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

chocolate brownies

Here's a plant based version of that delicious chocolate treat that a lot of people love, the chocolate brownie.
I've made this before, but I decided to revise the recipe and try to improve it.  
So here it is, I think it's a good version. It's gluten free, totally plant based, and uses a secret ingredient which you will never guess by tasting it.
It also produces a fudgey and chocolatey treat that you don't feel completely guilty eating.
So, give it a go and let me know what you think.

Chocolate Brownie
Makes 10

Ingredients


1 400g can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 TBS flaxmeal
6 TBS warm water
3 TBS coconut oil, melted (or sub other oil of choice)
3/4 cup raw cacao powder (or good quality cocoa)
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut sugar* (you could also use brown sugar)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
toppings of choice, I used walnuts, flaked almonds & dairy free chocolate chips.

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
Lightly grease a 12 capacity muffin pan & set aside, I only got enough for 10!
Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in a small bowlthen let rest for a few minutes.
After about 5 minutes, add all ingredients except for toppings, to a food processor and puree until really smooth.  You will need to scrape down the sides a couple of times to make sure all ingredients get incorporated.
If the batter is too thick, add a tablespoon of water and pulse again. The batter needs to be thick, think mousse consistency.
Place about 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin tin and smooth the tops.
Sprinkle on your toppings and place in the oven for about 25 minutes, no more!
Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. 
Be gentle when taking them out as they may still be a little soft. 
I found them to be fudgey which i love, so hope you like it too.
They keep well in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.
You could also warm them up a little and serve them with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, vegan of course!

*You may need to adjust the sweetness, this amount of coconut sugar was enough for me, but for some it may not be enough. I suggest adding either more coconut sugar, or 1/4 cup more of brown sugar.  You could also try using stevia powder if you're trying to watch your caloric intake, although I don't know how this would make the end texture as I haven't tried it myself.  Another option would be to use brown sugar, and then possible add just a TBS of stevia.  Good luck!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

disruptions and goings on

Oh my, it's been way too long since my last post, my sincere apologies!
We have now moved, and we, as in me, are slowly settling in.  The family has somehow slid into a nice little routine, and my girls have just bounced into the swing of life at the new digs like it aint no thing.  
Oh to be young again, and so bloody adaptable.  
I should really be glad, and I am, don't get me wrong.   Just a little bit envious of their innocence and non-attachment to their old life.
As you can tell, I'm having a harder time adjusting to the new space, so my head space has not been the best of late.  Really unmotivated, and just generally feeling out of sorts.  I don't know if I've ever told you this, if you know me, you've probably guessed, but I'm a stickler for routine.  
Like a true Virgo, I love order and everything in it's place.  In my head that is, my house is another issue!  But, let's end the rant there, I don't want to bore you with my current emotional sensibilities, this is a food blog after all.
So, for the sake of my sanity, I will do just a few recipes, mainly the ones that people have been screaming at me for on IG. Thank you if you are following my journey on IG, you keep me motivated and definitely push me to pull my finger out and get to it.
So, without further delay, here are the recipes.

Spinach and Chickpea Pancakes
Makes 2


Ingredients 

2/3 cup garbanzo and fava bean flour*
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt or to taste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup of spinach leaves

Method

Heat a medium-large non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
Pour enough mixture to cover base of frying pan once it's hot, turning pan to fully cover.
Flip pancake over when bubbles start to break the surface and the sides are cooked and can be handled without breaking.
Repeat with second pancake.
If you find the mixture too thick, just add a little bit more water.
These pancakes are a little dense so I found them to be quiet filling.
*I use Bob Red Mills

I served them with a tomato medley salad with coriander and lemon juice, and also some pan seared mushrooms with lemon thyme. 

I used the left overs the next night, toasted them and served them with a simple red lentil curry.  Here's the recipe for the curry.

Red Lentil and Kale Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp of grated ginger

1 clove of garlic crushed

1/4 cup brown onion chopped

1/2 TBS of curry powder (or to taste)

1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

1/2 cup red lentils

5 very ripe tomatoes, blended (or 1 can of organic crushed tomatoes)

2 cups of pumpkin cubes

2 cups of chopped kale

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup chopped coriander

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Add the ginger, garlic, onion, chilli flakes, pumpkin cubes and curry powder to a large non-stick frying pan that has a lid.

Pour about 1/2 cup of water and cook until onions are soft and translucent.  

Add the lentil and tomatoes, stir, and cover with lid.

Keep cooking and stirring, adding more water to prevent it from drying, until lentils and pumpkin are cooked.  Once they are ready, add the kale, stir until it wilts.

Remove from heat, pour in lemon juice and mix through.  Season with Himalayan pink salt to taste.

Serve with some of the toasted pancake on the side and top with fresh coriander.

Now here's an idea for when you get stuck for meal ideas, and you want something quick, filling and low-fat.

Make some delicious nori rolls!  Given, you do have to have nori sheets in your pantry but that should be on your staples list my friends.

The kids love it and you can get them to roll a few.  Yes it's messy, but they love it.

You don't have to make them raw of course, you can use lots of fillings, like left over brown rice, or quinoa.  You could also get super creative with other grains like millet or barley if you are not gluten sensitive.

I just love stuffing them with different veggies, it's like a salad wrapped up in some sea vegetable goodness.

I've got links to how to make these on the right hand side but here are some that I made using grated beetroot and grated carrot, and just adding whatever I had in the fridge, which happened to be some avocado, capsicum, zucchini and pickled ginger.

But seriously, the sky's the limit so let your taste buds guide you.

And here are some delicious treats I made last week.

The recipe is on the Facebook page but for my friends without Facebook (yes, they do exist), here it is.

Strawberry Cream Tarts

Serves 8

Ingredients

Filling

2 large strawberries, sliced thinly

1 cup raw cashews, soaked & rinsed (for at least 30 min or overnight)

1/4 cup liquid sweetener of choice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or water or any other non-dairy milk)

Base

8 pitted medjool dates

1 cup raw almonds 

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 Tbs raw cacao powder

1/4 cup liquid sweetener of choice

(I used coconut nectar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch Himalayan pink salt

Method

Base

Line an 8 capacity muffin tray with patty cases and set aside.

Process all base ingredients in a food processor until it holds together, like when you make bliss balls.

Press about 2 large tbs into bottom of patty cases. Set aside.

You will have some left over, use this to decorate the top of the tarts & to munch on 

Filling

Blend all ingredients except strawberries, in a powerful blender, until smooth & silky.

Set aside.

Slice your strawberries into thin slices and place 1 slice into the prepared patty cases. You will have some left over to decorate the top.

Fill each case with cashew cream mixture and top with some more sliced strawberry & crumbs from base.

Place in the freezer to set. When ready, about 2 hours, take out & let thaw a bit before slicing. 

These will melt so you need to eat them whilst they are still a bit chilled. They don't usually last that long when they are out.

The beauty is, you can make a large batch & keep them in the freezer, ready to have whenever.

Here are some snack ideas for everyone in the family!  They take next to no time to prepare and you'll be surprised, you probably have all these things in your pantry and fridge already.

raw cacao nibs + peanut butter + frozen bananas = the best ice cream ever!

thinly slice some apples, add some homemade vanilla almond butter and top with a salsa made with kiwifruit and strawberries.

1 banana, homemade vanilla almond butter and your favourite yummies as toppings

Homemade hummus with your favourite veggies and pickles

And one last one that got a lot of likes on IG so I thought I'd better post a recipe for it although you can find recipes for chocolate mousse and vanilla chia pudding if you use the search option.  Anywho, here it is.

Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait
Serves 1

Ingredients

Chocolate Mousse

1 ripe avocado
2 TBS raw cacao powder
1 frozen banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste
1 pitted medjool date

Vanilla Chia Pudding

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or non-dairy milk of choice
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 TBS maple syrup

Layers

4 TBS shredded coconut
4 TBS activated buckinis
4 TBS puffed millet
1 cup raspberries (I used frozen and thawed them first at room temp)

Method

Vanilla Chia Pudding

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake the beejebus out of it repeatedly until all ingredients have mixed through.  Pop it in the fridge whilst you make the mousse.

Chocolate Mousse

Place all ingredients, except raw cacao powder, in a powerful blender and process until super smooth.   Add cacao powder and continue to blend.  Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.  You will probably need to scrape the sides as you go.
It should be fluffy and delicious.  It may also taste avlot like avocado.  If you don't like that, you may need to add more banana.
Place in the fridge.

When the chia is set, start layering.
Here's how I layered mine but feel free to do whatever your heart desires.

So there we have it, a rather late post but hope I've covered some recipes that people will enjoy. Will endeavour to be more contemporaneous with my future posts.
Thank you for your patience and on going support of the blog, IG and the FB page.  Deadset legends, the lotta ya!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb