Tag: raw

  • Fiery Chocolate Love Cake

    Fiery Chocolate Love Cake

    I was watching a movie last night: Chocolat. I saw it years ago, had always remembered it but probably hadn’t realized how much the film has affected my life.

    Here’s how it goes: Vianne is a French lady, a nomad whose South American mother used to perform sacred cacao rituals. Together with her daughter, she sets up a chocolatérie in a quiet and seemingly unwelcoming French village. She meets with fear and resistance in the villagers.

    Through her medicine bonbons though, and with help of her creativity, wisdom, warmheartedness and chocolate drinks, she ignites curiosity in the people and becomes a refuge for those who are open for connection and hungry for love.

    (Ahw, i love this story. There’s romance in it, too, but really the lovingly original shop, her open home, the medicinal delis and the eccentric clientele already have me all soft and happy inside.)

    A beautiful message in the priest’s sermon at the end of the movie:

    Here’s what I think: I think we can’t go around measuring our goodness by what we don’t do, by what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude.

    I think we’ve got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create and who we include.

    Recipe for Fiery RAWR Chocolate Cake

    So here i’m going to include YOU into my most recent love adventure with chocolate cake. It’s in three layers plus topping of chocolate sprinkles. It’s VERY nice and tasty, it will melt on your tongue and heighten your senses, boosting your love life.

    Extra tip
    Stock up on granola, raw cacao, extra virgin coconut oil, lemon, ripe avocados, vanilla extract, dates or honey, and cashews. If you have those, all you need is fresh fruits and you’ll have raw cakes to die for in no-time, always.

    Ditch the scale
    I’m really sorry if you need exact measures; i can’t give them. I hardly measure, i just splash around with foods. A standard-sized bag or jug of each ingredient will definitely do for one cake.

    Also, make sure your coconut oil and honey are nice and soft so that you can easily add them to your blender.

    For the crunchy bottom:
    Take any crunchy granola (cereal-nut mixture, with or without coconut flakes – have it just the way you like it) and mix it in a blender or herb chopper with cacao, honey, a good twist of salt and a few tablespoons of coconut oil. Spread out and put in the fridge. The bottom can be quite salty, it’s nice when the salt is in the crunch layer and not so much in the main filling.

    For the main filling:
    Follow this recipe for heavenly chocolate but as this is a fiery love cake, substitute the lemon rind for chili flakes and black pepper:

    Combine 2 ripe avocado’s, 1 cup honey or more, 1 cup liquid coconut oil or more, 80-100 gr raw cacao, a few pinches of salt, 1 ts vanilla & freshly ground chili flakes and 4 season peppercorns in a blender. Don’t hesitate to add more of anything :). All ingredients are essential, don’t skip any. The consistency should be a thick cream while in the blender. When cooled in the fridge, it will be fudgy.

    Add the filling on top of the bottom layer in your cake form and put back in the fridge.

    For the topping:
    Blend a handful of cashews with water until creamy, then add raw cacao, lemon rind and honey. You may want to make add some lemon juice for added freshness, just try how it goes with your version of fiery heavenly filling.

    Add the topping and sprinkle with chocolate or chili flakes.

    Endulge.

  • Carrot coconut cashew soup

    Carrot coconut cashew soup

    Enjoy this one raw or cooked. The cashews and coconut cream (santen) make for a delicious creaminess. I’d advise to prepare the soup a few hours or up to a day before serving. The ingredients need some time to get settled before they start being all aromatic.

    A high speed blender would come in very handy now that i’m enjoying raw soups more and more, but alas… the universe has yet to supply me with one ;). A normal blender works fine, too, but then the raw soup will be a bit grainy. Although of course passing it through a sieve always helps, i didn’t make that effort this time.

    Recipe for Carrot Coconut Cashew Soup
    Blend a handful of cashews with a cup of water until you have a nice velvety cream.Then add in the blender:

    • one big carrot, in blender-friendly chunks
    • a slice of pumpkin (5 cm in width)
    • a tiny garlic clove
    • a piece of ginger
    • grated rind of one lemon or a stalk of lemongrass
    • 3 tablespoons of santen (coconut cream)
    • a piece of apple, or two dates, or honey to taste, for sweetness
    • a teaspoon or tablespoon of curry paste
    • salt & pepper
    • for hot soup: a few dried kaffer lime leafs
    • Water as needed for a smooth blend

    Kaffer lime leafs is one of those things that make your dishes taste like ‘the real thing’. It’s one of those ‘secret’ ingredients and does the trick every time. You get them at Asian food stores. Buy dried leafs; the frozen ones have lost all their taste in my experience.

    This is nice with a spoonful of turmeric cream (check it out!), if you have it. Also, try adding some acai or raw cacao powder, it gives a nice little extra layer that lifts up all ingredients.

    I just realized this…
    By the way! Using the same ingredients, you can make a very nice curry. Cut up the carrot and pumpkin and combine the other ingredients except the cashews into a sauce. Fry the veggies in coconut oil, add the sauce and simmer everything for some time with the cashews.

    Next day you can blend the leftovers into this soup.

    Wow, now i feel like doing it all over again ;).

  • Lemon ginger juice

    Lemon ginger juice

    Drool alert! Here’s a quickie for everyone out there who owns a juicer: juice 10 lemons and 1-2 hand-sized pieces of ginger. Leave the lemon rind on (if it tastes bitter, find other lemons).

    The lemon juice is almost milky, bright yellow and gives a really refreshing kick. It’s so strong people ask me wether it’s concentrate (it’s not). Pure lemon power! Leave the rind on to also reap the benefits of the lemon essential oil; the scent alone is calming and brings life to your cells.

    Add a few drops or a few spoons to hot or cold water: both drinks are delicious and very wholesome. Or, even better: have one pure shot in the morning and forget all about coffee.

    I found a very cute pinkie-tall little jug (photo) in the second hand store that’s perfect for serving as most people will only add a few drops to their water.

    At Boom Festival, i brought a 1.5 liter bottle that lasted all week, making me many friends as well ;).

    In India, we would enjoy this drink in sparkling water stirred with salt: the lemon or lime soda.

  • Springrolls met rauwe groenten en dip

    Springrolls met rauwe groenten en dip

    Ik wou dat ik de tijd had genomen om een foto te maken die meer recht deed aan de knisperige, verse, nootachtige, zacht-en-toch-knapperige bite van deze schatjes.

    De waarheid is dat ik deze spring rolls niet echt zelf heb gemaakt; ik heb gewoon alle ingredienten op tafel gezet en liet mensen hun gang gaan met het vullen van de rijstpapiervellen. Dus om een leuke foto te maken, moest ik hun creaties van hun bord grissen en omhoog houden in de laatste zonnestralen van de dag… afijn. Je ziet het wel voor je. De foto hierboven is het beste dat ik voor elkaar kon krijgen ;).

    Nou zal ik het kort houden en meteen duiken in de geheimen van spring rolls rollen. Het idee is: alles kan. Ik vind het vooral leuk om twee of meer groenten te combineren met wat groene blaadjes, sesamzaad, sprouts en avocado en ze dan in soja- of chilisaus te dippen.

    raw-salads-stuffing-springrolls-pixlrVoor deze (bijna) rauwe, veganistische spring rolls, maakte ik drie kleurrijke groentecombinaties:

    • Courgette met tijm
    • Wortel met hennep en zwart mosterzaad,
    • Pastinaak met geroosterd sesamzaad

    We hadden ook drie verschillende dips: pittige chili, tahin (= sesampasta) met olijfolie en citroen, en sojasaus.

    En in plaats van avocado te gebruiken (wat echt absoluut wel heel erg fantastisch is om cremigheid mee aan de spring roolls toe te voegen), hebben we van deze genoten met een kant-en-klaar gekochte linzenspread die ik wat kruidiger en romiger gemaakt heb.

    Ten slotte zat er ook al genoeg avocado in de avocado lemon pie die we als dessert zouden eten…

    Courgette met tijm

    Rasp de courgette of snijd ‘m met een juliennesnijder. Voeg een beetje zout toe en laat 20 minuten uitlekken. Het zout trekt het overtollige vocht uit de courgette. Je kunt het vocht opvangen en gebruiken in een soep of saus.

    Voeg tijm aan de courgette toe naar smaak, liefst vers maar gedroogd kan ook.

    Wortel met hennep- en mosterdzaad

    Rasp de wortel of snijd met een juliennesnijder. Verhit intussen langzaam het mosterdzaad in een eetlepel kokos- of olijfolie. De zaadjes zijn klaar wanneer ze geuren en enthousiast poppen (wat dat ook moge betekenen – pas gewoon op dat ze niet verbranden en je ontwikkelt er vanzelf gevoel voor).

    Voeg hennep- en mosterdzaadjes samen met de olie toe aan de wortelrasp. Meng.

    Pastinaak met sesamzaad

    Rasp de pastinaak of snijd met een juliennesnijder. Voeg wat olijfolie toe en het sesamzaad. Die van mij waren al geroosterd. Vers roosteren is nog lekkerder.. Als je roostert is dit gerecht niet rauw meer, dus als je dat belangrijk vindt: niet doen ;). Geldt ook voor de mosterzaadjes hierboven, trouwens.

    Rijspapiervellen

    Wel elk vel in heet water voor 10-20 seconden. Neem uit, leg op bord, vul met gewenste vulling, zorg in ieder geval voor iets cremigs en iets knapperigs. Het geeft een leuk effect als je sesam- of mosterdzaadjes door het vel heen ziet schijnen. Rol op terwijl je ook in ieder geval één zijkant naar binnen vouwt, zodat de saus niet alle kanten op druipt.

    Eten met je handen en dubbel-dippen zijn toegestaan!

  • Raw Avocado Lemon Pie

    Raw Avocado Lemon Pie

    Alive
    Last week i found myself dancing, swimming and chilling out in Portugal, at the bi-annual Boom Festival. It was like a fairy tale, a soothing and hope inspiring experience of what life on earth will be like if we all just respect and love each other and find our space to play and relax into the wonder and abundance of nature’s gifts.

    I felt so alive, brimming with energy and joyful jumpiness while all my senses were heightened – pure natural bliss induced by this environment that brings out the best in people.

    It’s in this place that i had the avocado lemon pie. It was so delicious. I got another piece and shared it with friends. Next day, i got yet another piece to share again. Everybody must know how good this tastes.

    Raw pie
    I loooooove raw pies. Although they’re just as packed with calories as the oven baked butter-flour cakes i grew up with, raw pies also carry an amazing taste and feeling of nutrient-rich freshness. Now, usually, i don’t let any opportunity pass to add copious amounts of raw cacao powder, but this time… i’m giving space to the taste of summer pleasures featuring fruits and flowers!

    This pie holds fresh coconut*, slices of peach, avocado and lemon, and is kept in shape using coconut fat, which is solid at room temperature.

    * not the super-young fresh green coconut but the type that we find in western stores, where you need to break the brown fibery shell open with a hammer or axe to find the 1-2 cm thick white coconut coating inside.

    Back home
    Yesterday i had a go at creating my own version of this tangy, creamy, crispy pie. It turned out blissfully tasty, especially if you’re like me and you like the combo of sweet, sour and a hint of salt combined with all kinds of fruity tones. I had kept the avocado-lemon filling quite zesty, so it could use some extra honey dripped on top just before serving or, as my half-indonesian brother-in-law suggested, some gula jawa (palm sugar) flakes – and indeed this goes perfectly with the coconut that is also inside!

    Recipe for Raw (Vegan) Avocado Lemon Pie

    Don’t worry if you don’t have a cake form; a soup bowl will work just as well. These measurements are for a cake of about 12 cm wide and 6 cm high and serve 8.

    Crust

    • 1 handful of coconut (semi-fresh is best, bust desiccated will also work)
    • 1 handful of unsalted cashews
    • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (liquid so gently heat to just above room temperature)
    • 2 soft dates or figs, or use one tablespoon of marmelade
    • pinch of salt
    • pinch of vanilla or some drops of vanilla essence

    Soak a handful of raw, unsalted cashews in water.
    Open the coconut (here’s how – for Dutchies), take out some flesh and cut in small pieces until you have a handful. I left the brown skin on, it was fine like that but for a more delicate/pure taste you could peel the coconut pieces until purely white.

    In a food processor, combine the cashews and coconut and chop until fine and crumbly. Now add coconut oil, vanilla, salt and dates or marmelade and combine into a dough.

    Spread it out in the middle of a plate into a cake bottom layer. Make sure the soup bowl (if using) fits tightly around it. Put in fridge to cool and harden.

    Fruit layer & filling

    • 1 peach or other fruit
    • 1.5 large avocado
    • 1.5-2 lemons, juice and rind (use grater to grate yellow lemon rind)
    • 0.5 cup of extra virgin coconut oil (not the unscented kind)
    • 0.5 cup honey or agave syrup
    • tiny pinch of salt

    In a clean food processor or blender, combine the avocado, lemon juice and rind, honey or agave syrup, coconut oil and pinch of salt until smooth. Taste and adjust the ingredients to taste. Make it just a bit sweeter than you might feel like as cooling will make the sweetness less prominent.

    Take crust from the fridge, add a single layer of fruit slices and spoon all the avocado mixture on top. Cover with the soup bowl again and put back in the fridge for an hour or two or longer if you want.

    Decoration

    Take the pie from the fridge, gently lift the soup bowl and top the pie and plate with fresh fruit slices, chocolate flakes or (as shown in picture) colorful dried and/or fresh flower buds. I used lavender and dried calendula (marigold). Drip with honey, agave syrup or gula jawa (palm sugar) flakes for added sweetness.

    And… enjoy <3

  • Raw fruity tomato soup

    Raw fruity tomato soup

    If you think this soup looks pale, you’re right. It did! However i’m sure it will give you a healthy blush, for it’s packed with vitamins and fibers.

    One could say this is a gazpacho… yes, let’s call it that. But with a surprising fruity twist!

    Now i’ll be quick and get this recipe out. After all, it only takes one minute to make. The blogpost should hardly take longer.

    Recipe for Fruity raw tomato soup

    In a blender, combine:

    • 3 tomatoes
    • 1 baby cucumber (or 2-3 inches of a normal one), leave rind on
    • 2 prunes
    • one quarter of a small apple
    • one half of a little garlic glove
    • one small handful of sunflower seeds

    Blend until smooth and serve. My vegetables came from the fridge and so the soup was at perfect temperature. Should be fresh but not very cold.

    This a nice and quick starter for a summer evening dinner. Some green herbs would have been nice. Mint or basil and parsley, probably.  That’s for next time. I love these little experiments.

  • Heavenly chocolate

    Heavenly chocolate

    This chocolate just makes me want to shout THANK YOU to the whole universe.

    Recipe for 6-12 portions of heavenly chocolate

    6 if it’s just the chocolate. 12 if you’re dipping or joining with fresh fruits, cakes etc.).

    Combine

    • 2 ripe avocado’s
    • 1 cup honey or more
    • 1 cup liquid coconut oil or more
    • 80-100 gr raw cocoa
    • a few pinches of salt
    • 1 ts vanilla
    • grated rind of 1 lemon

    in a blender. Don’t hesitate to add more of anything :).

    All ingredients are essential, don’t skip any. The consistency should be creamy while in the blender. When cooled in the fridge, it will be fudgy.

    I absolutely love this chocolate goddess goodness flavor magic <3. Go have some, it’ll make your day.

  • Gazpacho: Spanish cold tomato soup

    Gazpacho: Spanish cold tomato soup

    You know that camping feeling? Living with little, in a tent or caravan, wearing flip flops to the toilet, wet grass tickling your toes… That’s me right now! Not because i’m on holiday, but just because i CAN.

    Well, and because my relationship broke up.

    I went to live somewhere i can be with my feet on the ground: in a friend’s caravan (thank you!) on the premise of another friend thank you too!).

    Now that i am processing and waving bye to nine years of love and also some mutual pain, too much pain in the end, many things are shifting. Sadness, incomprehension and especially: all the more love. Everything is open. And what happens? A world of new opportunities, new possibilities and new encounters is appearing. Wow. And yes: outch :(.

    As i’m embrazing the raw truth, much of my food here is also raw. It’s full of life and has all sweet and bitter tastes life has to offer. Every morning i wake up in my caravan, make a nice pot of tea and then blend a smoothie of vegetables, fruits and other healthy ingredients (check this one, for example: Morning glory power smoothie). Quick and easy, beautiful start.

    Raw is also the soup i’m sharing today: gazpacho with carrot. Throw all ingredients in the blender together en put itin the fridge for a while. So make sure to use clean ingredients; the carrot used in the soup was cleaner than the one in the picture. (My friend who saw the pic wanted you alt to know that. So now you do ;).)

    Gazpacho

    (cold tomato soup)

    serves four plates

    Blend

    4 large tomatoes
    one half bell pepper
    one half onion
    one carrot
    handful of basil
    small handful of celery leaf
    one garlic clove
    two tablespoons tomato paste
    some water

    Add pepper, salt and herbs to taste. You may also want to add some sweetener.

    Cool in the fridge while preparing the rest of the meal.

    Enjoy!