell James' raw and living foods cuisine. He's a pleasure to work with and a rising culinary star." – David Wolfe, www.sunfood.com and www.thebestdayever.com Russell has also worked with the UK's raw and living food organisation The Fresh Network in the execution of monthly raw dinner parties in Cambridgeshire and London during 2006. He has also regularly appears in their quarterly publication Get Fresh. Russell is a personal raw chef, provides raw catering for small and large scale events, and runs raw food classes. His blog continues to inspire people with recipes, pictures and advice on living a sexy raw life. His mission is to show you that far from feeling restricted on a raw food diet, you have an abundance of options; whether that's being able to eat raw sandwiches all week or to put on a show-stopping dinner party for friends. You can also connect with Russell here:

www.facebook.com/therawchef

www.myspace.com/therawchef

twitter.com/russelljames