Recipe: Spicy Raw Schezuan Noodles

This is a raw vegan dish I found in the book “Raw Star Recipes” by Bryan Au. The original recipe calls for 3 to 4 tablespoons of curry powder. Being a light weight, I put in only 1. I found this was more than enough but if you like your food very spicy, add more.

You will need a turning slicer to make the zucchini noodles. I own the “Chef  Avenue 3 -in-1 Turning Slicer” and this was our first time using it. There was a bit of trial and error but we got there in the end.  Well worth getting this gadget, as  raw zucchini noodles are great! When I first heard about eating zucchini raw, I was very skeptical. But then I tried some and was won over.

Manna Wholefoods, some organics stores and PAWS sell this nifty gadget. Price range is usually around the $30 to $40 mark.

What you will need:

2 zucchinis

1 tbsp curry powder

1 carrot, grated

1 baby bok choy, sliced thinly

½ head broccoli, chopped into small florets

Handful or two of sunflower sprouts

Dash of sesame seeds (black or white)

4 tbsp sesame oil (available in supermarkets)

A few string beans, sliced

Sea salt, to taste

Dash cayenne pepper

½ lime, juiced

Method:

Peel zucchini and use a turning slicer to make the noodles. If your gadget has fitting to make angel hair noodles, use that. Otherwise, use one that will make spaghetti sized noodles.

Place the noodles in a large mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.

Mix gently but thoroughly.

Makes about 4 servings.

Recipe: Polenta with beans and greens

I have probably eaten polenta about 3 times in my life, at the most. And I have never cooked with it. I have no idea why this is. Last night, my partner had a go at cooking up this dish and I was surprised at how delicious and creamy it was. This recipe comes from “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Cooking”  by  Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ray Sammartano. It is heavy on the garlic, which I omitted as I am not a fan and it still tastes great. If you like garlic, go for it!

What you will need:

4 cups of water

1¾ tsp sea salt

1 cup medium-grind or course cornmeal

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp olive oil

¾ tsp ground black pepper

1 cup onion, cut into half moons (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil (yes, a second batch)

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (optional)

1 tsp dried basil

1 can cannellini beans

1 bunch or 6 cups of kale and or spinach

½ tsp chili powder

Method:

Bring water to boil in a saucepan, over high heat. Add salt and reduce to medium heat. Slowly add cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps forming. Continue to whisk for a minute or two more until mixture starts to boil again and starts to thicken. Reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer, stirring every few minutes. Cook for 30 minutes or until thick and starts to pull away from sides of saucepan.

Add 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes, 1 tbsp olive oil and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir well to combine. Remove from heat.

For the vegetable topping, heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a large pan, over medium heat. If using, sauté onion for approx. 5 minutes.  Add garlic (if using) and basil and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add beans and sauté for 1 minute. Add kale/spinach, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes, ¾ tsp salt, chili powder and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes so the spinach/kale wilts.  Remove from heat.

Place the cornmeal in a bowl, top with vegetable mixture and serve hot.

Recipe: Frozen fudge

This recipe is from “The Raw Truth” by Jeremy A. Safron.  An easy dessert to make, with only a few raw ingredients required. The fudge is sweet and melts in your mouth.  Eat straight from the freezer  (not fridge!) and keep any uneaten portions in there too.  Some supermarkets stock nut butters in the healthfood section.  As for the raw carob powder, you are more likely to find that at a healthfood or organics store.

What you will need:

1 cup dates, seeded

1 ½ cups water

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups nut butter (I used almond butter)

1 ½ cups raw carob powder

½ cup dried shredded coconut

Method:

Place the dates in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for an hour.

Drain but keep the liquid. Place dates and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth, whilst slowly adding the water to create a creamy consistency.

Transfer the date mixture to a large bowl, add nut butter and stir to combine.

In another bowl, mix the carob and the coconut. Gradually add the dry carob mixture to the wet date mixture. Stir well.

Press into a baking tin, about 2.5cms thick and freeze for several hours. To serve, cut into small squares.