Raw Determination

Shoot...I am running out of creative titles that include "raw". For the past week, since it has been Winter Break, I have been experimenting and creating many raw vegan dishes. I do not have pictures of many of them; however, most have been a hit. The only downside to this experimentation is that is takes quite some time as dehydration is not a expedient process.

For Christmas I had experimented with carob brownies, flax crackers, and oatmeal raisin cookies. Two of the three were a hit! I personally loved the brownies, but many did not. I think this is attributable to the carob. Many people are not fans of carob, and, indeed, I was not when I first tired it. For me, it has been about 5 years and I have grown quite accustomed to it as I am allergic to normal chocolate. The flax crackers were a hit as many people ate them with hummus or salsa instead of the store-bought, refined flour-ful crackers my mother had purchased. There were many diabetics at this gathering, counted about 5 (out of 11 people...shameful, I know), and the flax crackers are low in carbohydrates and sugar free. The kicker was that we had a table full of pies, cookies, brownies, and many other desserts that would put any diabetic in a fit. I, of course, brought these raw vegan oatmeal cookies. They were indeed my favorite as well as many other family members'. This cookie was pretty low on the glycemic index and fairly healthy...and, don't let me forget, EASY! Oatmeal Raisin Cookies were just walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt, coconut butter, and a touch of agave blended in the food processor and then mixed with raw oats. Then I popped them into the dehydrator and warmed for about an hour. Done! So good.

I have also made my FAVORITE raw vegan snack: Kale Chips! I mean, they are out of this world. Not only that, but they probably are one of the most healthy snacks you can possible have. These chips are full of protein, antioxidants, phytonutrients, carotenoids, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and the Bs.  I made a chili-lime version, here is my recipe:

Chili-Lime Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• One bunch of kale, destemmed and torn into small bits
• Raw tahini
• Nutritional yeast flake
• Nama shayu 
• garlic
• cayenne pepper
• lime
• water, to thin

Method:

1. In a food processor, blend a couple spoonfuls of tahini, about the same amount of nutritional yeast flake, a couple dashes of soy sauce, a tsp of garlic, a couple dashes of cayenne, and juice of one lime. 
2. As it is processing, slowly add a much water needed in order to make it a thick but fluid consistency, like that of applesauce. 
3. Pour on top of the kale (that is in a large bowl). 
4. Toss until covered evenly and completely.
5. Transfer pieces to the dehydrator.
6. Dehydrate on mesh racks at 105 degrees for 5-8 hours (depends on humidity and amount of sauce)

This morning (well, and last night) I made a raw vegan breakfast. I started yesterday with the eggplant bacon. It takes 5 hours to marinate and around 8 hours to dehydrate until crispy. I also soaked and sprouted my buckwheat groats. This morning I blended the ingredients for the pancakes and dehydrated them for 2.5 hours. I mixed together a quick fruit salad and there was my breakfast.

It was extremely filling and satisfying, which has been a problem for me recently. I have found that I am not necessarily full like I once would describe it, which perhaps is a good thing. I am not longer full after I eat a raw vegan meal, but oftentimes I am hungry again soon thereafter and must eat again. In this case, I have not been hungry all day since I ate this breakfast. The buckwheat pancakes were quite filling. I was glad to see a healthy, raw vegan alternative to one of my favorite breakfast foods: the pancake.

Another problem that I have been having is the time commitment. Dehydration takes hours. To make a simple breakfast that would have normally taken me maybe, at most, 20 minutes, took me two days. Although it is rewards and tasty, it seems to be a lot of work that might deter a 100% raw vegan diet. 

That is all for now. I have really been enjoying this break. Things to look forward to: raw halva with cinnamon "pita chips". I hope that turns out well. I don't know what else will be in my future for food, but hopefully it doesn't bankrupt me!

This is how a raw vegan spends his winter break: tasting delicious raw vegan treats form la lengua de un vegan.