OtherbooksbyVictoriaBoutenko12StepstoRawFoodGreenforLifeRawFamily(withtheBoutenkofamily)

Copyright©2009byVictoriaBoutenko.Photographscopyright©2009byRobertPetetit.Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbook,exceptforbriefreview,maybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans—electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,orotherwise—withoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher.ForinformationcontactNorthAtlanticBooks.

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RawFamilySignatureDishes:AStep-by-StepGuidetoEssentialLive-FoodRecipesissponsoredbytheSocietyfortheStudyofNativeArtsandSciences,anonprofiteducationalcorporationwhosegoalsaretodevelopaneducationalandcross-culturalperspectivelinkingvariousscientific,social,andartisticfields;tonurtureaholisticviewofarts,sciences,humanities,andhealing;andtopublishanddistributeliteratureontherelationshipofmind,body,andnature.

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Boutenko,Victoria.Rawfamilysignaturedishes:astep-by-stepguidetoessentiallive-foodrecipes/VictoriaBoutenko.p.cm.eISBN:978-1-58394585-81.Rawfooddiet—Recipes.2.Vegetariancookery.I.Title.RM237.5.B6932009641.5′63—dc222008053430

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Wededicatethisbooktoallthosewhodaretoexplorenewpossibilities

Contents

CoverOtherBooksbyVictoriaBoutenkoTitlePageCopyrightDedication

Foreword

Introduction

Recipes

SaladDressingandSimpleSalad

SproutsandSproutingSalad

Igor’sLiveFlatBread

Soup

CulturedVegetables

LiveGardenBurger

Peroshkis

GreenSmoothie

NutMilk

CranberryScones

RawMangoJam

MangoJamPie

ChocolateCake

MousseCake

ChocolateTruffles

EquipmentList

AcknowledgmentsAbouttheAuthor

Foreword

For the last fifteen years Victoria Boutenko and her amazing “RawFamily” have been on a mission: to make live-food cuisine easy andaccessible toasmanypeopleaspossible.Traveling fromcity tocity intheir packed van, they have held countless seminars, classes, and cheftrainings.Theireventsarenotoriouslyaffordable,yetateachone theyfeedpeopleprodigiousamountsofsimpleyetdeliciousfood.Duringthistime,Ihavehadthehonorofsharingthekitchenatmany

gatheringswiththisremarkable“RawFamily,”theBoutenkos.Ineveryoneofthosekitchens,thepresenceofVictoria,Igor,Sergei,orValyahasmade the food taste better—due not just to their immense live-foodculinary skills, but also to the love and sincerity that they put intoeverythingtheydo.OverthesameperiodIhavealsowitnessedVictoriasomehowfindtimetopublishgroundbreakingbookafterbook.In Raw Family Signature Dishes, Victoria presents a selection of

cornerstonerecipesinthemostcomprehensivemannerIhaveeverseenin a recipe book of any kind. Not only does Victoria lay out theequipment and ingredients needed to prepare each dish, but she alsoprovidesnutritional informationandanecdotesabout therecipeorkeyingredients.Herintroductions,whichoftentaketheformofanamusingorenlighteningstory,providecontextforwhyeachrecipeformspartofacoresetoflive-foodrecipesforanyaspiringrawchef’srepertoire.Thedetailedstep-by-stepinstructionclearlylaysouteachstepwithclose-upcolor photos illuminating the process along the way. The result is afoolproof recipe book that will make live-food cuisine even moreaccessible to greater numbers of people around the world. While therecipesareprecise,Victoriaencourages readers toadapther recipes totheir own tastes and lifestyles, and offers variations for many of therecipes.With Raw Family Signature Dishes Victoria has once again made a

sincereofferingofloveforpeopleandplanet!Shehastakenherfamily’smissiontothenextlevel.RawFamilySignatureDishesmakestime-tested

healthyanddeliciouslive-foodabsolutelysimpleandeasytomake.BruceHorowitz

AuthorofTheSunKitchenUn-Cookbookwww.thesunkitchen.com

Introduction

DearReader,

Iamexcited topresent thisbook toyou.During fifteenyearsof livingtherawfoodlifestylemyfamilyandIhavetriedthousandsofrawfoodrecipes.The recipeswe selected for thisbookwerechosenbecauseweconsiderthemtobethecorerecipesforarawfooddiet.Eachhasbeenretestedandrefinedthroughouttheyears.We have published several raw food recipe books and conducted

hundreds of food preparation demonstrations over the years.Many ofourstudentshaveastrongdesiretopreparerawfoodcuisinethemselvesand to introduce delicious rawmeals to asmany of their friends andfamily as possible. However, our readers have often told us that theirown raw food dishes don’t always turn out delicious even when theyfollowtherecipesaccurately.So to make our recipes more accessible, we have illustrated these

select disheswith photographs showing each step of preparation. It isour intention that anyman, woman, or young adult, with or withoutcooking skills,will be able to prepare a tasty andnutritious rawmealandserveitingourmetstyle.Wehaveincludedbothsimpleandcomplexrecipeshere.Whilesome

ofthemarecomparabletofive-starrestaurantservings,othersaresimpleand practical. For example,we have included sprouting salad becausethissimpledishhasservedusmanytimesinourlives,especiallywhiletraveling.Letmetellyouastorythathappenedrecently.Wereceivedane-mail from an officer in theMiddle East. He said that before hewasdeployed he had enjoyed a raw food diet, especially green smoothies.Nowthisyoungmanfoundhimselfeatingpredominantlycannedfoodswithoutanygreensinsight.Ourheartswentouttohim.Sowewenttothe local health-food store and purchased a small variety of sproutingseedsandmailedthemwithinstructionstothisyoungman.Withintwo

weekswe received a raving letter from his entire troop that they haddiscoveredalocalsourceofsproutingseeds,whichwerenowastapleoftheirdiet.MyfamilyandIinviteyoutotryallofthesedishes.Eventhoughweprovide you with exact instructions, we encourage you to experimentwiththerecipesandcreateyourownvariations.

InHealth,VictoriaBoutenko

Recipes

SaladHistory

Salt has been a traditional ingredient in salad dressings since ancienttimes. The very word “salad” derives from the Latin word for salt—salata.Theearliest saladswerewildgreensandherbs seasonedwithsalt;thesewerethefirstvegetablefoodsavailableinspringandactedasatonicafteradullwinterdiet.“Saltedgreens”cametomean“salad.”TheancientGreeksandRomansenjoyedavarietyofdisheswithraw

greens and vegetables dressedwith vinegar, oil, and herbs. InNaturalHistory,forinstance,PlinytheElderreportedthatsalads(acetaria)werecomposedofgardenproductsthat“needednofireforcookingandsavedfuel, and which were always ready” (Natural History, XIX, 58). Theywereeasytodigestanddesignedtonotoverloadthesensesorstimulatetheappetite.The medical practitioners Hippocrates and Galen believed that raw

vegetables easily slipped through the system and did not createobstructionsforwhatfollowed,andsoshouldbeservedasafirstcourse.

Source:www.answers.com/topic/salad

SaladDressingandSimpleSalad

Dressing

The saying “dressing makes a salad” applies to raw salad dressing aswell. The variety of flavors one can create in a raw food dressing isendless.Thinkof all theherbs, spices, and seasonings that exist in theworld.Eachonebringsadifferenttaste.Rawsaladdressingisoneofthesimplestrecipestomake.Itonlytakes

afewminutes.Toprepareasaladdressing,youwillneed:

Equipment

BlenderLemonjuicerBowl

Ingredients

½cuplemonjuice(about2lemons)¼cupoliveoil1tbsp.rawagavenectar1-inchpieceginger,unpeeled1or2hotpepperstotaste(jalapeñoorother)1bunchofparsleyordill1tsp.seasalt(optional)

Slicethelemonsinhalfandjuicethem.

Pourthelemonjuice,oliveoil,andagavenectarintotheblender.

Chopgingerandaddtotheblender.

Destemthehotpepperandputitintheblender.Addseasalt.

Add your parsley or dill to the blender. If you have a high-speedblender, you can put the entire bunch into the blender withoutchoppingit.

Securethelidtotheblender,andblendwell.Pourthefinisheddressingintoajar.Makesabout1½cups.Useimmediatelyorkeeprefrigeratedforuptooneweek.

SimpleSalad

Equipment

CuttingboardKnifeBowl

Ingredients

1bunchorheadofanygreensHandfulofanysprouts(sunflower,alfalfa,orother)1sunflowerorotheredibleorganicflower

Chop (or tear) the greens into bite-size pieces and put them into thebowl.

Addthesproutsandflowerpetals.

Pourthedressingevenlyonthesaladandtoss.Youmaynotneedallofthe dressing; add to taste. The salad should be eaten as soon as thedressingisadded.

Without the dressing, the salad could be covered and kept in therefrigeratorforoneortwodays.

NutritionalBenefitsofSprouts

Sproutspossessaremarkablenumberofnutrientsthatarebeneficialtohumanhealth.According to the International SproutGrowersAssociation,Dr.Clive

M.McKay,anutritionprofessoratCornellUniversity,sparkedinterestinsproutsasafoodsourceduringWorldWarII.Hereferredtosproutsas“avegetable thatwillgrow inanyclimate,will rivalmeat innutritivevalue,willmatureinthreetofivedays,maybeplantedanydayoftheyear, will require neither soil nor sunshine, will rival tomatoes invitaminC,willbefreeofwasteinpreparation,andcanbecookedwithlittlefuel.”Together with a team of nutritionists, Dr. McKay dedicated many

yearsofresearchtotheamazingpropertiesofsproutedsoybeans.TheyfoundthatsproutsretaintheB-complexvitaminspresentintheoriginalseed, and contain evenmore vitamin A than the seeds, and far morevitaminCthanunsproutedseeds.

Source:www.isga-sprouts.org/index.html

SproutsandSproutingSalad

Sprouts

Sproutsbecameoneofthestaplesofourdietassoonaswetastedthemand learnedhoweasy theywere togrow. In1998,whenwehikedthePacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles), we had sprouts growing in ourbackpacksaswewalked.Wealwayshaveonekindofsproutsoranotheronourtable.Considering their cost and nutritional value, sprouts are the most

economicalfoodthereis.Forexample,twotablespoonsofalfalfasproutswill grow into a quart of tightly packed greens, at the cost of abouttwenty cents. We prefer the simplest and least expensive way ofsprouting: in glass jars. This recipe uses our family’s favoritecombinationofsprouts,butmanyothervariationsarepossible.

Equipment

31-quartglassjars3roundpiecesofmeshfabricorcheesecloth3rubberbands

Ingredients

2tbsp.alfalfasproutingseed2tbsp.fenugreeksproutingseed2tbsp.radishsproutingseed

Waterasneeded

Day1Soakyourseedsinapproximately2cupsofwaterperjarforabout12 hours. It is convenient to soak sprouting seeds in the evening.Coverthemouthsofthejarswiththemeshfabricandsecurethem

withrubberbands.Ifyouhaveverythinrubberbands,use2rubberbands on each jar. Keep your sprouting seeds away from directsunlight.

Day2Twiceaday,inthemorningandintheevening,pourthewateroutandrinsetheseeds.Torinseyoursproutingseeds,filleachjarwithcool(orroomtemperature)water.Gentlytipthejarupsidedownseveraltimes.Pourwateroffand

repeatonceortwice.Placethejarswithseedsstillinsideonadishrackata45-degree

angle, bottom side up. Thisway the excesswater can continue todrainwhiletheairflowsinfreely.

Day3Rinsesproutstwiceadaywithwater.Drainthewaterandplacethesproutsbackata45-degreeangle.Youwillseethesproutsgrowingquicklyinmass.

Day4Keep rinsing your sprouting seeds twice a day. When you noticesome green leaves on your sprouts, move the jars to a brighterlocationforfurthergreening,butnotunderalotofdirectsunlight.You will be amazed how little sunshine is needed to turn yoursproutsgreen.

Day5Thetimetogrowsproutsmayvarybetween3to6daysdependingon the temperature in the room.Thewarmer the air is, the fasteryoursproutswillgrow.Keeprinsingyoursproutingseedstwiceadayuntilthetailsgrow

twicethelengthoftheseeds.

Enjoydeliciousandnutritioussproutsinyoursalads.PlacetheextrasproutsinTupperwareoraZiplocbagandkeeptheminthefridgeforuptoaweek. Youmay tossyour sproutswitha littleoil andvinegaroryourfavorite dressing. Try rolling sprouts together with a variety ofveggiesintocollardleavesornorisheets.

TheBenefitsofFlaxseed

In making raw bread, many chefs prefer to use flaxseed over grains or other seeds.Flaxseedisaperfectadditiontothehumandietbecauseofitsmultiplehealthbenefits.

Accordingto theUSDA, flaxseed ishigh inprotein.Onecupof flaxseedsatisfies92percentofhumanadultneedsinallessentialaminoacids,comparabletomeat.Flaxseedisoneofthebestsourcesofessentialfattyacids(Omega-3andOmega-6).Furthermore,flaxseedcontainsanabundanceofmanganese,magnesium,phosphorus,selenium,zinc,iron, calcium, and other invaluable minerals. Flaxseed provides high amounts of Bvitamins,particularlythiamine,allofwhichareessentialforthehealthofthenervoussystem.Flaxseedisalsonature’srichestsourceofplantlignan,animportantanticancerphytonutrient.

Flaxseedisveryhighinbothsolubleandinsolublefiber.TheU.S.recommendeddailyallowanceforfiberisthirtygramsperday.Twenty-sixpercentofflaxseedisfiber.Justone-eighthof a cupof flaxseed contains six gramsof fiber.Much researchondietaryfiberhasbeendoneallaroundtheworldsincethebeginningofthetwentiethcentury.Wenowhaveundeniableevidenceoffiber’smanyhealingproperties.Herearesomeofthem:

•Fibercanstrengthenadiseasedheart

•Fiberreducescholesterol,whichdecreasestheriskofheartdisease•Fiberpreventsmanydifferentkindsof cancerandbindscarcinogens •Fibercan lessen the riskofdiabetesandimprovealreadydiagnoseddiabetes •Fibersteadiesblood-sugar levelsbyslowingdowntheabsorptionofsugar•Fibercanstrengthentheimmunesystem

• Fiber keeps our bowels healthy, relieves constipation, and promotes regularity • Fiberpromoteshealthyintestinalbacteria

•Fiberhelpsusloseweightandcurbsovereating

Igor’sLiveFlatBread

Igor’sLiveFlatBread

OURFAVORITECRACKERS

Ourfamilyhasbeenaddingflaxseedtoourmealseverydayeitherintheformofcrackersoras flaxmeal.Wehavecreatedamethodofmakingflaxcrackersthattastelikepumpernickel,ourfavoriteRussiancarawaybread.InthischapterwesharewithyouIgor’sbestcrackerrecipe,perfected

over the years. Making a tasty raw cracker can often be tricky andchallenging.Ifyoufollowthisdetailedguideclosely,youshouldendupwith good-tasting bread. As Igor likes to say, learn to make thesedeliciouscrackersandyouwillneverbelonely!Please note: in this text we will refer to Igor’s live bread both as

crackersandasbread.Theonlydifferencebetweenthe two is that thecrackerisadrier,crunchierformofbread.

Equipment

DehydratorBlenderCoffeegrinder(forgrindingflaxseedifyoudon’thaveahigh-speedblender)

CitrusjuicerLargebowlMediumbowlforsoakingraisins2½-cupmeasuringcontainerWoodenspoonSpatula

CuttingboardLargeparingknifeButterknifeChopstick

Ingredients

7cupswater2poundscarrots(4–5carrots)1bunchcelery1headofgarlic(8largecloves)1largeonion½cuplemonjuice2jalapeñopeppers2tbsp.seasalt(optional)1½cupsraisins7cupsflaxseeds1tbsp.carawayseeds1tbsp.corianderseeds1cupsesameseeds,hulledorunhulled

Yields: 81 pieces of 4.5 × 4.5-inch bread/cracker, which equalsenoughdoughtofillanine-trayExcaliburdehydrator.

PreparingtheDough

Slice the carrots into approximately ¼-inch slices. Carrots are a keyingredient in many dried cracker recipes. They make the crackerspliableandfluffy.Placethecarrotslicesinablender.Itshouldbeabouthalfwayfull.

Cover the carrot pieces with water, approximately 3 cups. Blend thecarrotsuntiltheybecomeathick,smoothliquid.Pourthismixtureintoalargebowl.

Cut 1 bunch of celery into approximately ½-inch pieces. Werecommend cutting the celery into smaller pieces in order to use less

waterwhenblending.

Addthepiecestotheblender,coverthemwithwater(approximately2½cups),andblenduntilsmooth.Pourthecelerymixtureintothesamebowlasthecarrots.

Weusecelerybecause it is the finest sourceofnourishingorganicsodium available in nature. Most people are lacking in organicsodium,whichcannotbeobtainedfromtablesaltbecausethebodycannotproperlyassimilatesodiuminthisform.

Peel8or9largeclovesofgarlic.Chopthemintopiecesandplacethemintheblender.

Peel1largeonionandsliceitintorough-choppieces.

Cutup2jalapeñopeppers(withseeds)andplacethemintheblenderalongwiththeonionsand2tablespoonsofseasalt.

Juice 2 large lemons and add the juice to the blender. Add enoughwatertofullysubmergethegarlicandonionpieces.

Thismayseemlikea lotofgarlicandonion,but intheprocessofdehydration the strong garlic/onion smell and spiciness disappear.Therewillbehardlyanyoftheirtasteleft.Ifyouprefernottousegarlic or onion, you may substitute them with another spicyingredientsuchasjalapeñoorginger.

Soak1½cups of raisins inwater for 20minutes.Make sure they arecompletelysubmerged.Inabout20minutestheraisinswillsoftenandthewaterwillbecomelightbrown.Blendthegarlic,onion,andhotpepperandaddtothemixture.

Pour the raisins and their soaking water into the blender. Add

approximately 1½ cups ofwater to the blender. Raisins need a gooddealofwatertoblendthoroughly.

Youmayuseothersweetenerssuchasrawagavenectarordatesinthesecrackers.However,weprefertouseraisinsbecausetheyaddelasticitytothetexture.

Blendtheraisinstilltheyaresmooth,thenpourthemintothevegetablemix along with the blended carrots, celery, garlic, onion, and hotpepper.Setthisveggiemixaside.

Grinduptheseedsinyourcoffeegrinderorhigh-speedblender.Ifyouare grinding your flaxseeds in a high-speed blender, rinse out thecontainer and wipe it dry with a paper towel or cloth. If you try togrindflaxseedsinawetcontainer,theywillsticktothesidesandrefusetogrindup.Continuegrindingtheseeds1cupatatimeuntilyouhavegroundupall7cups.Donotaddwatertohelptheflaxseedsblend.Itis

importantthattheyremaindrysotheycanabsorbthewaterfromthevegetablemixyouhavejustmade.

Whenemptyingtheblender,avoidtouchingthebladeswithanymetalutensils. Contact withmetal quickly dulls the blades.We have foundthat awooden chopstickworks best to get all of the ground flaxseedout.

Younowhave7cupsofflaxseedgroundintofluffy,light-brownflour.To this, add 1 heaping tablespoon of ground caraway and 1 heapingtablespoonofcoriander,mixingtheminthoroughly.

Now prepare yourself for the trickiest and most critical part ofmakingthesecrackers—mixingthedryandliquidpartstogether.

Pour the dry ground flaxseed into the bowl containing the blendedveggies.Useyourhandstoquicklymixitalltogether.Itisimportanttomixinthegroundflaxseedlastbecauseifaddedfirst,ithasatendencyto clump up into small globs that are difficult to get rid of. Clumpycrackers are still delicious, but they are not nearly as impressive-looking.

Continuemixingthedoughuntilitbecomesevenincolorandtexture.Atfirstthedoughwillnotbeverythickbutitwillthickenwithinafewminutesas soonas the flaxseedgetsachance toabsorb the juicefromthevegetables.

Youdon’twantthedoughtobetoothick,becauseitwillbedifficulttospreadontotrays.

TheDehydratingProcess

To prepare the dehydrator for drying crackers, take the trays out ofyour dehydrator and place a sheet of plastic mesh on each of them.PlaceaTeflexsheetorothernonsticksheetoverthemesh. Placeadehydratortraywiththesetwosheets(meshandTeflex)onthecounter.

Werecommendusing thenine-trayExcaliburdehydrator.A fullbatchofcrackersinthisdehydratorwilllastyouatleasttwoweeks.Usingasmallerdryingunitwillforceyoutomakesmallerquantitiesofcrackersmore often.Wehave found the Excalibur to function better than anyotherdehydratorwehaveevertried.TheExcaliburdehydratorislightin weight, safe, uses aminimal amount of electricity, and dries foodevenly.Excaliburdehydratorsareeasytoclean,ifyouknowthetrick—justsoakthetraysfortwentyminutesinwarmwaterandrinseoff.

Using a 2½-cupmeasuring container to scoop up the cracker dough,pourthedoughintothecenterofthetray.(Keepanextraplatehandyforputting theemptymeasuringcupdownwhenyoudon’tneed it tominimizethemessonyourcounter.)

Use a spatula to spread themixture from the center out towards theedges. A firm rubber spatula makes the job of spreading the crackerdough significantly easier. Spread the dough in an even layer¼-inchthick.Tospreadthedoughevenly,rotatethetraywheneveryouneedto.

Whenall thedoughisevenlyspread,cleantheedgesof thetraywithyourspatula.Thisleaveslesscleanupandmakesiteasiertoremovethecrackersfromthetraywhentheyaredone.

Yourcrackerswill lookalotmoreappetizingifsprinkledwithsesameseeds.Youmayusehulledorunhulledseeds.Ifyoudonothaveaccessto sesame seeds, you may use pumpkin, sunflower, or flaxseed of adifferentcolor,suchasgoldenflaxseed.

Setthetemperatureto105degreesF.Allowthecrackerstodryfor10to 12 hours. The speed of drying will vary depending on thetemperatureandhumidityofyourkitchen. Keep checking on your cracker. When they are done, afterapproximately10 to12hoursofdehydrating, there shouldbedarker,slightlymoist(notsticky!)spotsinthecenterofyourcracker.

Removethecrackersfromthedehydrator.Toseparatethecrackerfromthetray,youfirstneedtocutthecrackeredgesloose.Wehavefoundthatusingabutterknifeisthemostwayofdoingthis.Firmlypressthebutterknifedownandslideitalongtheedgeofthecracker.

Once you have cut along all four edges of the cracker square, gentlypullthecrackeroffthedehydratortray.Atthisstage,thecrackerisstillsoftenoughtoroll,asyoucanseeinthepicture.

In our family we dehydrate our crackers to that magic consistency,when they are still flexible enough to be rolled.We call our cracker“bread”becausethatiswhattheytasteandlooklike.

Youmaychoosetodehydrateyourcrackerallthewaytoacrunchyconsistency if you enjoy crunchy crackers better, especially if youare planning to travel. Fully dehydrated crackerswill keep longer

thanmoistones.Tothoroughlydehydratethecrackerstoacrunchytexture,turnoverthecrackerandputitbackontopofthemeshontheplastictraywithouttheTeflexlayer.Placethecrackersbackinthedehydratorandcontinuedryingthemforanother2to4hours.

Tocutthebreadintoequalpieces,placethecrackerslabonacuttingboardanduseaserratedknife.Weliketocuteachofourbreadslabsinto nine pieces, as shown in these pictures. This method of cuttingresults in nine square (4.5 × 4.5-inch) crackers, a perfect size formakingsandwiches.

Thesepicturesportraya fewof theunlimitedvariationsofservingtasty rawbreadatyourdinner table. Learning tomake thisbreadwillenableyoutopreparevariousscrumptioushealthysandwichesorwrapsinjustminutes.Tastylivebreadenrichesanymeal!

Soup

Soup

Similar to most cooked soups, raw soups are economical and easy toprepare. Raw soups are also exceptionally nutritious. There is a wideassortment of raw soup recipes created by an ever-growingnumber ofrawchefs.Rawchilies,chowders,greensoups,bisques,gazpachos,andstewshavebecomepopulardailychoicesformanyhealthseekers.Wehavechosenthisparticularrecipeforitsamazinglydelicioustaste.

Everyonewhohastrieditenjoyedthebouquetofflavorsandaskedforarecipe.Wehopeyouenjoyittoo!

Equipment

BlenderLemonjuicerGraterBowlCuttingboardKnife

Ingredients

Forstock:3cupswater¼cupoliveoil

4medium-sizedlemons1pieceoffreshginger,about2incheslong2spicypeppers(jalapeñoorother)1tsp.seasalt8Medjooldates½mediumbunchcelery1bunchcilantroRemainingsoupingredients:1daikonradish1carrot1smallturnip1piece(about3inches)ofcauliflower1bellpepper(red,yellow,orange,orpurple)1avocadoIngredientsforgarnishingsoup:1scallion1handfulsprouts(sunflower,alfalfa,orother)1sweetpepperor3cherrytomatoes

Pourwaterandoliveoilintotheblender.

Placethegingerinyourblender.ThegingerdoesnotneedtobepeeledifyouhaveapowerfulblendersuchasaVita-Mix.

Addspicypeppersandseasalttotheblender.

RemovethepitsfromtheMedjooldatesandaddthemtotheblender.Besuretotakeoutthetailsofthedatesaswell.Theyareratherwoodyandhardanddon’tblendwell.

We prefer to use Medjools because of their delicate taste, but ofcourseyoumayuseanyotherkindofdates.Ifusingsmallerorlesssweetdates,use10to15.

Cutthelemonsinhalfandjuicethemwithacitrusjuicer.Thisshouldmakeapproximately1cupof lemonjuice.Addthe lemonjuicetotheblender.

Securethelidontheblenderandblendallingredientsfor1minute,oruntilsmooth,onthehighestspeedofyourblender.

Placecelerystalksintheblender,closethelid,andblendforabout20to30seconds.

Placecilantrointheblender,closethelid,andblendforanother20to30seconds.

Nowyourstockisready.Pouritintothebowl.

Grate the daikon. If you want your daikon to have long strands andlooklikenoodles,makelongstrokeswhilegratingit.Addyourdaikon“noodles”tothesoupstock.

Gratethecarrotandturnip.Gratedcarrotsareaparticularlyimportantingredient foralmostanyrawsoup.Theyaddabeautifulbrightcolorandsweettasteandalsomakethesouplooksimilartoacookedsoup.

Add the carrot and turnip to the soup and stir, making sure that allgrated veggies are completely submerged in the liquid so they don’toxidizeandturnbrown.

Thinlysliceoffthecauliflowerfloretsandaddthemtothesoup.Smallcauliflowerpiecesaddanicecrunchytexture.

Removestemandseeds fromthebellpepper,dice intoapproximately½-inchpieces,andaddtothesoup.

Cuttheavocadoinhalf.(Aperfectavocadoshouldnotbetoohardortoo soft. It yieldsa littlewhen lightlypressedwitha finger.)Holdingeach sidewith a different hand, twist the avocadohalves in differentdirections.Thismovementwilldividetheavocadointotwoequalparts,onewiththeseedandonewithout.

Hittheavocadoseedlightlywiththesharpsideofyourknife,sothatthe blade sticks in the seed. Twist the knife and the seedwill easilycomeoutoftheavocado.

Cuteachavocadohalf intoquarters.Atthispoint itshouldbeeasytopeelofftheskin.

Cuttheavocadointocubesandaddtothesoup.Somepeoplesaythatavocado cubes in the raw soup resemble cooked potatoes in a

traditionalsoup.

Nowitistimetodecorateyoursoupandmakeitlookappealingtotheeye.Werecommendthatyoucompletethislaststagejustbeforeservingthesoup,eitherinthelargebowlorinindividualservingbowls.Thinlyslicethescallionsandsprinklethemacrossthesurfaceofthesoup.

Placethesproutsevenlyacrossthesoupandarrangethinlyslicedsweetpeppersoverthesprouts.

CulturedVegetables

CulturedVegetables

Onewonderfulbenefitofthisrecipeisthatitcanbemadeoutofalmostany vegetables. All the different colors and textures in thismarinateddishplayapartinmakingitdelectablygourmet.

Equipment

FoodprocessorBlenderLargebowl1-gallonglassjarSmallglassjarCuttingboardKnifePotatomasher

Ingredients

Tomake1gallonofculturedveggiesyouwillneedapproximatelypounds of the following vegetables in any combination: Redcabbage, green cabbage, rutabagas, carrots, celery stalks, celeriac(celery root), parsnips, turnips, beets, zucchini, radishes, andcauliflower.Youwillalsoneedtoaddthefollowing:

3cupswater6largeclovesgarlic3hotpeppers(jalapeñoorother)3tbsp.salt(optional)1pkg.kefiroryoghurtculture(Thesearemorecommonlyfoundinhealth-foodstores.Youcanmaketherecipewithoutaculture;itwilljusttakeabout20hourslonger.)

Most recipes for cultured veggies ask for large quantities of salt,because salt makes cabbage yield juice. Juice is necessary tosubmergethefermentingvegetablessotheyarenotexposedtotheairandharmfulmicrobes.Insteadofusingalotofsalt,weprepareamarinade by blending vegetables with water. You may also addherbsorspicestothisliquidifyouwish.

Rough-chopaquarterheadofcabbageandadd thecabbagepieces totheblender.

Addthesalt,water,garlic,andkefirculture.

Addhotpeppersandblendthemixtureuntilitissmoothandhasapalegreencolor.Setaside.

Positionagratingbladeinyourfoodprocessor.Cuthalfacabbageintopiecesthatwillfitthroughtheopeninginthelid,about1inchwide.

Begin shredding the cabbage by pushing it through the grater blade.Youcangratetheentirecabbage,leavesandstem.

Celeriac (celery root) is an exceptionally tasty and nutritiouslyvaluablevegetable. Ithasasoft,delicate textureand isevenmorenutritiousthancelery. It isrich inpotassium,sodium,andvitaminC. Once you discover this delicious root, you will want to eat itregularly.We love toaddgratedceleriac toour salads.Celeriac isanexcellentadditiontoanyculturedfood.Itenhancesthetasteof

yourmarinatedveggiesandincreasestheirnutritionalvalue.

Grate the other vegetables of your choice. Our favorite veggies arecarrots, celery, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, beets, zucchini, radishes,celeryroot,andcauliflower.

Asyoufinishblendingeachbatch,placethegratedvegetablesinalargebowl.Youwillfillyourfoodprocessor’scontainerseveraltimesover.

Begin to mix the beautiful colored vegetables together. Pour thecabbage marinade you made earlier into the mixed veggies andcontinuetostir.

Transferthemixedveggiesintoaglassgallonjar.Useapotatomasherto compress the vegetables and cover them in their juice.Make surethere are no air pockets in order to prevent harmful microbes fromgrowing. Press down hard on the shredded vegetables so all the airbubblesescape.

Putthelidontightlyandletthejarsitupsidedownfor2to3hourssothejuicehasachancetothoroughlypenetratetheveggiesinthejar.

Findasmallglassjarthatwillfitlooselyintothemouthofthelargejartoweighdown the vegetables. Fill itwithwater, put a lid on it, andplaceitinthelargejaroverthegratedvegetables.Makesurethereisalittle spacebetween the jars so that theairbubbles that rise fromthemixturehaveroomtoescape.Leavethejaroutonyourcounterfor1to3days.Thelongeryouletthemixturesit,themoreitwillferment.

Serve cultured veggies sprinkled with oil and decorated with freshherbs.

IrememberhowIcouldn’tconvincemyhusbandtohelpmemakelivegardenburgers.Igorwasafraidtospoiltheingredients.Hereasoned,“Itwaseasywithrealmeat;youjust cut a piece and fried it with oil. But now I am supposed to create ‘meat’ fromcarrots,andwithoutacow?”Hesawmepreparinglivegardenburgersdozensoftimes,buthewascertainthatitwastoocomplicatedforhim.Oneday,wehadanemergencysituationwhentoomanypeopleshowedupforacateredrawfooddinner.Iwasbusypreparingsoup.Somebodyhadtopreparegardenburgers,andIgordidn’thaveachoice.Sohedid it!Evenbefore I finishedmakingsoup,hewasdone.Since thatday IhavenevermadeanotherlivegardenburgermyselfbecauseIgortookoverthistask.Nowinmyfamilywecallthisdish“Igorburger.”

Igorbegantoenjoypreparingrawfoodmoreandmore.Hecreatedmanyofhisownrecipes. His Russian-style crackers are popular all over the world. In Iceland, Igordemonstratedhowtopreparearawsandwich.Heputlivegardenburgersoncrackersand decorated them with green leaves and tomatoes. When people tried his rawsandwichestheywereamazedathowdelicioustheywere.Onewomanexclaimed:“Thissandwichisworthlivingfor!”

We have perfected the live garden burger recipe throughout the years and aredelightedtopresentittoyouhereindetail.

(Excerptfromthebook12StepstoRawFoodsbyVictoriaBoutenko.Pleasenote:therecipeforthecrackermentionedaboveisalsolistedinthisbookonthispage.)

LiveGardenBurger

LiveGardenBurger

You will find this delicious garden burger pâté is extremely versatile.Onceyouhave thebasicmixture together,youcanbuilda traditional-styleburgerwithmushroompatties(PortabellaBurgers,thispage),tryacracker-based creation (Mini Pizzas, this page), or get a little morefanciful(BellPepperSailboatandMushroomFleet,thispage).

Equipment

BlenderFoodprocessorCitrusjuicerBowlWoodenspoonSpatulaCuttingboardKnifeIce-creamscoop

Ingredients

2cupssunflowerseeds3carrots

1mediumonion¼cupraisins2tbsp.rawagavenectar¼cupoliveoil1lemon¼bunchfreshherbs(suchasbasil,thyme,dill,orrosemary)1tsp.seasalt1hotpepper(jalapeñoorother)

PuttheS-bladeinthefoodprocessor.Pourthesunflowerseeds intheprocessor,securethelid,andgrindthemtoapowder.

Remove the blade. Using the spatula, pour the powdered sunflower

seedsintothebowl.PuttheS-bladebackintotheprocessor.

Cutthecarrotsintosmallchunks,approximately1inchthick,andaddthemtothefoodprocessor.Grinduntiltheyarepureed.

Slicetheonionintosmallsquarepiecesandaddtothefoodprocessor.

Addtheraisins,rawagavenectar,andoliveoil.

Slice the lemons inhalf, juice them, andpour the juice into the foodprocessor.

Addtheseasalt,freshherbs,andhotpepper.Blendtheingredientsforapproximately1minute.

Stop blending, open the lid, and use a spatula to scrape down thecontents from the walls of the container to ensure that the pâté isevenly blended throughout. Secure the lid and blend for another 30seconds.

Take off the lid and remove the blade. Using the spatula, add thegardenburgerpâtétothebowlwiththegroundsunflowerseeds.

Knead the garden burger pâtéwith both hands until it is thoroughlymixed.

Now you have a bowl of delicious and nutritious garden burgerpâté!Weinviteyoutoserveitasyouwouldanyburgerorpâté.Youcan form it into balls, cutlets, or fillets and sprinkle with a littlepaprika. We offer several ideas below; you may come up withunlimitedvariationsofyourown.This recipe makes roughly 4 cups of pâté, enough for about 4portabellaburgers,10pizzas,or6bellpeppersailboats.Itwillkeepintherefrigeratorforseveraldayssoyoucanuseitforavarietyofdishesduringtheweek.

PortabellaBurgersFor this recipe, pick out firm, evenly shapedportabellamushrooms—twoforeachburger.

Carefullycutoutthemushroomstalks.

Withtheice-creamscoop,portionoutaburgerfromthepâtéandplaceitontheflatsideofthemushroom.Flattentheburgerwiththespatula.

Cutathinsliceofonionandadditontopoftheburger.

Layeracoupleofbrightgreenleavesoflettuceorspinach.

Cut a couple of thin slices of tomato and place them on the greenleaves.

Scoopoutanotherburgerandadditontopofthetomatoes.Flattentheburgerwiththespatula.

Addmoregreen leaves to theburger and topoff your sandwichwithanothermushroom“bun.”

Serveyourmushroomburgerwithavarietyofveggiesandsprouts.

MiniPizzas

Using a butter knife, spread a layer of garden burger pàté on a fewcrackers (see our recipe on this page.)

Decorateasyouwish,withsun-driedolives,slicedmushrooms,halvedcherrytomatoes,herbs,andothervegetables.

These charming personal-size pizzas are very satisfying as a maincourse,orcanmakeperfectappetizersforguests.

BellPepperSailboatandMushroomFleet

Removethestem,seeds,andcorefromabellpepper.

Cutthepepperinhalf,sidewaysalongthegrooves.Thiswayyouwillhavetwoparts,eachresemblingthehullofaboat.Removeanyextraseeds.

Usingaspoon,filleachhalfwithgardenburgerpâté.Smoothdownthefillingtolooklikeadeck.

Stick a big spinach or basil leaf up in themiddle to look like a sail.Decorate with your favorite veggies and herbs. You may serve yoursailboatsalone,oryoucanaddamushroomfleet!

Carefullytwistoffthestalksfromthebuttonmushrooms.

Usingaspoonorsmallice-creamscoop,fillthemushroomswithpâté.Decoratewithwholecherrytomatoesandherbs.

Our familyhasservedthis funandprettydishatchildren’sparties,weddings,birthdays,andmanyotherfestivegatherings.

Peroshkis

Peroshkis

Peroshkis, or pierogies, are to Russians what pizza is to Italians. WemissedperoshkiswhenwecamefromRussia.Wemissedperoshkisevenmore hopelessly when we went on the raw food diet. In an effort toconvince our Russian friends of the benefits of eating raw, weexperimenteduntilwewereabletore-createthis famousRussiandish.Everybodywhotriesthemenjoysthem,nomatterwhattheirdiet.Nowthatweareinlovewithgreens,weofferyouarecipeofperoshkiswithkale.(Greeneggsandhamwillbeinthenextbook!)

Equipment

DehydratorVita-MixblenderorcoffeegrinderFoodprocessorLargebowlIce-creamscoopCuttingboardKnifeSpatulaCitrusjuicer

Ingredients

2poundscelery(about1largebunch)2poundscabbage(1medium-sizedcabbage)2largecarrots

2tbsp.extra-virginoliveoil(optional)6–9dates,pitsremoved

3tbsp.seasalt(optional)2jalapeños,orotherhotpeppers5clovesgarlic1mediumonion6mediumlemons2buncheskale1poundBrazilnuts(orsunflowerseeds)2bunchesparsleyorcilantro1lb.flaxseed,groundinacoffeegrinderoraVita-Mix3tbsp.paprikapowder

Sliceceleryinto1-inchchunks.

Position the S-blade in the food processor. Fill the containerapproximatelyhalfwayfullwithchoppedcelery.Grindwell.

Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscoopthegroundceleryintoalargebowl.Repeatasnecessaryuntilallceleryisground.

Cutaheadofcabbageinhalf.Chopupbothhalvesintoapproximately1-inchsquares.

Position the S-blade in the food processor, fill the containerapproximatelyhalfwayfullwithchoppedcabbage,andblend.Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscoopthegroundcabbageintothebowlwithcelery.Repeatuntilmostofthecabbageisground,savingsometogrind with the carrots so your processor is full enough to workefficiently.

Placethe lastremainingbatchofcabbageinthefoodprocessor.Chopthecarrotsintoapproximately1-inchroundsandaddthemtothefoodprocessorontopofthecabbage.

Grindthoroughly.

Add theextravirginoliveoil,dates (makesureallpitsare removed),and salt. (The oil helps with consistency, but is not absolutelynecessary, and you may omit the salt as well if you prefer.)

Add jalapeños.Youmayaddmore than twopeppers if you like spicyfood.

Peelandchopthegarlicclovesandaddthemtotheprocessor.

Peelandchoptheonion.

Addonionandlemonjuicetotheprocessorandgrindthoroughly.

Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscoopthemixtureintothebowlwiththeothergroundveggies.

Rough-choptwobunchesofkale.

Fill thewholeprocessor containerwith choppedkale.Grindwell andrepeatuntilallkaleispureed.

Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscoopoutthekaleandaddittothebowlwiththeothergroundvegetables.

FillthefoodprocessorhalfwaywithBrazilnuts.Grindthemthoroughlyuntiltheytumintoaflour(Pleasenote:ifyougrindthemtoolong,theymight turn into a nut butter.)

Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscoopthegroundnutsintothebowlofvegetables.RepeatuntilmostoftheBrazilnutsareground.Placetheremainingnutsinthefoodprocessor.Grindwell,andleavetheminthecontainerwhileyouprepthekale.

Rough-choptwobunchesofparsley.

Addthemtotheprocessorwiththenutsandgrind.Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscoopthegroundnutsandparsleyintothebowlofgroundvegetables.

Kneadthedoughthoroughlywithyourhands.

Add the ground flaxseed to the dough, andmix it in well with your

hands.

PreparedehydratortraysbyplacingasheetofmeshplasticoneachofthemandaddaTeflexorothernonsticksheetoverthemesh.

Usinganice-creamscoop,scoopmoundsofdoughontothetray.(Anyspoonwilldo,but thescoophelpsgive theperoshkisamoreuniformshape.) Youcanplace theperoshkisveryclose togetheras theywill shrinkwhiledrying.Makeevenrowssotheydryevenly.

Once the tray is filled, sprinkle paprika on the peroshkis for a moreattractiveappearance.

Dehydrateat105 to115degreesF forapproximately15 to20hours,dependingonthetemperatureandhumidityofyourkitchen.YoumaywanttoremovetheTeflexsheetsafterabout12hoursandleaveyourperoshkisonmeshsheetsformorethoroughdrying.

Peroshkis taste best when fresh, but you can store them in therefrigeratorforseveralweeks.

GreenSmoothie

GreenSmoothie

Wedrinkgreensmoothieseverydaybecauseweconsiderthemtobethemostnutritiousfoodintheworld.Throughmanyyearsofresearch,wehavelearnedthatgreensareaprimesourceofnutrition.Theyarerichinessentialvitamins,minerals,aminoacids,andantioxidants.Addingripefruittogreensmoothiesmakeseventhemostbittergreenspalatable.Weenjoy green smoothies so much that we bought an extra blender andplaceditintheRawFamilyofficesowecanmakegreensmoothiesanytime. We share them with everyone who comes in. Even our FedExdriverlovesgreensmoothies!

Equipment

BlenderCuttingboardKnife

Ingredients

1pineapple2mangoes1bunchchard2cupswater

Greensmoothieshavenumerousbenefitsforhumanhealth.

1. Green smoothies are very nutritious. The ratio of about 60 percentripe,organicfruitmixedwithabout40percentorganicgreenleavesisoptimalforhumanconsumption.

2.Greensmoothiesareeasytodigest.Whenblendedwell,mostof thecells in the greens and fruits are ruptured, making the valuablenutrients easy for the body to assimilate. Green smoothies literallystarttogetabsorbedinyourmouth.

3.Green smoothies, asopposed to juices, area complete foodbecausetheystillhavefiber.Consumingfiberisimportantforoureliminationsystem.

4. Those who eat a standard American diet enjoy the taste of greensmoothiesbecausethefruittastedominatestheflavor,yetatthesametimethegreensbalanceoutthesweetnessof thefruit,addinganicezesttoit.Peopletryinggreensmoothiesforthefirsttimeareusuallyquitesurprisedthatsomethingsogreencouldtastesonice.

5. A molecule of chlorophyll closely resembles a molecule of humanblood. According to the teachings of Dr. Ann Wigmore, consumingchlorophyllislikereceivingahealthybloodtransfusion.Manypeopledo not consume enough greens—even those on a raw food diet. Bydrinkingtwoorthreecupsofgreensmoothieadayyouwillconsumeenoughgreenstonourishyourbody,andallofthebeneficialnutrientswillbewellassimilated.

6. Green smoothies are easy tomake, and quick to clean up after. Incontrast, juicing greens is time consuming, messy, and expensive.Many people abandon drinking green juices on a regular basis forthosereasons.Preparingapitcherofgreensmoothietakeslessthan5minutes,includingcleaning.

7.Greensmoothiesarelovedbychildrenofallages,includingbabiesof6ormoremonths old.Of course youhave tobe careful and slowlyincreasetheamountofsmoothietoavoidfoodallergies.

8.Whenconsumingyourgreensintheformofgreensmoothies,youaregreatlyreducingtheconsumptionofoilsandsaltinyourdiet.9.Regularconsumptionofgreensmoothiesformsagoodhabitofeatinggreens.After a fewweeks of drinking green smoothies,most peoplestart toenjoyandcraveeatingmoregreens.Eatingenoughgreens isoftenaproblemwithmanypeople,especiallychildren.10. While fresh is always best, green smoothies will keep in cooltemperaturesforupto3days,whichcanbehandyatworkandwhiletraveling.

Remove the stem of the pineapple by gripping the fruit firmly andtwistingthetopoff.Cutapproximatelyoneinchoffthebottomandthetop.

Slice off the prickly skin of the pineapple and cut the fruit in slicesapproximately½inchthick.Makesureallthecoarsepiecesofskinareremoved.Theremay still be somedarkdots but they canbe blendedintothesmoothie.

Ifyouhaveahigh-speedblendersuchasVita-MixorBlendtec,youdonot have to remove the core of the pineapple. If you have a regularblender,youwillneedtoremovethecore.Toremovethecore,cutthefleshoffthepineapple,workingtheknifecloselyaroundthecore.

Cuttherestofthepineappleintochunks,placetheminabowl,andsetaside.

Youmayplacethepineapplecoreintherefrigeratoranduseitlater.Youcanchopitintocubesandenjoyitasasnack,or(ifyouhaveahigh-speedblender)juiceitwithotheringredients,whichwilladdanicetropicalflavortoyourfruitorvegetablejuice.

Therearemanydifferentwaystocutmangoes.Wewillteachyouourfamilyfavorite.Keepinmindthatinsidethemangoisathin,flatpit.Startingatthetop, make a lengthwise cut as close to the pit as possible. Make asimilarcutontheotherside.Nowyouhavetwohalvesofmango,whichcontainmostoftheflesh.Set aside the middle section containing the pit. You can eat aroundwhat’sleftontheseedorcompostit.

Holdingonehalfofthemangoinyourpalm,gentlymakeagridofcutswith a small paring knife by first cutting one direction, then across,close to thebottomskinwithoutpuncturing it.Beverycarefulnot tocutyourhand.

Holdingthemangowithbothhands,turnthemangoinsideouttofanoutthechunks.

Itisnoweasytocutthechunksoffintoabowl.Preparethethreeothermangohalvesinthesameway.

Next,preparethechard.Theentirechardplantisedible,butweliketoremove the stems because they add a salty or peppery taste to thesmoothie,andtheydon’tblendwellinaregularblender.

To remove stems, hold the stem in one hand and strip off the leaveswiththeother.Don’tbotherremovingthesmallerpartsofthestemthatdon’tnaturallyseparate fromthe leaves; just themainstalk.Youmaychopupthestemlaterandaddittoasalad.

Place all the fruit andgreens into theblender, addwater, and securethelid.Blendwelltoacreamyconsistency.

This recipe makes a full blender’s worth, approximately half agallonofdeliciousgreensmoothie.Ofcourse,drinkingasmoothiefresh is optimal, butwe often don’t have time tomake one rightbeforewewanttodrinkit.Oneofthebenefitsofgreensmoothiesis

thatyoucankeepthemintherefrigeratoruptothreedays.

We invite you to serve the smoothie in pretty glasses anddecorate itwithfresh,brightlycoloredfruit.

There are unlimited varieties of green smoothies you couldmake.Every time you change the greens or add different fruit, you arecreating an original recipe with a whole new flavor! (All greenscontain a minute amount of alkaloids. If you consume the samegreensformanyweeks,youcanaccumulatethealkaloid,sorotatethemdaily, forexamplekaleonMonday,spinachonTuesday,andsoon.)

Hereareafewmoreofourfamily’sfavoritesmoothierecipes:

MintySweetSpinach

1bunchspinach1sprigofmint1pintstrawberries

3ripebananas2cupswater

Blendallingredientsuntilsmooth.Yields2quartsofsmoothie.

ToothoftheLionSmoothie

The word “dandelion” comes from the old French, dent de lion,“tooth of (a) lion.” Centuries ago people noticed that those whoconsumed dandelion leaves had teeth as strong as lions. (Source:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dandelion)

1bunchdandelionleaves2mangoes2pears2cupswater

Blendallingredientsuntilsmooth.Yields2quartsofsmoothie.

PeachyGreen

1bunchkale,destemmed4ripepeaches2cupswater

Blendallingredientsuntilsmooth.Yields2quartsofsmoothie.

Theserecipesaremerelybasic ideas foryourgreencreations.Feelfree to substitute the ingredients with your own choice of greensandfruits.Enjoy!Start playingwith green smoothies, and discover themany joysandbenefits of thiswonderful delicious andnutritious addition toyour menu. Youmay find manymore amazing facts about greensmoothiesinmybooksGreenforLifeandGreenSmoothieRevolution.

Nutsandseedsarenutritionallydensefoods,aswellasdeliciousinnutmilks.Ourall-time favorite nut milks are almond and sesame seed. Here is some impressiveinformationaboutthesetwoseeds.

Almonds

Almondsareextremely rich invitaminEandBaswellas riboflavin,niacin, thiamin,andfolate.AlmondsarehighinOmega-6.Onecupofalmondscontains40percentof theU.S.RDAofprotein,whileacupof

low-fatcow’smilkcontainsjust16percent.Almondsarehigh in the followingminerals:manganese,magnesium,calcium, iron,

copper,zinc,potassium,andphosphorus.

SesameSeeds

Onecupofsesameseeds(unhulled)has140percentoftheU.S.RDAofcalciumand116percentoftheU.S.RDAofiron,aswellas294percentoftherequirementforcopper.Itisalsohigh inmanganese,magnesium,andzinc.Sesameseedsare rich inBvitaminsandOmega-6.

Source: www.nutritiondata.com. The information in this database comes from theUSDA’sNationalNutrientDatabaseforStandardReference.

NutMilk

NutMilk

Nutmilks are amiraculously simple food to prepare, andwill quicklybecome an everyday favorite. It is so comforting to cuddle upwith ablanket,agoodbook,andacupofnutmilkafteralongstressfulday.There are unlimited variations on this basic nutmilk recipe. In our

family,we’veenjoyednutmilkshundredsoftimes,yettheyalwaystasteslightlydifferentandcontinuetosurpriseuswiththeirwonderfulflavor.Toprepareanutmilk,youwillneed:

Equipment

BlenderNut-milkbagLargebowlSmallbowlforsoakingnuts,andlaterfornutpulpPitcher

Ingredients

1cupalmonds3cupswater3tbsp.rawagavenectar⅛tsp.seasalt(optional)

Pour thenuts into thesmallbowlandcoverwithwater.Set thebowlasideforthenight,orforabout6hours.

We recommend that you always soak nuts or seeds overnight inwater. Dry nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors that are notgoodfor thebody.Soakingdestroys the inhibitorsandmakesnutsmoredigestible.

After thenutshave soaked,pour the leftoverwateroutandplace thenuts in the blender.Add three cups of freshwater, cover the blendersecurely,andblendwell.

Overa largebowl,pourthemixture intothenut-milkbagandtiethebagtight.

Asyousqueezethemilkthroughthebag,makesuretousebothhandsso that the pressure from your hands is spread evenly, which willpreventthebagfromsplittingattheseam.

Gently squeeze the nut-milk bag, alternating pressure between yourright and left hands. Keep squeezing until the bag is completelydrained,andonlythepulpisleftinside.

Carefullyopenthebagoverthesmallbowlandpouroutthepulp.(Youmaystorethepulpinthefreezerforanindefiniteamountoftimeanduseitlaterforotherrecipes.)

Youcancomeupwithanunlimitedvarietyof flavors inyournutmilks by changing the ingredients. Try experimenting with thefollowing nuts and seeds: almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans,macadamia nuts, walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds,

hempseeds,sunflowerseeds,orsesameseeds.

Ifyoulike,youcandrinkthenutmilkas it is.Somepeopleprefer itsverymildflavor.Toaddamoredistinctiveflavor,pourthemilkbackintotheblender,addtheagavenectarandsalt,andblendthemixtureforjust10or15seconds.

The nut milk may become slightly warm from blending, which iscomfortingonacold,rainyday.Inthesummeryoumayenjoyyournutmilkchilled.

Youmayaddapinchofoneof the followingspices toyournutmilk:nutmeg,vanilla,cinnamon,allspice,mint,orcloves.Andtrythefollowingsweeteners:agavenectar,dates,honey,stevia,raisins,bananas,orapplejuice.

For special occasions, serve your guests nut milk with a brightflowerorsprinklesomenutsaroundtheglass.

CranberryScones

CranberryScones

Cranberry scones have a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste and a texturesimilartobranmuffins.Rawsconesarenotbakedbutdehydrated,andtherefore keep all the nutrients intact. We like this recipe because itconsistsofmoreapplesandcarrotsandfewernuts.Thesesconesmakeaheartysnackandareconvenientfortraveling.

Equipment

FoodprocessorDehydratorCitrusjuicerHigh-speedblenderorcoffeegrinderCuttingboardKnifeLargebowlIce-creamscoopSpatula

Ingredients

2cupsgratedcarrots(about2carrots)2cupsgratedapples(about2apples)2cupswalnuts

2cupsraisins

1cupcranberries(freshorfrozen)1cupflaxseed4tbsp.rawagavenectar¼cuplemonjuice2tbsp.oliveoil2tbsp.sesameseeds,hulledorunhulled

PuttheS-bladeintoyourprocessor.Slicecarrotsintoapproximately1-inchchunks,putthemintotheprocessor,andgrindthemuntiltheyareafineconsistency.

Remove the blade and using a spatula, pour the carrots into a largebowl.

Put the S-bladeback in theprocessor and repeat the same stepswiththeapples—slice into1-inchchunksandgrind themthoroughly.Takethebladeoutandpourtheapplesintothebowlwiththecarrots.

Beforegrindingthenuts,rinseandthoroughlydryyourfoodprocessorwithatowelorclothsothenutsdonotsticktothecontainer.PuttheS-bladebackin,addthewalnutstotheprocessor,andgrindwell.

Takethebladeout.Usingaspatula,addthegroundnutstothemixingbowl.

In a high-speed blender or coffee grinder, grind the flaxseed to apowder.Addthegroundflaxseedtothemixingbowl.Useaspatulaorchopsticktogetallthegroundflaxseedoutofthecontainer.

Addtheraisinsandcranberriestothemixture.Nowyouhaveacolorfulmixthatalreadybeginstolookyummy!

Pourtherawagavenectar,lemonjuice,andoliveoilintothebowlandstartmixingtheingredientswithbothhands.Keepmixingthedoughuntiltherearenochunksordrypocketsleft.

We encourage you to thinkhowhappy your friendswill bewhenyou share the sconeswith them, or youmay pray ormeditate orsing. Japanese scientists have proven that the positive thinking ofchefsenhancesthenutritionalvalueandtasteoffood.

PlaceaTeflexorothernonsticksheetovertheplasticmeshsheetontopofthedehydratortray.

Usingtheice-creamscoop,scoopmoundsofdoughontothetray.(Anyspoonwilldo,butthescoophelpsmakeamoreuniformshapeforall

thescones.)Position the scones close together as they will shrink while drying.Makeuniformrowssothatthesconesdryevenly.Startwiththefarsidefirst,orelserotatethetray.

For an attractive finish, sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the scones.Dehydrateat105 to115degreesF forapproximately15 to20hours,dependingonthetemperatureandhumidityinyourkitchen,thenflipthesconesanddehydrateforanother3hoursontheoppositeside.Thesconeswillkeepinaglassorplasticcontainerforupto2monthsintherefrigeratororfor2weeksatroomtemperature.

Makes25scones.

Raw jamsclosely resemble traditional jams in taste, flavor, andconsistency, althoughrawjamsarenotcookedandthereforedonotkeepforlongperiodsoftime.Rawjamsaremuchmorenutritiousthancookedjamsandpossessanumberofotherbenefitsthattraditionaljamsdonot.

Rawjams:

• haveonlyhalf of the calories that regularly cooked jamsdo • donot containwhitesugaroranyothersweetener•arerichinnaturalvitamins,minerals,andantioxidants•takejustminutestoprepareandareoneofthesimplestrecipesever•areadelicioustreatfordessertlovers•createabeautifuladditiontoapartytable

RawMangoJam

RawMangoJam

Thefollowingrecipemaybeusedformakingjamoutofanydriedfruit.Thequalityofthedriedfruityouuseisimportant.Weliketousefruitthatwehavedriedourselvesduringtheharvestseason,butwealsobuyqualitydriedorganicfruitfromhealth-foodstores.Besuretoavoidthebrandsusingsulfides.

Equipment

BlenderSmallglassjarSmallbowl

Ingredients

2cupsdriedmangoes2cupswater

Soak dried mangoes in enough water to completely submerge them,about2cups.Leavethemtosoakfor15to20minutes.

After 20minutes, when the driedmangoes are slightly reconstituted,pourthemandthesoakwater intoablender.Blendthemangopiecesuntilsmooth.Themangojamwillbecomethickerasyoublendit.Ifthejambecomes so thick that it stops circulating, adda small amountofwatertothemixture.

Once themango jam is blended, it should have a pleasant goldencolorand smellabsolutelyheavenly.Transfer the jam intoacleanjarandstoreintherefrigerator.

Rawjamscanserveasgreatgift foryourlovedonesbecausetheyarebothhealthyandgreattasting.Theyareanicewaytointroducearawfoodlifestyletootherpeople.Topackagethejamsnicely,followthesesimpleinstructions:Cutacircleoutoffabric3incheswiderthanthelidofacanningjar.Placetheinsideofthelidonthejar.Laythefabriccircleovertheinsideofthelid.Screwtheouterpartofthelidontopofthefabric.Decoratethejarwithribbon.

The variety of raw jams that can be prepared out of dried fruit ispracticallyunlimited.Experimenttofindyourfavorite!

Therearemanywaystoenjoymangojam.Useitasyouwouldanyregularcookedjam.Rawjamsonrawcrackersorcookiesmakeanexcellentsnackatbreakfastoranytime.Servedwithacupofwarm

herbtea,theymakeacozytreattosharewithafriend.Rawmangojamwillkeepintherefrigeratorforuptotwoweeks.However,duetoitssuperbtaste,youwillprobablyfinditwon’tlastthatlong.

Mango jamcanmakeagreatspecialoccasiondessert, served in fancyglassesanddecoratedwithasliceofcolorfulfruit. Raw jamshavea thickconsistency thatalsomakes themperfect touseasapiefilling(seenextrecipe).It’shandytohavesomepremadejaminyourfridgesoyoucanmakeawholepie inminuteswheneveryoudesire.

MangoJamPie

MangoJamPie

JampiesareauniqueRawFamilycreation.Thesedeliciouspiescloselyresembletraditionalfruitpies,themostpopularAmericandessert.Rawjampiesareanutritiousandguilt-freealternativetotraditional

fruitpies.Theyare sugar-free,wheat-free,dairy-free, salt-free,andoil-free!Atthesametime,jampiesarebeautiful,delicious,andloadedwithhealthynutrients. You can prepare a scrumptiousmangopiewith thisrecipetocelebratespecialoccasionsandyourhealthanyday.

Equipment

FoodprocessorBowlPiepanSpatula

Ingredients

Forpiecrust:

3cupsalmonds1½cupspitteddates¼cupgroundnutsordrygratedcoconuttosprinkleinthepiepanForfilling:

2cupsrawmangojam(seepreviousrecipe)

Wearegoingtousealmondsinthiscrust,butyoumayuseanykindofnuts. Inorder toobtain thedesiredconsistency,donot soak thenuts;rathergrindthemdry.PuttheS-bladeintothefoodprocessorandgrindthenutstoafluffyconsistency.Stopgrindingwhenthenutpowderisfinebutstillairyandlight.Withtoomuchgrindingitwillbecomeoily.

Remove theS-bladeand transfer thegroundnuts intoabowlusingaplastic spatula or wooden spoon. (Never use metal utensils whenworkingwithyourfoodprocessor.Everytimeyoutouchbladeswithametalutensil,theygetdulled.)

Ifyouareusinggroundnutsratherthancoconuttosprinkleonyourpieplate,grindanother¼cupofnutsandsetthemaside(seethispage).

PutthedatesinthefoodprocessorandgrindthemwiththeS-blade.Ifthedates are toodryanddonotblendwell, add1 to2 teaspoonsofoliveoilorlemonjuice.Theliquidwillhelpthedatepasteblendbetter.

Thehealth benefits of dates have been known since ancient timesandhavebeenrecordedintheearliestscripture.“Thenhe [Samuel] gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a

cakeofraisinstoeachpersoninthewholecrowdofIsraelites,bothmenandwomen.”2Samuel6:19(NIV)Muslims generally break their fast by eating dates. The prophet

Muhammadisreportedtohavesaid,“Ifanyoneofyouisfasting,lethimbreakhisfastwithdates.Incasehedoesnothavethem,thenwithwater.”Modernscienceconfirms the supremenutritionalvalueofdates.

Theyarerichincalcium,potassium,iron,magnesium,phosphorus,copper,manganese,anddietaryfiber.

Source: www.nutritiondata.com. The information in this database

comes from the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for StandardReference.

When thedates are completelyblended, theywill formaball ofdatepaste thatwillhavea smoothconsistency.Remove thedateball fromthefoodprocessorandplaceinthebowlwiththegroundnuts.

Mixthegroundnutsandthedatepastetogetherwithyourhands.Ifthemixtureistoodrytomix,addalittlebitofwaterorapplejuice.Don’taddmorethan2to3tablespoonsatatime.Themixtureshouldpossessanevencolor,befirm,fairlydry,andsticktogether.

Sprinkletheshreddedcoconut(orgroundnuts)inthepiepan.Thiswillkeep the crust from sticking to the bottom of the plate and make itmuch easier to serve the pie. You can also use poppy seeds, sesameseeds,buckwheatflour,orotherdrycoatingofyourchoicetokeepthecrustfromstickingtothepan.

Pulloffasmallpieceofdoughandsquishitintoaflatpattywithyourpalms.Makeitasthinaspossible.Laythedoughontopoftheshreddedcoconut.

Pressflatpiecesofdoughdowntomakeasingle,evenlayer.Makeyourpie crust as level as possible. You may find it easiest to do so byrotating the pan every once in awhile towork in the place you aremostcomfortable.

Makesmallpattiestofillintheemptyspacesasneeded.Trynottomissanyspaces.Ifyoufindaplacewherethelayeristoothin,addanotherpieceofdough.

Whenthepiecrustlooksevenandround,begintocreateawavytrimbypinchingtheedgesofthecrustintotriangles.Makesurethetrianglesaretouchingthepiepan.Thiswillmakethemstronger,andensurethatthetriangleswon’tbreakoffwhenyouservethepie.Workyourwayallaroundthepieandadjustthesizeofeachtriangletomatchtheothers.

Pour yourmango jam into the crust.With a spatula, spread the jam

evenly over the crust, rotating the pie as needed while spreading tomakethejamaslevelaspossible.Makegentlehorizontalstrokeswiththespatulatoformasmooth,evensurface.Besuretospreadthe jamallthewaytotheedgesofthepie.

Younowhave a neat and traditional-looking pie. Youmay choose toleaveyourpielookingsimpleortodecorateit.Followyourownfancy;garnishwithfreshberries,slicedfruit,ornuts.

Thisishowbeautifulasliceofyourmangojampiewilllook.Brightlycolored,itnotonlylooksimpressive,buttastesexquisiteaswell.

Ifyouwouldlikeyourpiealittlefirmerwhenyouserveit,placeitin therefrigeratoror freezer foracoupleofhours.Thiswillmakethepieeasiertocut,andhelpthesliceslookmoredefined.

Youcankeepthispieinafreezerforseveralweeksandeatafreshlycut

piecewheneveryoudesire.Asliceofmangopieisalwaysyummyandrefreshing.Havefun!

Whilethisrecipeisformangojampie,weinviteyoutoplayaroundwith different variations of jam pies—blueberry, cherry, apple-cinnamon,andcountlessothers.

Alongtimeagowhenwehadjuststartedourrawfoodlife,wedidnotevenknowthereweresuchthingsas“rawcakes.”SowewerethrilledwhenmyfriendHiawathataughtustopreparearawdessertthatshecalleda“peachcarobcake.”Afterpracticallylivingonsaladsformanymonths,everyoneinmyfamilysavoredit,despitethefactthatthe“cake”didnotholdtogetherandweendedupeatingourliquidysliceswithaspoon.

LaterthatdaymyneighborLindastoppedby,andIofferedhera“slice”ofourrawpeach cake. Tomy surprise, Linda wasn’t as enthusiastic about this precious treat. Iasked her, “Isn’t this cake amazingly delicious?” Linda shrugged her shoulders andreplied,“It’sOK,but…itisnotachocolatecake!”Thesewordsfrommyneighbor’slipshavebeenechoinginmyheadformanyyears.Ikepttryingtocreatearawcakethatwouldbe comparable to a traditional chocolate cake. Inmy familywe cameupwithmany different recipes for carob cakes, unchocolate cakes, and chocolate tortes. InJamaicaatarawfoodshowcasein2000,wepreparedagiganticunchocolatecakethatwas served to two hundred guests. Gradually we acquired all the necessary tips anddevelopedarecipethatsatisfieseverybody,nomatterwhattheirdiet.

Todayweareproudtosharewithyouourbestrawchocolatecakerecipe.

ChocolateCake

ChocolateCake

Thischocolatecakewillbethehighlightofanytable.Itsdecadenttastestrikes a cord in any chocolate lover’s heart. Your friends will bedelightedwhenyouservethemthismouthwateringchocolatecake.

Equipment

FoodprocessorBlenderSpringformcakepanLargebowlSpatulaCuttingboardParingknifePlasticwraporcheeseclothLargeplate

Ingredients

Ingredientsforthecrust:2cupswalnuts2cupsraisins2tbsp.oliveoil1lemon

1pintstrawberries2pears

Ingredientsforthefrosting:1lemon1cuppecans½cuprawagavenectar¼tsp.seasalt(optional)4tbsp.rawcacaopowder1vanillabean1handfulofshreddedcoconut

PlacetheS-shapedbladeinthefoodprocessor.

Pourthewalnutsintothefoodprocessor,securethelid,andgrindthenutstoapowder.

Removethebladeandpourthegroundwalnutsintoalargebowl.

PuttheS-bladebackintothefoodprocessor,addtheraisins,andpourintheoliveoil.

Juiceonelemonandpourthejuiceintothefoodprocessor.Blendwelluntiltheconsistencyiscreamy.

Removethebladeanduseaspatulatoscrapeoutthebatterandaddittothegroundwalnuts.

Using both hands, knead the ingredients together into dough. Pray,meditate,thinkpositivethoughts,orsingwhilekneadingyourdough!

Youwillendupwithanicefirmballofperfectlymixeddoughforthecake.Divideyourcakedoughintothreeequalparts,oneforeachlayer.

PositionplasticwraporcheeseclothinsidetheSpringformpan.

Breakoffachunkofdough,flattenitbetweenyourpalms,andpressitintothecakepanwithyourhands.Keepaddingmoreflattenedpiecesof doughuntil the entire bottom is coveredwith a thin layer of cakedough.

Slice the strawberries and arrange them on top of the dough layer.Placethestrawberriesascloselytogetherasyoucan,coveringasmuchofthesurfaceaspossible.

For the second layer, break pieces from your second portion of cakedough.Flattenthepiecesbetweenyourpalmsandlightlyplacethemontop of the strawberries. Do not push them down; you don’t want tosqueezejuiceoutofthestrawberries.

Whenallthestrawberriesarecoveredwithadoughlayerwithoutanyholes,youarereadyforthenextlayeroffruit.

Cutthepearsintothinflatslicesandarrangethemontopofthesecondlayerofdough.

Usethethirdportionofdoughtoformafinallayerontopofthepears.Makesurethewholecakeiscoveredwithdough.

Positionthelargeplateoverthepanasshowninthepicture.Withbothyour hands, firmly hold the pan and plate together and quickly turnthemover.OpentheSpringformpan.Yourcakewilldropdownaboutaninch.

Carefully lift off the outer ring and gently peel the plastic wrap orcheeseclothoffthecake.

Thisisourbasiccake.Nowweneedtomakechocolatefrosting.

The easiest way to make the frosting is in a high-speed blender asshowninthesepictures.Ifyouhavearegularblender,youmightneedtogrindthenutsseparatelyinacoffeegrinderpriortoblending.Pourthejuiceofonelemonintotheblender.

Addthepecansandtherawagavenectar.

Addthesalt,rawcacaopowder,andvanillabean.

Securethelidandblendwell.Ifyouhaveatamper(oftensoldtogetherwith blenders), you will find it helpful in processing this thick-consistencyfrosting.Ifyourmixtureistoodrytoblend,addwaterorlemonjuiceslowlyinvery smallamounts,usinga teaspoon. If the frosting is too liquidy, itwon’tstayonthesidesofthecake.

Withaspatula,scoopyourchocolatefrostingontothecake.

Spreadthefrostingevenlyoverthetopofthecakeandthenworkyourwayaroundthesides.

Togivethecakeaprofessionallymadelook,weliketocoverthesides

ofthecakewithgroundcoconut.Takeahandfulofcoconutshredsandsprinkleitevenlyonthesidesofthecake,rotatingtheplatewithyourotherhandasyougo.Decorateasyoudesirewithfreshfruits,berries,oredibleflowers.

Chillthecakeintherefrigeratorforafewhoursforeasyslicing.

The traditional (cooked) mousse cake is a favorite treat for many dessert lovers.However,notmanypeopleareawarethatoneslice(218g,or7.7ounces)ofatypicalchocolate mousse cake contains on average 1,950 calories.1 According to scientificresearch,3,500caloriesequalsonepoundoffat.2Thatmeansasliceandahalfofthatmoussecakecanaddapoundoffattoone’ships.Remember, it’smuchfastertogainthatweightthantoloseitagain!

Thegoodnewsisthatthefollowingrawmoussecakerecipecontainssixtimesfewercaloriesthanatypicalmoussecake.Onesliceofourcakecontainsabout322caloriesbut is still highly competitive with a traditional mousse cake both in taste andappearance.Moreover, this cake is wheat-free, sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and isloadedwithhealthy,rawnutrients.

Evenso,Iwouldliketoclarifythatcake,evenifitisarawcreation,cannotsubstitutenutritionally for green smoothies and salads.We believe that all desserts have to beeaten sparingly. But on special occasions you will greatly enjoy these tasty rawconcoctions.

1.www.nutritiondata.com

2.www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines

MousseCake

MousseCake

Wenowofferyouourperfected-over-the-yearsrecipeofamoussecakethatyoucan relyon for anyholiday.Youdon’t evenhave tomentionthat your cake is raw; your loved ones will not be disappointed. Wesharedourrawmoussecakewithlotsofourfriendsandeveryonelovedit.Pleasefollowthedirectionscarefullyandenjoy!

Equipment

FoodprocessorBlenderSpringformcakepanLargebowlSpatulaCuttingboardParingknifeLargeplate

Ingredients

2cupswater1cupdoughforthecake(seeChocolateCakerecipe,thispage)3tbsp.shreddedcoconutorpowderednuts1cupstrawberries

½cupmacadamianutsorcashews1cupcacaobutterorcoconutbutter1cuprawagavenectar½cupcranberriesorraspberries(freshorfrozen)1vanillabean1smallpieceofrawbeet,approximately1×½inches¼tsp.seasalt(optional)4tbsp.rawcacaopowder

Preparethedoughforyourmoussecakebyfollowingthedirectionsonthispage.Youwillneedonlyhalfofthedoughfromthechocolatecakerecipe,socutallofthoseingredientsinhalf,orelsemaketwomoussecakes,orusetheextradoughtomaketruffles.

Sprinkle shredded coconut or ground nuts on the bottom of aSpringformcakepansothecakewon’tsticktoit.

Breakoffachunkofdoughandflattenitbetweenyourpalms.Laythinpiecesofdoughintothecakepan.Keepaddingmoreflattenedchunksof doughuntil the entire bottom is coveredwith a thin layer of cake

dough.

Slicethestrawberriesandarrangetheslicesontopofthedoughlayer.Placethestrawberriesascloselytogetherasyoucan,coveringasmuchofthesurfaceaspossible.Now let’s prepare two different kinds of mousse—cranberry andchocolate—tomakeourcakedeliciousandbeautiful.

Tomakethecranberrymousse, firstgrindthemacadamianuts. Ifyouhavearegularblender,youmightneedtogrindthenutsseparatelyinacoffeegrinderpriortoblendingthemwiththeotheringredients.

Puthalfofthecacaobutterorcoconutbutterintoyourblender.Makesure that your butter is broken into chunks no bigger than 1 inch insize.

Pourin1cupofwaterand½cuprawagavenectar.(Youwillusethe

restinthenextlayer.)Add the cranberries and half of the vanilla bean. If you cannot get avanillabean,youmayuse1tsp.vanillaextract.

Cutaverysmall sliceof redbeet (peeled),approximately1 inch longand½inchthick.Redbeetwilltintyourmousseabeautifullightpinkcolor.

Add salt, then secure the lid andblendwell for at least 1minute, oruntilallthechunksofbutterarecompletelywhipped.

Pouryourmousseontopofthestrawberrylayer.

To prepare the chocolate mousse, put the remaining cacao butter orcoconutbutterintoyourblender.(Makesurethatyourbutterisbrokenintochunksnobiggerthan1inchinsize.)Add1cupofwater,½cupagavenectar,thecacaopowder,andtheotherhalfofthevanillabean(or1tsp.vanillaextract).Securethelidandblendwellforatleast1minute,oruntilallthechunksofbutterarecompletelywhipped.

Ifyourkitchen isverywarm,youmaywant toplaceyourcake inthe freezer for a few minutes to solidify before pouring the nextmousselayer.

Pouryourchocolatemousseontopofthepinkmousselayer.

Decoratethecakewithstrawberryslicesandanedibleflower.

Withthelargeplateandcakepositionedasshowninthepicture,opentheSpringformpanandcarefullyliftofftheouterring.

Youmaywanttochillyourcakebeforeservingforeasierslicing.

If you would like to make a chocolate sauce to drizzle on yourmousse cake, blend 1 teaspoon of raw cacao powderwith¼ cupagavenectar.Useatablespoonfordrizzlingontocutslices.

ChocolateTruffles

ChocolateTruffles

Thisdecadentdessertisattractiveanddelicious,yethealthyandsimpleto make. Presented in a box with a bow, these truffles make amemorablegift.

Equipment

CoffeegrinderFivesmallbowlsServingplate

Ingredients

2tbsp.rawsesameseeds(hulledorunhulled)2tbsp.poppyseeds2tbsp.shreddedcoconut2tbsp.rawcacaoorcarobpowder2tbsp.rawoatflour(grindrolledoatsincoffeegrinder)2cupschocolatecakedough(seethispage)Assortmentofnutsandberriesfordecoration

Pourthesesameseeds,poppyseeds,shreddedcoconut,cacaopowder,andoatflourintoseparatesmallbowls.Thesewillbethecoatingsforyourtruffles.

Pinchoffapieceofcakedoughapproximately1inchindiameterandrollitintoasmoothball.

Diptheballintooneofthecoatings,rollinguntilitisevenlycoated.

Placethecoatedballonaplateandpressanutofyourchoiceintothecoatedball.

Pinchoffanotherpieceofcakedoughapproximately1inchindiameterandrollitinadifferentcoating.

Keepmaking balls of the same size and rolling them in the differentcoatingsuntilthedoughisusedup.

Ifyouaregoingtodecorateyourtrufflewitharaspberryorothersoftfruit,firstmakeanindentationwithyourfingerbeforeplacingthefruit.

Decoratetheplatewithflowerpetalsbeforeserving.

Makesapproximately12truffles.

EquipmentList

[adapted fromFresh: TheUltimate Live-FoodCookbook,with permissionfromSergeiandValyaBoutenko]

Everyordinarykitchencontainsthenecessarytoolsforfoodpreparation.A raw food kitchen is no different. However, instead of a stove, pots,pans,eggbeaters,andovenmitts,arawfoodkitchenreliesonacuttingboard, a good set of knives, a blender, a food processor, and adehydrator.Thissectionisdedicatedtotheequipmentthatmakesupatraditionalrawfoodkitchen.Whilehavingthefollowingequipmentwillmakeyour transition to aplant-baseddiet easier,more enjoyable, andless stressful, it is by nomeans essential. Like a new kitchen stove, asuperior quality blender often comes with a high price tag, which isunrealistic for many people. If your household is low on funds, restassured that you can make do with whatever equipment you can getyourhandson.Forexample,ifyouownablenderthatisnotaspowerfulas aVita-Mix, that’sOK!Simplyblendyour concoction longer,until itreaches a satisfying consistency. Ultimately the decision is yours, andwhateveryoudecideisright.Withthehugevarietyofblenders,foodprocessors,anddehydratorson

themarkettoday,itcanseemimpossibletoknowwhicharethebesttopurchase. With prices ranging from fifteen to seven hundred dollars,howcanyoubecertainthatchoosingonebrandoveranotherensuresaqualityproductatareasonableprice?Wehavetestedalltheappliancesmentioned below over the course of fifteen years in hundreds of foodpreparation demonstrations. Having created literally thousands ofrecipesusingvariousmachines,weweededouteachpieceofequipmentthat was less than perfect until left with the absolute best. All of theitemsdiscussedbelowaretoolsthatweuseandrecommend.

Vita-MixBlender$249–599

Ablenderisusedforcompletelycrushingupandliquefyingingredientstocreatedishessuchassmoothies,soups,dressings,sauces,pietoppings,and puddings. Because many raw ingredients are rich in fiber andcellulose (a very tough plant matter), liquefying them often requireshigh levels of power and strength. We wholeheartedly recommendbuyingaVita-Mixblender,becauseitmeetsourrequirementforstrengthandpowerbetter thananyothermixeron themarket.While commonblendersmixatroughly11milesperhour, theVita-Mixrotatesat240milesperhour.Essentially, thismeans that ifyoudumpsomewoodenblocksintoaVita-Mixcontainerandaddwater,youwillhaveacreamylogsoup.In a more practical application, the Vita-Mix blender allows you toplay around with consistency, resulting in everything from a chunkymixture(oftenpreferredforsoups)toafluffy,creamymixture(greatforsweets, cake frosting, and puddings). Furthermore, the Vita-Mix canreplace the need for a juicer when the liquefied matter is strainedthroughastrainerornut-milkbag,separatingtheliquidfromthesolid.If you place dried nuts, seeds, or grains into a Vita-Mix and blendthemwithoutwater, themachinewill pulverize these ingredients intoflour.Thisisextremelyhandyformakinggardenburgers,pâté,hummus,and crackers. All around, the Vita-Mix is the most versatile piece ofequipment, so if you can only afford one appliance,we advise you tostartwiththeVita-Mixblender.

Vita-MixResources

Vita-Mix www.rawfamily.com 1-800-848-2649

Epinions www.epinions.com

AconvenientWebsiteforcomparingkitchenappliances

CuisinartFoodProcessor$100–200

Likeablender,a foodprocessorgrinds ingredients into smallerpieces.

However, while a blender liquefies all ingredients, a food processorchops food into smaller pieces.With awiderholding container and S-shapedbladesthatdon’textendtotheedgesofthecontainer, thefoodprocessor becomes the perfect tool for making such foods as pâté,hummus, guacamole, pie crusts, and burgers. Food processors usuallycome with several handy additional blades, including a grater and aslicer, which are perfect for making specialty salads, chips, andmarinatedfoods.WerecommendbuyingaCuisinartoverotherbrandsbecausenotonlyare Cuisinarts strong and durable, their blades aremade from higher-qualitymetalthatstayssharplonger.Thesebladeseasilygrindthroughhardvegetables,nuts,seeds,andgrains.There are several different models available. We recommend thesimpleseven-cupmodelbecausewefindittobethemostefficientanduser-friendly.Thismodelcostslessanddoesnotincludeaglutofpuzzlepiecesneedingtobeassembledforthemachinetofunctionproperly.

CuisinartResources

Cuisinart www.cuisinart.com1-800-726-0190

EverythingKitchens www.everythingkitchens.com1-866-852-4268

Amazon.com www.amazon.com

Epinions www.epinions.com

AconvenientWebsiteforcomparingkitchenappliances

ExcaliburDehydrator$109–250

Adehydratorcanbeconsideredtheovenoftherawfoodkitchen,exceptinstead of using extreme heat to process food, a dehydrator, or dryer,blowswarmair (usuallyaroundbody temperature,98degreesF)overfoodinacontainedenvironment.Thisprocessdrawswateroutoffood,therebypreservingitandconcentratingitsflavor.Food dryers are essential formaking such snacks as chips, crackers,breads, cookies, and travel foods. If you like dried fruit or happen to

obtain an abundance of overripe produce, you can create delicious,nutrient-richsnacksbydehydratingthem.Of all the dehydratorswe have tested, our favorite is the Excalibur.

Notonly is it reasonablypriced for a commercialdehydrator, but it isalso made with exceptional craftsmanship and ingenuity. Unlike itscompetition,theExcaliburisbuiltwiththeheatingfanplacedverticallyandat thebackof theunit,which ensures that every tray receives aneven amount of heat regardless of whether it is located at the top,middle,orbottom.Theendproductisconsistentlydried,tastyfood.OneofthebestfeaturesoftheExcaliburisthatitstemperaturecanbe

adjustedbyadialontopoftheunit.Whilethebasicruleofthumbistotry to dry everything as close to body temperature as possible, oneshould be aware of several exceptions. For example, when dryingmoisture-richfoodssuchasmelonsandtomatoes,crankingtheheatupto112–115degrees F for the first sixhoursprevents these foods fromgetting moldy. The presence of moisture in the food keeps its insidetemperaturelowerthanthatoftheairinthedehydrator.Finally, it is important to note that Excalibur has several different

models on themarket.We recommend the nine-traymodel, the 2900.There are smaller, cheaper models; however, they all drawapproximatelythesameamountofelectricityasthisoneanddon’tcostsignificantlyless.Withthenine-traymodel,youcanmakefoodinlargebatches,preventingtheneedtomakeamessinyourkitcheneveryotherday. In the longrun,even ifyou livealone,havingnine trays ismuchmorepractical.

ExcaliburDehydratorResources

Excalibur www.excaliburdehydrator.com1-800-875-4254

CanningPantry www.canningpantry.com1-800-285-9044

KitchenUniverse www.kitchen-universe.com1-877-

517-1966

Become www.become.com

AnotherconvenientWebsiteforcomparingkitchenappliances

ChampionJuicer$180–259

A juicer extracts liquids from fruits and vegetables, and separates thepulp. Juicers are not generally considered versatile machines becausemostareengineeredforthesoletaskofextractingjuice.Thisisstartingto change as more and more companies start designing juicers forvariousothertasks.The Champion juicer is our favorite because it includes severalattachmentsthatallowyoutomakeicecream,nutbutters,andpâtésinaddition to juices. Juicers tend to be complicated, with lots of littlepiecesneedingtobeassembledprior tousingthem,but theChampionjuicerhasatotaloffivepiecesthatareeasytoassembleandclean.

ChampionJuicerResources

ChampionJuicer www.championjuicer.com1-866-935-8423

OntheWorldWideWeb

www.discountjuicers.com

HealthWisdom www.healthwisdom.com1-888-337-8646

Rhio’sRawEnergy www.rawfoodinfo.com1-212-941-5857

VeggieSpiralizer$25–100

Aspiralizerisusedtoshredvegetablesandhardfruitsintonoodleform.This tool makes it easy to create dishes such as lasagna, pasta, andmacaroni.Unlikearegulargrater,aveggiespiralizerhasdifferentbladesthat help process food into beautiful, symmetrical shapes and sizes.Furthermore,spiralizershaveabuilt-inmechanismthatpreventsveggiesfrom ripping, ensuring a long and continuous noodle strand. Of thenumerousspiralizermodelsavailable,wehaveusedmanydifferentonesandlikedthemall.

VeggieSpiralizerResources

Livingnutrition www.livingnutrition.com 1-707-829-0462

RawLife www.rawlife.com1-866-Raw-Paul(729-7285)

Target www.target.com

NaturalZing www.naturalzing.com 1-301-703-4116

Nut-MilkBag$8–12

Nut-milk bags are used to strain liquid away from fibrous, pulpymaterial.Anut-milkbagisawonderfultoolthateachhouseholdshouldhaveonhand.Thissimpledevicecaneasetheprocessofmakingnutandseedmilks, juices, pâtés, cookies, and sprouts. There aremany onlinesources that sell nut-milk bags; however, it is extremely easy tomakeone,soit’sagoodideatoconsiderthisoptionbeforebuying.Tomake a nut-milk bag, you need to obtain some sort of mesh or

loose-knit natural fiber and adrawstring, andhave access to a sewingmachine.By folding themesh intoa square, sewingaround theedges,andaddingadrawstringtothetop,youcancreateacheapandefficientnut-milkbagandbeginstrainingaway!

Nut-MilkBagResources

RawFamily www.rawfamily.com 1-541-488-8865

CuttingBoard$1–40

A cutting board does not require much explanation; it is a board forcutting food! Since raw food requires quite a lot of cutting, werecommendfindingacuttingboardthatworks foryouandyour livingsituation.Thismaybeathickwoodencuttingboardorathinmalleableone.Thereisnorightorwrong,sochoosefreely.Thebottomlineisthatyouand theboardwilldevelopa relationship in thecomingyears.Tohelp you follow through on your commitment to raw foods, youmaywanttofindaboardthatyoulovefromtheverybeginning!

CuttingBoardResources

Amazon.com www.amazon.com

RossDressforLess www.rossstores.com

Carriesavarietyofhigh-quality,low-pricedcuttingboards

Chef’sResource www.chefsresource.com

1-866-765-Chef(2433)

TheCuttingBoardCompany

www.cuttingboardcompany.com1-866-247-2409

Knives$2–200

Asmentionedpreviously,rawfoodrequiresmassiveamountsofcutting.Findaknifeorsetofknivesthatyoulikeandkeeptheminaconvenientplace. The price of a set of knives does not necessarily indicate goodqualityorwhetheryouwilllikethem.Wehaveusedhundredsofknivesin various price ranges and have come to the conclusion that buyingcheap knives is a waste of money because they get dull fast, leechunhealthymaterialsintofood,andcanbepotentiallydangeroustoworkwith.On the other hand, purchasing expensive knives may cause youunnecessary worry that something might happen to them. The bestknivesthathavegracedourhandshavealwaysbeenwithinthefifteen-to-twenty-dollar range. They are sharp and have a comfortable handleandareasonableweight(nottooheavyorlight),whichiswhatwelookforwhenknifeshopping.Butyoushouldshoparoundtodiscoveryourfavorite kind; people often have very strong preferences about whatworks for them. Stores like Sur La Table or Williams-Sonoma usuallyhaveabigselectionofknivesthatyoucangetthefeelofinyourhand.Certainly you don’t need to decide on awhole collection!One or twogoodkniveswilldothetrickformostofyourneeds.

KnifeResources

Amazon.com www.amazon.com

Acknowledgments

Iwouldliketoacknowledgemybelovedfamilyfortheircontributionofrecipestothisbook.Thankyouforalwaysbeingthereforme.IsincerelyappreciatetheskillanddedicationofRobertPetetit,master

photographer and friend, and his hundreds of hours of work shootingandeditingthepicturesinthisbook.I’mgratefultoAlison’sofAshlandforlendingmetheirlovelydishes.

A special thank you goes out tomy sisterMarina for being a perfectmodel,forherpatience,hardwork,andbeautifulhands.

AbouttheAuthor

Victoria Boutenko lives in Ashland, Oregon. She is the award-winningauthorofGreenForLife,RawFamily,and12StepstoRawFoods.Victoriais a raw gourmet chef, teacher, inventor, researcher, and artist. Sheteaches classes onhealthy living all over theworld.As a result of herteachings, millions of people are drinking green smoothies and eatingrawfoodinternationally.Shecontinuestravelingworldwidesharinghergourmetrawcuisineandher inspiringstoryofdetermination.To learnmoreaboutVictoriaandrawfoods,pleasevisitwww.rawfamily.com.