Naraya Cooking Health Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa (I used tri-color)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 can (15oz.) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup carrots, diced small
• 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced 
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 
• juice of one lemon
• red pepper flakes, optional
• mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a fine mesh sieve rinse quinoa under cool running water.

In a large pot, combine water, quinoa and garlic powder, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover and let set 10 - 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Add chickpeas, carrots, scallions, bell pepper, parsley, lemon juice and spices, mix well. Serve warm or cold.

I love this with just lemon juice drizzled on top, avocado slices would be a great addition too.

Serves 3 - 4

Notes:

You can really use any seasoning here you like. I used a bit of Trader Joe's 21 Salute Seasoning mix. Or you can use an everyday seasoning, lemon pepper blend or any of your favorite spices. Even a teaspoon or so of thyme, basil, cumin or any of your favorites will work here. Keep it simple or add various spices to suit your taste.

Use more of less of any ingredient to suit your preference.

Inspired by this recipe, I set out to make a pasta sauce that was white, creamy and full of flavour. I paired it with everybody's fave veggie for raw noodles: zucchini. The result was beautiful, tasty and ultra good for you. This also happens to be very filling. I couldn't even finish it and I am still really full (I ate at like 3:00 and it's now 9:30). Well... I also had it with a slice of this.

I just got home from a particularly awesome weekly event in Vancouver about questioning reality, and practicing meditation. The group of people that show up are wonderful and very open to learning and growth; it's such a warm environment and I feel like in the next several weeks I will only become more enlightened as to what is inside my head and heart, as well as to what my place is in the world.

One more thing: I'm thinking of doing a juice fast soon; since if I am being totally honest, lately I've really felt like only consuming liquids (despite my past few recipes). Who wants to join?


FETTUCCINE ALFREDO with ZUCCHINI PASTA & CAULIFLOWER SAUCE

Noodles:
3 small zucchinis 

Sauce:
1 cup cauliflower
1 tablespoon miso paste
1/4 cup cashews 
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon coconut nectar
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Salt, pepper, paprika and coriander, to taste
Water, as needed 

Toppings:
Parma
Cilantro 

To make the noodles: slice the zucchinis on a mandolin or spiral slicer, or even through a cheese grater. Put in a large bowl and set aside. 

To make the sauce: blend all the ingredients together until smooth and thick, adjusting according to taste. Mix into your noodles and let them sit for 10 minutes to soak up the sauce. Top off with parma and cilantro and enjoy.

I'm tryin' real hard to balance out the ratio of dessert and savoury recipes on the blog because I wanna give you what you've been asking for... but you know me - I can't go more than a day without something sweet.

This was made in excitement of reaching 40,000 likes on good ole facebook.com. Sometimes I forget how much of a privilege it is having an entire community of amazing people supporting me through all my trials and tribulations... and cake-making. Seriously, you guys are my emotional backbone, in that you give me strength and confidence with each word and cyber hug we share. Thank you for being.


Lemme give ya a rundown of what this cake is all about. We've got a basic raw crust on the bottom (dates and hemp seeds), followed by three gorgeous cashew and orange cream layers. One is subtly sweet and includes vanilla, one is a bit tart and flavoured with raspberries and one is mega refreshing and packed with peppermint leaves. It's all topped off with dark chocolate (cacao) truffles and drizzle. I also sprinkled mine with hemp and pumpkin seeds because... it looks prettier like dat, ya feel me?

As far as deliciousness goes, I think this is a sufficient description to give you an idea of what to expect:  I practically fell on the floor after my first bite... but instead stayed upright and proceeded to devour a slice in mere minutes with wild eyes while whispering sweet nothings to the very thing I was eating.


VANILLA, RASPBERRY & PEPPERMINT CREAM CAKE with CACAO TRUFFLES  

Crust:
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 oats or almonds
1 cup dates

Cream cake:
2 cups cashews
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup dates 
1-2 tablespoons coconut nectar (optional) 
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
Pinch of Himalayan salt
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 peeled orange 
Water, as needed (I used about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup raspberries
1 cup mint leaves

Truffles:
1/2 cup dates
1 tablespoon cacao powder
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 

Chocolate drizzle:
Use this recipe. 

To make the crust: pulse the hemp seeds and oats or almonds in a food processor until they turn into flour or crumbs. Add the dates and process until it all sticks together somewhat. Press in to the bottom of a lined cake pan (mine is adjustable and was about 7 inches). Put in the fridge.

To make the cream cake: blend all the ingredients together until smooth, EXCEPT the berries and mint. Take out one third of the mixture and pour onto your crust. Put back in the fridge. Take out half of the remaining mixture in the blender and set aside. Add the raspberries to the blender and blend until you get a smooth pink cream. Spread on top of your first layer and put back in the fridge. Put the remaining mixture (that you set aside a moment ago) back into the blender along with the mint leaves; blend until smooth and green. Spread evenly on top of the pink layer and keep in the fridge for 24-48 hours to let the cake set and flavours develop. 

To make the truffles: put all the ingredients in your food processor and process until smooth and thick like frosting. Roll into balls and coat in cacao powder. Decorate your cake with these, as well as hemp and pumpkin seeds, if you like. Drizzle with chocolate and slice! 

Yes, yes, this is real life. My friend told me awhile ago that I should try making a raw vegan version of a Canadian culinary favourite: poutine. This is the result and I've gotta say I'm pretty happy with it. Poutine is a dish that originates from Quebec (if I'm not mistaken) and includes a hearty serving of french fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. Not exactly a health food but hey, people love it. And I love this. Well... loved*. It's in my stomach now.

The "fries" are slices of jicama (a turnip-like sweet root) coated in spices and olive oil, the gravy is a mushroom-onion sauce and the "cheese curds" are spoonfuls of a creamy cashew-herb cheeze. I added avocado and chives to mine for extra colour and more textures. I'm not claiming this tastes like the original, and it doesn't even really look like it, but guess what: I don't care. This is a delicious, healthful recipe all by itself that just happens to be inspired by poutine, and there's nothing wrong about that. Dig in.

RAW VEGAN POUTINE with MUSHROOM GRAVY, CASHEW CHEEZE & JICAMA FRIES 

Fries:
1 jicama 
1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, turmeric, coriander, salt, pepper, chili
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 

Gravy:
1 cup mushrooms
1/2 onion
2 teaspoons tamari (or salt, to taste)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon thyme
2 dates
Water, as needed

Cashew cheeze:
1 cup cashews
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon each of basil, rosemary, turmeric, dill
Water, as needed

To make the fries: peel and slice the jicama into fries then coat in the other ingredients and dehydrate for a few hours or leave as is. You can also use your oven at it's lowest temperature. 

To make the gravy: blend all the ingredient until smooth, adding water as needed. Adjust according to taste. 

To make the cheeze: same instructions as the gravy, adding as little water as possible. Leave in the fridge overnight so it thickens up. Top off your fries with cheeze, grazy, chives and avocado. Some salsa and nut meat would be great additions too. Nom. 

• curried chickpea salad (recipe serves 4 - 6)
• cilantro, leafy or micro greens, to serve
• pita or sliced bread of choice, to serve

Layer the bottom slice with the curried chickpea salad, top with cilantro sprigs, or just the leaves, and greens of choice. Add top slice to sandwich, cut in half or eat as is.

Notes:

Try using this salad in a wrap too.

RAW VEGAN TIRAMISU with VANILLA CREAM & COFFEE LADYFINGERS

Crust:
1 cup oats or walnuts
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons cold-pressed coffee*

Ladyfingers:
1 cup oats
1 cup dates
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cold-pressed coffee*

Vanilla cream:
2 cups pine nuts or macadamia nuts 
2 cups water, as needed
1/4 cup liquid coconut oil
3 tablespoons coconut nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons soy lecithin (optional, but recommended to thicken the mixture)

To make the crust: process the oats or walnuts into flour in a food processor. Add the raisins and coffee and process until it forms a ball. Press evenly into the bottom of a lined bread pan. Set in the fridge.

To make the ladyfingers: process the oats into flour in a food processor then combine the rest of the ingredients in a food processor until they begin to stick together. Form into rectangular cookies (ladyfingers) that will fit into your baking pan. Dehydrate for 1-2 hours on each side, or use your oven at its lowest temperature.

To make the vanilla cream: blend all the ingredients until smooth and thick, like pudding, adding liquid as needed. Spread half this mixture onto your crust, then place your lady fingers close beside each other on top of the vanilla cream. Carefully spread on the rest of the vanilla cream and set in the fridge or freezer for at least 24 hours. 

When ready to serve: gently take the tiramisu out of the pan, dust with cacao powder, and slice into squares with a sharp knife.

*Steep roasted coffee beans in water overnight, strain and use the liquid.