Walnut Basil Paté

Walnut Basil Paté (a savory, plant-based, pesto-like spread)

It's the last weekend in August. My boyfriend is going away. And at his house, a slightly wilty bunch of sweet basil that won't wait 'til Tuesday.

Naturally, I took it for my own.

Not a lot of basil—maybe a half a cup of leaves, loosely speaking. Surely enough for a little pesto of sorts, and what better time for pesto than now, Labor Day Weekend, when summer bows to harvest with September rolling in...

Sigh. Even though Fall has the best weather, I'm always a little sorry to see Summer go. Then again, the fresh produce is so abundant this time of year, I can't help but love it!

Anyway, here’s what happened. I got back home and tossed my little bunch of basil leaves into the Cuisinart with a clove of garlic (peeled and chopped) and about two big handfuls (a scant cup) of premium California walnut halves. I quickly pulse-processed these three ingredients—garlic, nuts and basil—into a green meal. Then, I added some seasonings—a quarter teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt, two teaspoons of nutritional yeast—and started processing again, this time while slowly fine-streaming, through the feeder tube, just enough extra virgin olive oil into the whirling mix to bind it together. (I haven’t quite eliminated solid fats and liquid oils altogether from my diet but I’m working on it, so I always use the minimum.) The moment the pesto bound together, I stopped the machine because I never like to over-process anything.*

What I ended up with is not so much a pesto as a Walnut Basil Paté that is so chewy and buttery and rich and DELICIOUS that I just want to eat the whole thing with a spoon RIGHT NOW.

But I won’t. I’ll save some for later. (But not TOO too later, because fresh is best.)

*Juicing, blending and food processing are marvelous inventions but they come with a price. Grinding up any whole food exposes all that was protected and volatile beneath the skin to damaging elements like oxygen and light. That’s why apples and avocadoes turn brown when you cut them: oxidation. So once you press, grind or cut into any whole food, best to eat it quick! I’d say this here pesto-like spread will be good for about three days…if it makes it that long. Enjoy it on whole grain toast, flax crackers, salad, soba or raw zucchini noodles. Bon appetit!

Romaine Roll-ups

The sandwich was invented as a vehicle for fillings. One of my favorite variations on the sandwich theme is to use a crisp, juicy romaine leaf in place of the usual bread.

Spreads as simple as raw almond butter + honey, or tahini + miso taste great on a romaine leaf. Tofu salad, guacamole, hummus: also delish. Or you can get fancy like I did here, filling my wrap with some of the extra Pate Forestier I had leftover from the other night, when I made marinated stuffed mushroom caps for a special dinner.

This Pate recipe is taken and slightly modified from one found in my favorite raw food restaurant in the world's cookbook: Crudessence, by David Cote et Mathieu Gallant. (If you're ever in Montreal, be sure to eat there. It's the best!)

Pate Forestier

Soak 1 c raw sunflower seeds and 2/3 c raw walnuts in cold water for 6-8 hours. Rinse well, drain and purée in a food processer, adding a touch of water if needed to facilitate grinding.

Add in: 1 c mushroom stems or chopped  mushrooms, 1/4 c parsley, 2 Tbs dried dill, 2 Tbs tamari soy sauce (or Braggs Liquid Aminos, Nama Shoyu, etc), 1 clove garlic (minced), 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 or 2 Tbs lemon juice, pinch of sea salt and drizzle of truffle oil (optional).  Process until creamy. 

Store covered in fridge; keeps for about 4 days. Use for romaine wraps, salad topping, cracker spread, etc. I'm going to mix what's left with cooked brown rice, grated carrots and a few chia seed to make some super savory veggie burgers.  Bon Appetit!

Raw Vegan Hemp Boursin with Garlic & Fine Herbs

If a food could be louche, it would have to be rich, buttery Boursin: the soft, triple-cream, crumbly cheese spread that is so deliciously smooth and flavorful, one might manage to forget it is a heavily processed commercial milk product, just a few degrees of separation away from Philly.

I’ve had a serious crush on Boursin cheese—the garlic and fine herbs variety—since first being introduced in high school by a certain Melba Toast. Of course, we all were forced to part ways decades ago, citing irreconcilable health differences. But I’ve remained true in my long-standing desire to create a raw vegan version of the classic spread.

Undaunted by several false attempts, I’ve finally figured out the elusive ingredient that makes the recipe work: hemp seeds! Creamy, golden hemp seeds (rather than my usual seed cheese suspects: pumpkin, sunflower, cashew, macadamia) are the secret.

Along with a sublime blend of fresh garlic, lemon juice, and herbes de Provence, hemp seeds make my Raw Vegan Hemp Boursin with Garlic & Fine Herbs taste as divinely decadent as the original.

Enjoy Raw Vegan Hemp Boursin on 100% whole grain bread or crackers, sandwiched between spinach leaves, nestled in romaine, or stuffed into crunchy celery ribs. For sweeter pleasures, consider serving as a dip or spread with sliced Honeycrisp apples. Yum.

Raw Vegan Hemp Boursin with Garlic & Fine Herbs

This recipe makes one cup of finished Hemp Boursin.

1 ½ cups organic hulled hemp seeds

1 small clove of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt or sea salt

1 Tablespoon Herbes de Provence

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 to 4 Tablespoons cold water

In a food processor fitted with the S-blade, add hemp seeds, garlic, salt, herbes de Provence and nutritional yeast, and pulse into a crumbly meal. Add lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water; then process again until the contents begin to form a ball. Use a rubber spatula to scrape what rises up the sides back down into the mixture. Continue adding water one tablespoon at a time, and process the cheese after each addition until you see a color change: from green-gold to ivory white. At this point, only add more water if needed to reach desired, smooth consistency. Be careful not too add too much water at once, or the spread will suddenly turn liquid, in which case it can be used as salad dressing and you’ll have to start again. Store covered Hemp Boursin in refrigerator for up to one week. Freezes well for those who prefer to work in larger batches.

Note: The beautiful 100% whole grain sourdough bread featured in this post was handmade by Dorie Goldman of The Backyard Bakery, who freshly mills her own flour from local and organic grains.

Having purchased my first loaf today at the indoor Amherst Farmers Market, I feel like I won a prize! Moist, chewy and packed with seeds, this dense Danish Rye miraculously manages to be as light as it is hearty. My new favorite bread, hands down.

Blizzard Plate Special Salad with Parsley-Macadamia Nut-Pumpkin Seed Paté & Sprouted Seed Crackers

The first snowstorm of the season is blowing outside, windy, white and cold. When it comes to lunch, this means only one thing: a hearty salad plate.

My salads always start with a big, fluffy bed of greens. In this case, I used a blend of 50% chopped romaine, my favorite winter lettuce, and 50% baby mesclun greens. Chopped avocado, tomato and red (Bermuda) onion are added next, with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice on top for the brightest and simplest of dressings.

On the side, you'll see a scoop of my delicious Parsley-Macadamia Nut-Pumpkin Seed Paté (recipe to follow) surrounded by two flavors of Sprouted Seed Crackers. I made these in the dehydrator with a dough formed from soaked and sprouted buckwheat, flax and sunflower seeds that I ground and combined with assorted seasonings. The exact recipe is top secret, but you can come close with my Rainy Day Crackers.

Even though it is cold outside, our bodies still crave fresh living foods. Use good strong greens, warming onions or garlic, and a topping of healthy fats and proteins (in this case from avocados and nuts/seeds... but you could also consider black beans or chickpeas, kalamata olives, sardines, etc) to make nourishing winter salads that both satisfy and appeal. Bon appetit!


Parsley-Macadamia Nut-Pumpkin Seed Paté

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked 2-4 hours and drained
1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 lemon's juice (about 1/4 cup)
3 Tbs cold-pressed raw olive oil
1 tsp raw coconut oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (about 3 stalks)
black pepper to taste
about 1/4 cup water, more or less as needed

Directions
In a food processor, process pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts and sea salt into a fine meal. Add lemon juice and oils and begin processing again, drizzling in water until the mass gets rolling. Continue processing for a few minutes, stopping as needed to spatula down the sides, and allow it to keep going until very creamy. At that point, add fresh black pepper and chopped parsley and pulse process for about half a minute or until well blended. Store paté in a covered glass jar or container in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups (one pint) and keeps for up to a week. Or, divide into portions and freeze what you won't use in a week. This paté freezes really well by keeping its consistency after thawing, making it quite handy to grab and bring to a raw food pot luck in a pinch. (True story.)

♥

Life of the Party: Raw d'Oeuvres!

The Fourth of July came and went last weekend, fireworks and all. Yippee! Summer is officially here!

Summer is my favorite season, and July my favorite month. (Not just because it’s my birthday month.) For me, summer is like the weekend of the year and that makes July Saturday - the best day of the weekend. Saturday is like the filling of the weekend sandwich, as it were. (And everyone knows the filling is the best part - see Garlic Almond Cheeze recipe below, lol!) Arriving on the heels of a carefree Friday night and with a relaxing Sunday to look forward to, Saturday is the Freedom Day of the week. Based on my analogy, it's hardly a coincidence that Independence Day comes in July!

Here in New England, where cold grey days drive us inside for a good part of the year, summer is the season to be outdoors. That's why, when it comes to summer parties, cookouts rule! Or, in the case of a raw foodist, un-cookouts.

It so happens I went to a great cookout/potluck party just this past weekend, held in the lush garden-yard of my wonderful friend and colleague Dr. Emily Maiella, naturopathic physician at Montague Integrative Health.

The dish I brought to share was this platter of mini “raw d’oeuvres” – tasty little Garlic Cheeze & Crackers canapés. They were fun to assemble and even more fun to eat, with each delightful biteful simply bursting with flavor. Everyone loved these diminutive treats and I am happy to share the recipes with you here (as promised to my fellow party goers).

The Garlic Almond Cheeze Spread is really easy to make (even for Lazy Raw Foodists) and very versatile. Use it as a spread or as a dip. Or, thin with water to make a creamy salad dressing. Or, toss a spoonful or two with fresh mung bean sprouts (omg - I totally recommend this!). You may even want to place a nice dollop atop your favorite steamed veggie dish for some mouth-watering, nut-based protein power.

The Savory Flaxseed Crackers take a wee bit more time and advance planning than the cheeze because they are made slowly in a dehydrator. It's not a great deal of actual work for you, but you must allow about 24 hours of drying time, more or less depending on the ambient humidity and how crispy you want the end result to be. Flax crackers are a great source of inflammation-busting omega-3 fatty acids plus fiber and protein. And they taste great!

Here I am on my front porch, ready for the party:


And here are your recipes. Let me know how you enjoy them!

Garlic Almond Cheeze Spread

Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds, soaked 8 hours or overnight
2 Tablespoons raw coconut oil
1 to 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 lemon’s worth)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
½ to ¾ cup filtered water
1 handful cilantro, minced

Directions
Soak almonds and pop off the skins. Add peeled almonds to blender along with all other ingredients except cilantro. Use more or less water depending on the consistency you are going for. Blend until very smooth and creamy. Stir in cilantro by hand or pulse in blender to mix.


Savory Flaxseed Crackers

Ingredients
2 cups golden flaxseeds, ground
4 cups filtered water
2 cups carrot and/or beet pulp, leftover from juicing
1 cup roughly chopped red onion (1/4 of a large red onion)
2-4 cloves garlic
4 Tablespoons fresh oregano, minced (or 2 Tablespoons dried)
1 teaspoon dried onion granules or powder
2 teaspoons sea salt, any type
¼ cup nama shoyu or wheat free tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos

Directions
Soak ground flaxseeds in 3 cups water for one hour or longer. Stir well while you are adding the water to the ground flaxseeds to minimize clumping, and, if possible, stir occasionally while soaking for the same reason.

Add carrot-beet pulp to the soaked ground flaxseeds and combine thoroughly. Blend remaining 1 cup water with onion, garlic, spices, salt and tamari. Stir this into the flax-carrot mix till well combined. Feel free to use a food processor, a Kitchen Aid mixer for this, or if you have a Champion or Omega 8005-style juicer, you can homogenize the dough using the blank. (I try to get away with just hand mixing to reduce clean-up!)

Divide dough onto four dehydrator trays lined with Teflex sheets. Wet your hands and spread out each mound of dough into a large square shape of cracker thickness. Dehydrate for 1 hour at 145 degrees, then reduce heat to 105 degrees and continue dehydrating for another 6 to 9 hours.

Flip crackers onto mesh sheet, dry side down, and peel off Teflex. Use a pizza cutter to score each sheet of dough into 16 squares, or any size shape you like. Dehydrate for another 6 hours and do a taste/crispness test. Continue drying up to 12 hours, or until desired crispness is attained. I average 10 hours drying time per side in this humid summer weather.

Raw Garlic Cheeze and Crackers Assembly

Cut each Savory Flaxseed Cracker into four mini squares. Put a little Garlic Almond Cheeze Spread on each mini cracker and top with a slice of cherry tomato. Easy!

I added four layers of canapés to my little Pyrex container, separating each layer with a trimmed sheet of waxed paper.

Parsley Pumpkin Seed Paté Roll-Ups

As a follow-up to my last blog on the Properly Combined Sandwich where I discussed how we don't want to eat bread (starch) and protein at the same meal, I thought I'd share a yummy and fun sandwich-like protein-combo lunch meal: nori roll-ups with a delicious filling of rich, savory seed cheese (protein) and chopped salad. Earlier today, a client was curious about how to make both seed cheese and nori rolls, so I decided to post a little step-by-step excursion here. You'll find the recipe for Parsley Pumpkin Seed Paté at the end.

Learning to make soaked seed/nut "cheeses" and patés is one of the best culinary steps I ever made. Since seeds are easier to digest, less expensive and less allergenic than most tree nuts, I like to focus on them. Soaked raw seeds and nuts offer the advantage of activated enzymes that initiate the breakdown of nut/seed proteins into amino acids (pre-digestion). As a bonus, they move through the body far more quickly than plain unsoaked seeds/nuts, nut butters and hummus or bean spreads. The spreads I make taste different every time depending on what seeds or nuts and seasonings I use, and are always fabulously satisfying.

To make Parsley Pumpkin Seed Paté Roll-Ups, first prepare your paté (easy recipe below) and your chopped salad, lightly dressed. My salad contained romaine, baby spinach, roma tomato and fresh garlic, all chopped and tossed with a tasty dressing of balsamic vinegar, mustard, novella olive oil, sea salt, agave and herbs.

Note: the packet of 50 nori sheets pictured above was purchased for only $7.99 at my wonderful local Asian/World food market. Sadly, the same sheets cost significantly more at the health food store. Many communities harbor these treasure trove Asian food stores - I am very grateful for mine. (This is where I learned from a master how to open a young coconut. Very easy once you know the secret!)

Step One: Lay nori sheet flat and spread a line of pumpkin seed cheese along the base (left/lower roll below). Leave room at the sides as contents will smush outward when you roll up. (FYI, you could lay out thick slices of avocado instead of seed paté - but not avocado and nuts/seeds in the same roll, please - too heavy!)


Step Two: Add a few spoonfuls of chopped salad (upper roll above), again keeping the one inch at each end free of filling.

Step Three: Stand behind the filling side of the roll and start rolling! (Don't worry about perfection, a few lumps are not a problem and after a little practice, you'll be an expert.) Just before you get to the end, dip your finger in cold water and wet the top edge of the sheet to help seal, then finish the roll.

Step Four: Plate, add raw veggie garnishes* and voila! Lunch is served. Bon appetit!


Parsley Pumpkin Seed Paté

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked 2-4 hours and drained
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 lemon's juice
3 Tbs cold-pressed raw olive oil
1 tsp raw coconut oil (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (about 3 stalks)
black pepper to taste
about 1/4 cup water, more or less as needed

Place pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, garlic and sea salt in food processor, then pulse and process with S blade into a fine meal consistency. Add lemon juice and oils and begin to process. As needed, add just enough water to help get things rolling smoothly. Process for several minutes until very well combined and creamy, pausing from time to time and using a spatula to bring everything down into the center until it really catches. When the paté is very creamy and seems finished, add parsley and black pepper and pulse-process until mixed through. Store refrigerated, either in a container to use as spread or, if you want to be fancy, as a log, like chevre. (To do this, use clean hands and shape into log form; roll in additional parsley or black pepper if desired; wrap in waxed paper or plastic film.) Keeps up to 5 days.

* One summer long ago, I worked at Friendly's as a waitress. Part of my job was to garnish the plates with pickles and parsley before taking them out to the customers. "Don't forget your pickles and parsley!" was the rallying cry of my manager. Of course, we would only use a tiny sprig of parsley, but I remember thinking how that brave little sprig, the only living thing on the plate, was no doubt the healthiest item on the menu.