Wednesday, August 3, 2011

A Few Raw Food Things. . .

My raw food books.
I think there are others, but where are they?
Maybe I loaned them to a daughter of mine.

I wanted to answer a few questions here, particularly about raw food. “Winterwood” asked me how I use the sauerkraut I buy. The only thing I ever do with it is eat it just the way it is in the jar because to heat it would make it non-raw, and it would kill all of the beneficial cultures. It would be great as a condiment on hot dogs or hamburgers if you eat that kind of thing (I did this on the 4th of July). I’ve added it to fried potatoes after the potatoes have cooled a bit. But I honestly haven’t done much with it except to eat it plain.

My grandpa made sauerkraut all the time in a big crock, and it was so delicious! I grew fond of it then, and when I read how good it is for you (in its raw state), I figured I’d start making it myself someday (it’s very easy to do), and in the meantime, I buy it at the farmers’ market or in a natural foods store. I only consume about ¼ c. at a time because that’s all a person really needs, and it’s expensive to buy.

And here, you can click on the jar for a close-up and some of the company’s ideas for using sauerkraut:


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Mary Beth asked what some of my favorite salad dressings are because I said raw food books have some of the best dressings and vinaigrettes. They do, but actually all vegan and vegetarian books tend to have great salad dressing recipes. My standard, because it is straightforward and relatively inexpensive, is simply 1 part lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil (that’s the traditional acid:oil ration) and salt, but I often add Dijon to this and a touch of maple, too. But my favorites? I’ll go through my books to look, but here’s one of them, from Matt Amsdem’s book, Raw Revolution. This is for garlic lovers:

Garlic Cream Dressing 

¼ c. fresh lemon juice
¼ c. Nama Shoyu (which is raw shoyu, but regular shoyu will work)
8 cloves garlic, peeled (I’d mince them, too, for much easier blending)
One 3” piece ginger, peeled, chopped (I’ve substituted powder in a pinch)
1 ¼ c. olive oil

Combine all but the olive oil in a high-speed blender (mine isn’t), then while the blender is running, stream in the olive oil til the dressing is thick and emulsified. (I’ve been lazy and dumped it all in at once and then blended, and it was fine, but it’s best not to be lazy!)

I’ll look for more of my favorite salad dressings/vinaigrettes and post them soon.

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Here’s another salad dressing, this one created by Renee Loux for a particular salad—“New Waldorf Salad.” Her twist on the old Waldorf salad consists of lettuce tossed with chopped or sliced apple, chopped celery, grated carrot, and raisins, with chopped walnuts on top. Here’s the dressing (I use it for this salad as well as lots of others):

3 T. raw sesame tahini
1 clove garlic
¼ c. lemon juice
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. organic olive oil
1 ½ T. raw honey or maple
1-2 t. salt
Water as needed (if it’s too thick when you blend)

Whirl all in a blender, and add 1 T. water at a time, as needed.

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And one more. A treat from Raw Food Real World. These are somewhat expensive to make because of the maple syrup, but they are a treat and should be eaten sparingly.:-) I don’t dehydrate these, but I make them into truffles. I just mix together all of the ingredients (click on the photo if you want to read the list), shape them into balls, set them on parchment paper, sift some cocoa powder over them, and place in the fridge til they firm. Then I put them in a container with a lid and keep them in the refrigerator. I don’t make these often, but I love them.

12 comments:

  1. I just discovered the olive and oil mix this past year and really really like it.
    I can't wait to try some of these other dressings.
    And...oh yum...those macaroons look tasty.

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  2. This is my second attempt to leave a comment- hopefully it will work. I just wanted to suggest another raw book to you. Based on what you share here, we have some similar tastes in foods. I love the raw book called Raw Foods Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet. The recipes are made for 1-2 people, are simple and seem to use fewer ingredients that are lower cost. I have a few favorite recipes out of it that I have not found similar any place else that I absolutely love. It's one I pull down again and again whether to use a recipe to compliment a cooked dish or to make a favorite salad or wrap. I highly recommend it. I dare say, I would keep above all other raw books I have (Cafe Gratitude comes in at a close second, though the recipes are more complex).

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  3. Susan, this is totally unrelated to the post here. I just got caught up on your earlier posts, and left you some questions in the comments on your I Hate School post. I think it was around June 23, just after your summer solstice climb. I don't know if you see the comments when they are from so long ago, so I just want to mention it here. Thanks. Judi

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  4. hello Susan, and thank you for replying to my Q re suerkraut. I was a bit envious to see the jar in the photo was a garlic kraut... over here in (sometimes) backward Australia we dont get so much choice over these things. But I love the kraut and didnt know it was so good for you eaten raw!! I must try and get a kraut salad recipe or something for this summer. cheers and thanks!

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  5. I am really enjoying your food posts, thanks so much!

    Oh and here is a blog I think you would like:

    http://thesweetnest.blogspot.com/

    Blessings!
    ~Michele

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  6. Mmm, your post stirs up hunger in me! I have several raw dressings that I really enjoy! Lately my standby has been 1 avocado, a clove of garlic, a few fresh basil leaves, sea salt, and a half a cucumber, blend it up. This makes more than needed for 1 salad so I put the rest in a bowl and use it as a dip for rice chips or cut up veggies. I really enjoy your posts Susan!

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  7. These posts are very timely for me, as I am trying to eat a 50% raw diet and give up sugar. So, so hard! I wrote down several of the cook book titles, our Borders is closing, and I have been hovering like a vulture, waiting for the cook books to go on huge sale!

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  8. Debi, I'm just wondering if you pointedly try to eat a certain portion of "raw" foods. The macaroons (which I turn into truffles) really are good!

    Anonymous, thank you for all of that good info! I really do appreciate it and will look at the library for the books you mentioned.

    Judi, comments come to me via email so that means I don' t miss any of them. Nice, huh? :-) I'll definitely address that (I've been trying to write a post in response to some other homeschooling questions--a post that is a bit late in coming). Thanks for mentioning it, though, just in case! :-)

    Winterwood, you are welcome! I like the garlic kraut, but, wow, it really lets off a strong smell when I open the jar! :-)

    Michele, thank you! :-) And thank you for the link. I clicked on over there, and what pretty photos! Lovely place.

    Thank you, Timberlyn! And, you know, having tried so many raw recipes and combinations (often unusual!), I can imagine the taste of your recipe, and it sounds really good. Somehow just knowing how good things are for you makes them taste even better! :-)

    Good for you, Mrs. Fordyce! :-) Sugar really is addicting and takes a long time to completely overcome, but making naturally sweetened treats helped me tons. Now I really never even think about wanting sugar, and doesn't that sound like a miracle?! :-)

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  9. I am intrigued by the whole raw food movement. Thank you of suggesting some fabulous recipes that I know my guys would eat. The dressings sound delightful.
    Do you eat raw year round? what do you do in the fall/winter? Just curious...
    Thanks!

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  10. Susan, just want to say thanks for responding to my comment with a promise. I truly feel honored for the gift of your time and thoughts. And I am certain that everyone else feels the same way. So thank you. I'll be looking forward to that post! :D

    Judi

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  11. Hi Mary! I try to eat plenty of raw food year round, but I do so much more heavily in the summer when it makes sense. In winter, I still eat a very veggie-heavy diet, but not as much raw (still, it's ideally 50% to 75% so, depending on what I can get my hands on). :-)

    Judi, your welcome, and thank *you*! :-)

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  12. I think I must try the macaroon recipe!!! I love sauerkraut too! I just bought one a couple of days ago from the company, "Pickled Planet" the type was called, "Velvet Sea" with some extras that were so delicious! The company is out of Ashland, Oregon. I think I'm going to try the Creamy garlic dressing as well! Oh, and I like the zing salad and kraut on baked potatoes, too;-) Lisa

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