14 days fully rooooaaaarrrr!

Hello lovelies!

So the 14 days fully raw challenge is complete.  Have to be honest, I had cooked food a couple of times.  Once at a friend's lunch and on the last day of the challenge.  No excuses, I just got tempted by some delicious salads that had some cooked grains in them, tsk tsk!

Anywho,the reason I decided to do the 14 days was due to the numerous questions I was getting from people via the FB page about making a transition to a raw vegan lifestyle, or even just trying it for a period of time.

I did intend to post what I ate every day but it just got so crazy, you know, with life and all, that I actually missed a lot of days, sorry! 
Also, I didn't think posting photos of raw fruit, or salad would be very interesting, you can all do that right?
I did eat a ton of fruit and vegetables, and some raw nuts too.  Whilst I love raw, I really do, doing this really cemented in my head that I couldn't and wouldn't do it 100%.  I just felt that I was eating lots, and all the time, and to be honest, who has the time to be prepping and eating all of the time?  Summer is coming, I want to be outside doing stuff with the kids, my hubby, my friends, and not cleaning in the kitchen!
So, whilst I will always promote that raw fresh fruit and veggies should make up the bulk of all our meals, I do feel that for me, there is a place for cooked meals in my life!
But, at the end of the day, you have to do what's right for you and well, that's just what feels right for me.


I hope you enjoy the recipes!

Zucchini Spaghetti with Olives, Mushroom and Tomato
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, spiralized into spaghetti
3 small mushrooms
1/2 tomato, diced
1/8 cup red onion diced
5 kalamata olives, diced
2 TBS nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
1/2 lemon, juiced
Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Just mix all ingredients together until combined and serve.

Zucchini Fettucini with Spinach and Chilli Pesto
Makes 1 cup of pesto, but serving is for 1.

Ingredients

Pasta

2 medium zucchini, spiralized (save the peel and the core)
4 cherry tomatoes
1 TBS spring onion finely chopped
1 TBS parsley finely chopped
1 TBS of basil finely chopped
Some red cabbage for the plate

Method

Toss all ingredients together

Sauce

1 handful of fresh basil
1 handful of fresh parsley
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 medium zucchini + the peel and left over core of the spiralized zucchini
1/4 cup of spring onion
1/3 cup of water
1/2 tsp of Himalayan pink salt or to taste
1/4 tsp of chilli flakes
2 TBS of hemp seeds

Method

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Adjust seasoning to taste.
Pour desired amount of sauce over pasta ingredients and toss.  Arrange the red cabbage on a plate, and place the fettucine on top.  You can eat the cabbage of course, but I also think it looks lovely.

Raw Burger Patty with Salad and Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients

Patties

1 cup of raw sweet potato

1 large field mushroom

5 TBS flaxmeal

3 pitted medjool dates

1 clove of garlic

1/3 cup spring onion

1/4 cup of capsicum

1/4 tsp of paprika

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp of dried oregano

small handful each of fresh basil and parsley

4 TBS of nutritional yeast

3 pitted kalamata olives

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt or to taste.

Method

Process until all combined. You still want to see some of the vegetables so don't process too much.

The mixture is wet and sloppy.

I just shaped them in my hand and coated them in more flaxmeal.

I kept two raw and I baked the other two and froze them for when I'm finished with the 14 days.

I think they would go really well with a side of sweet potato fries!

Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients

2 tomatoes

1/2 cup of sun dried tomato (no oil)

1/4 cup of lemon juice

3 pitted medjool dates

Himalayan pink salt to taste.

Method

Blend until smooth and some more juice or water if it's too thick. That is all!

I served it on some oak lettuce leaves with tomato, avocado, alfalfa sprouts and some of the ketchup on top.  I also added some more salad on the side, just some kale, more lettuce, cherrie tomatoes, carrots, and cucumber sticks.  Was delicious!

The following recipe requires that you sprout some chickpeas.  It's a fairly simple and inexpensive process and you can find out how to do it here.

I used 1 cup of dried chickpeas and used the whole thing after it had sprouted, to make the recipe.

Sprouted Chickpea Falafel

Makes 16 falafels

Ingredients

Sprouted chickpeas

1/4 cup of sunflower seeds, soaked overnight and rinsed 

1 clove of garlic

1/4 medium red onion

1 cup each of fresh parsley, mint and coriander

1 tsp of Himalayan pink salt or to taste

2 TBS of unhulled tahini

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

Pepper to taste

Method

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.    Adjust seasoning.  You then shape them into balls.  I used a heaped tablespoon for each ball.  I made half raw, and then baked the rest at 180 degrees celsius for about 10 minutes.  No more or else they will be dry.  You can freeze them too and just take them out when you need them.  Pretty good I think!

Now for some sweet stuff! Blood oranges have been delicious lately so I put them to good use and made some dessert.

Blood Orange Cheesecakes

Makes 12 individual cheesecakes

Prepare a 12 capacity muffin tin by lining them with patty cases.  Set aside

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

3-4 thinly sliced blood orange cut into small segments for decorating.

Base

1/2 cup raw almonds

8 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup dried coconut

Method

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until mixture holds together.

Place a large TBS into each prepared patty case and press down with fingers until even and smooth. Place in freezer.

Filling

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed

1/4 cup of liquid sweetener of choice (I used maple syrup but rice malt syrup is good if you are avoiding fructose)

1/2 cup blood orange juice (freshly squeezed)

1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1 TBS of orange zest

1/2 cup of coconut oil (liquid)

Method

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Adjust sweetness if desired.  I would recommend using powdered stevia, maybe try a sachet/tsp at a time.  Adding more liquid sweetener may mean that your tarts won't set, be too liquid when they defrost.

Pour filling into each prepared case, decorate with raspberries & orange segments and place in freezer to set.  A couple of hours will do.  You can keep them in the freezer and just take out 30 minutes prior to serving to soften.

The next recipe is the cake I made for my birthday, I had planned on making a delicious cake made out purely of fresh, raw fruit but I wanted the rest of the family to enjoy it too, and being the last day prior to my next challenge, I saw only fitting to make the following:

Chocolate Mousse Tart with Smashed Raspberries
Makes 1 cake (i used a small heart shaped tin)

For the base, line your tin (feel free to use whatever tin you have) with some cling wrap, then make the base using the above recipe. You could add some raw cacao powder to make it extra chocolaty but I didn't.  Place in freezer whilst you make filling.

Ingredients

Filling

1 cup of raw cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 sachets of stevia powder
1/4 cup of coconut oil (liquid)
2 TBS raw cacao powder
1/4 cup of raspberries

Method

Place all ingredients (except raspberries) in a food processor and blend until smooth.  If it's too thick, you may need to add some water, 1 TBS at a time until it's still thick but able to be blended.  Make sure you scrape down the sides first before adding more water to incorporate all ingredients and if you still can't blend it to smooth, then add a bit of water.  If you're not too concerned about it being fully raw, you could use some almond milk or other nut milk of choice.
When ready, take out the prepared base from the freezer, pour over the raspberries, then pour in your filling and place in the freezer for a couple of hours to set prior to serving.
Once ready, get it out of the tin, place on plate and pour the raspberries over the top.

Smashed Raspberries

Ingredients

1 cup of raspberries
4 TBS of maple syrup

Method

Mash everything together until it becomes a liquid.

Here are some of the other meals that I had whilst on the challenge:

Salsa stuffed avocado with cauliflower and red cabbage rice

Acái, raspberry, coconut and banana smoothie 

Work lunch with left over cauliflower and red cabbage rice

Strawberry and banana smoothie topped with everything

Veggie plate with pumpkin seed hummus

with chocolate protein ice cream & cookie crumbs

Green smoothie and salad with left over sprouted chickpea falafel

Crunchy Asian salad with seasoned seaweed

beetroot, carrot, cucumber, lemon, blood orange, celery mint, kale, ginger  juice

apple pear rawnola with fruit, coconut, activated buckinis and strawberry coconut ice cream

Nori rolls and fruit platter

Neapolitan chia overnight oats with homemade chocolate almond butter

If you want any of the above recipes, please send me a message and I will post it for you. Some I have posted on the FB page and some on Instagram so check that out first.  Name is Onehungrymami for both.

So off to the next challenge I go, yep, sugar free for 8 weeks, yes my friends, that also includes sugar. Y I K E S ! !
Will post all about it so don't worry, I'll let you know how it goes.

Wish me luck!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb