Category — Raw Food Recipes

Most people don’t realize how easy dehydrator recipes can be. Easy dehydrator recipes can be as simple as slicing fruits and vegetables and preserving them for later. If you haven’t used your dehydrator in awhile, here are some easy recipe ideas to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit out of your dehydrator.

All of these recipes were made in the Excalibur Dehydrator, but any dehydrator will do. Dehydrating times vary according to your dehydrator model, altitude, humidity, thickness and quantity of product.

1. Sun Dried Red Bell Peppers

Most people know that they can dehydrate tomatoes, but most people don’t realize how delicious dehydrated red bell peppers can be. You can use them just like you would sun dried tomatoes. They make a beautiful thickener in blended sauces and soups while adding a rich flavor.

Directions: De-seed bell peppers by removing the stem and seeds. Then slice them into rounds about half an inch thick. Dehydrate for about 12-14 hours at 115 degrees until completely dry and store them in an air tight container for later use.

2. Dehydrated Persimmons and Pears

Most people know you can dehydrate apples, but did you know you can also dehydrate other fall fruit such as thinly sliced persimmons and pears? Sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon and they make great gifts around the holidays.

Directions: De-seed persimmons and pears and slice them into rounds about half an inch thick. (You can squeeze lemon or orange juice on the pears to prevent browning.) Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Dehydrate for about 12-16 hours at 115 degrees until completely dry. Store them in an air tight container for later use.

3. Natural Salt Replacement

Did you know that you can dehydrate a bunch of  yummy vegetables to make your own natural salt free seasoning? For example, you can dehydrate a combination of any of the following: celery, lemon zest, lime zest, shallots, leeks, onions, green onions, fresh herbs, hot peppers, and red cabbage to make amazing flavor combinations.

Directions: Wash your produce really well and dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Slice desired vegetables very thin. Dehydrate for about 6 hours at 115 degrees or until all veggies are crisp. Grind the vegetables in a spice grinder and put in a sealed jar for later use. If kept dry, spice mixture should last a few months.

4. Dehydrated Veggie Snacks

Most people are aware that you can dehydrate fruit, but did you know dehydrating veggies can be as rewarding? Dehydrated kale and sweet potato chips have gained some popularity, but did you know you, you can dehydrate butternut squash, jicama, and cauliflower as well? Enjoy as a healthy snack when you get a craving for something crunchy.

Directions: Cut each vegetable differently according to which one you choose to use. Thinly slice butternut squash into chips using a mandoline if available, cut jicama into match stick strips, or crumble cauliflower florets. Toss desired vegetable in a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle a dash of salt, cayenne, paprika and combine well. Dehydrate veggies at 115 degrees until desired crispiness is reached which could take anywhere from 12 to 24 hrs at 115 degrees to reach maximum crispness.

5. Transform Leftovers

Did you know you can dehydrate left over fruit smoothies to make fruit leather in your dehydrator? You can also dehydrate leftover nut based blended dressings to make raw crackers just by adding a few tablespoons ground flaxseed or other ground seeds such as sunflower, sesame, or chia. You will need teflex sheets for both of these applications. (Although if you are making crackers, you might be able to get around the teflex sheets by using a large sheet of nori seaweed instead. Just spread your cracker mixture on the nori sheet and flip over half way through the drying process.)

Directions: To make fruit leather from a left over fruit smoothie you can add a little lemon or lime juice to the smoothie to prevent browning. Then using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread a thin layer of your smoothie onto the teflex or dehydrator sheet (you can grease the dehydrator sheet with a thin layer of coconut oil to prevent sticking). Dehydrate for approximately 12 hours at 115 degrees until pliable. Store them wrapped in plastic wrap or in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat as soon as possible. They shouldn’t last more than a week.

If you make a lot of nut based dressings in the blender (such as tomato, macadamia nut, basil, or some similar combination) and have some left over dressing, just as add a few tablespoons ground flax or another ground up seed (if you have a Vitamix you can just grind the seeds in the blender with the rest of the dressing ingredients) and blend in any other vegetables or spices you have laying around. Add water to thin if necessary until you get a muffin batter like consistency and then spread the mixture on a teflex sheet or large nori sheet. Dehydrate at 145 for 2 hours and then 115 for 8-10 hours, flip and then continue dehydrating for another 8-10 hours until desired crispness is reached.

Hope you enjoyed these easy dehydrator recipes. Here are some more easy dehydrator recipes you might enjoy:

Dehydrated Young Coconut Recipe

Dehydrated Sweet Potato Chip Recipe

Simple Kale Chip Recipe

Please do share your favorite easy dehydrator recipes in the comment’s section below.

♥,
C

P.S. If you liked these easy dehydrator recipes you might enjoy the everyday raw food recipes in the e-book, What do Raw Fooder’s Eat?  *Affiliate Link

I juice a lot. I mean a lot. And this invariably means than I have a lot of raw carrot pulp and other types of pulp left over. I don’t like wasting food, so today I have a few creative and unique raw carrot pulp recipes to share.

Raw Carrot Pulp Recipes: Raw Food Mash

What is raw food mash, you might ask? Well I have to tell you than most long term rawfooders have their own version of mash. I like to make it with raw carrot juice pulp, but I have seen it made with raw sweet potato pulp and other winter squash pulp. I have also seen it made with raw broccoli, cauliflower, and beets.

Basically you are just “mashing” everything (in the food processor) together to get a mashed consistency that turns into a quick and filling meal. It’s not the prettiest meal, but it’s not made to look pretty. It’s job is to fill you up quickly without depending on a lot of nuts. Once you try raw carrot pulp mash, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it!

My basic mash recipe includes 2 cups carrot pulp, 1 large avocado, and 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on how tangy you like it) processed in the food processor with the S blade until well incorporated. Then you can top it with a combination of anything you like. I like to add Dulse flakes, raw olives or sauerkraut, chopped green onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped red bell peppers, and fresh herbs such as chopped parsley or cilantro. Mash can be a blank canvas to add your own unique toppings and seasonings.

Raw Carrot Pulp Recipes: Raw Food Mash

By Cecilia Kinzie on 01/16/2013

In the spirit of adventure, I decided to do a Mexican flavor inspired version of raw carrot pulp mash. Hope you enjoy and I hope it inspires you to get creative with your mash creations!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 1-2 servings

Nutrition Information:

• 480.5 calories
• 32.8 grams of fat
• 13 grams of sugar
• 959.9 milligrams of sodium

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Carrot or Sweet Potato Pulp From Juicing
• 1 Large Avocado
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro (No Stems)
• 1-2 Tablespoons Lime Juice (Depending on Your Desired Level of Tanginess)
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Black or Green Olives
• 1-2 Cloves of Fresh Pressed Garlic
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dulse Flakes
• Dash of Cayenne Pepper to Taste

Instructions:
Process the carrot or sweet potato pulp in the food processor with the S blade until the carrots are finely ground. Then add the lime juice, avocado, pressed garlic, Dulse flakes, and spices and process some more until the mixture reaches a pate consistency. (You might need to stop the food processor half way through and scrape down the sides). Fold in the chopped olives and cilantro. Eat as is or on top of a bed of greens.

Recipe Hints:

• If you don’t have a  juicer you can always just process the carrots in the food processor before you add the avocado or you can use your Omega 8006 juicer with the blank screen on and just alternate the carrots with the avocado through your Omega 8006.

• If you are going to be using mash as a dip, add one more avocado for a creamier consistency.

• If you are not familiar with Dulse flakes, they are a mild tasting flaked seaweed that you can get at any natural grocery store in the bulk herb or spice aisle. If they are not available, you can just substitute with sea salt to taste.

More Raw Carrot Pulp Recipes

If you liked this raw carrot pulp mash recipe then you might enjoy some of my other raw carrot pulp recipes:

No Nut Carrot Pulp Cookies

Juice Pulp Patties

This recipe below is not raw, but super healthy:

Making Mineral Broth With Carrot Pulp

And please do share your favorite ways to use raw carrot pulp in the comment’s section below.

♥,
C

P.S. This recipe is a perfect example of what a raw fooder eats on a daily basis. For more everyday raw food recipes check out the e-book What Do a Raw Fooders Eat? *Affiliate Link

Raw Cauliflower Salad - With Creamy Paprika Dressing

By Cecilia Kinzie on 01/04/2013

This raw cauliflower salad is super healthy yet the creamy paprika sauce makes it super satisfying as well. I served this dish during a holiday party and even the non health nuts liked it! This raw cauliflower salad uses 1 entire head of raw cauliflower. Did you know that 1 large head of cauliflower has 17 grams of protein? Pretty impressive right? Not to mention vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, potassium, manganese, iron, and calcium to name a few.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1-2 servings

Nutrition Information:

• 773.5 calories
• 52.9 grams of fat
• 14.8 grams of sugar
• 616.9 milligrams of sodium

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Cauliflower Head
• 1/2 Cup Raw Macadamia Nuts (or raw pinenuts or raw cashews if raw Macadamia nuts are not available)
• 1/2 Cup of Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Chickpea Miso
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
• 1/8 Teaspoon Smoked Sweet Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

Instructions:
Wash cauliflower well and chop off all the stems until you are left with just the florets. Crumble the cauliflower florets with your fingers to achieve bite sized pieces and place them in a bowl. In a high speed blender (such as the Vitamix) combine Macadamia nuts, orange juice, lemon juice, chick pea miso, and sweet and smokey paprika. Blend on high until the dressing reaches a creamy consistency. Combine the dressing with the cauliflower florets until well dressed. You might have some dressing left over, if so, store it in the fridge to use for later. Garnish the raw cauliflower salad with a dust of sweet paprika and the chopped flat leaf parsley. Eat now, or store covered in the fridge for a few hours to the let the cauliflower soften. This recipe will last around three days in a sealed container in the fridge.

Recipe Hints:

• Last year I had some family visiting from Spain and they gifted me some beautiful Spanish paprika. In this raw cauliflower salad recipe I used Spanish sweet paprika and Spanish sweet smoked paprika. You are welcome to use spicy paprika or cayenne pepper if you like it hot. Also, if smoked paprika is not available you can use dried chiptole pepper powder instead which has a similar smokey flavor. (Chipotle and smoked paprika are not raw, so if you want, you can omit them or use cayenne pepper instead.)

• I used Miso Master’s Chickpea Miso which you can get at your local health food store or order it online here:www.great-eastern-sun.com/

• If you can’t find raw Macadamia nuts you can use raw cashews or raw pine nuts instead. Regardless of what type of nut you use, you will need a powerful blender such as the Vitamix to achieve the creamy consistency of the dressing.

Hope you enjoyed this simple raw cauliflower salad and please do share your favorite raw cauliflower recipes in the comment’s section below.

♥,
C

Moroccan Raw Carrot Salad

By Cecilia Kinzie on 12/26/2012

I love carrots from the farmer's market, they have an earthier flavor than the traditional store bought ones, in my opinion. I recently bought 20 pounds of organic carrots from my local farm delivery service, so I decided to get creative and make an exotic fresh Moroccan raw carrot salad. I love the subtle hint of cumin in this recipe and I especially love that this Moroccan raw carrot salad is one of the few raw recipes that actually tastes better after being left in the refrigerator a few days (because the carrots become more tender as they absorb the dressing). Just put the salad in a sealed container in the fridge, and you have an easy veggie side dish or small starter salad for up to three days.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 3 cups (serves 1 or 2)

Nutrition Information:

• 193.1 calories
• 9.5 grams of fat
• 14.4 grams of sugar
• 305.3 milligrams of sodium

Ingredients:

• 3 Thick Carrots
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Green Onion (green part only)
• 3 Tablespoons Orange Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• Dash Cinnamon
• Dash Cayenne Pepper
• Dash Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions:
Spiralize the carrots with a spiral slicer and place in a medium sized bowl. Mix in the chopped cilantro and green onion. In a separate bowl whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and spices until well combined. Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss well . You can serve immediately or you can let the flavors marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.

*For an extra beautiful presentation I used the Paderno World Cuisine Spiral Slicer and spiralized the carrots, but if you don’t have a spiral slicer you can use a grater or mandoline. If you choose to use the spiral slicer, make sure to buy extra thick carrots and cut the thin ends off for best results.

I made a  beautiful Mediterranean appetizer plate for my family this year that included the Moroccan raw carrot salad, a raw cauliflower dish (I’ll share with you that recipe later), olives, olive tapenade, and a sundried tomato garlic spread that I bought at the farmer’s market (but I could have easily made a  raw hummus also). Below is a picture of the spread:

Hope it gives you some healthy ideas for your next gathering or New Year’s party!

♥,
C

Did you know you can make a persimmon sorbet with the Omega 8006 juicer? All you need is some chopped frozen fruit and the blank screen and you are ready to go. This sorbet recipe is a healthy treat you don’t have to feel guilty about, and it would make a great accompaniment to any holiday dessert.

If you don’t have an Omega 8006 or 8004 juicer then you can use a Champion juicer or a high speed blender such as the Vitamix. (If using a blender, you will need to either add in some fresh fruit or liquid such as water or nut milk.)

Tip For Freezing Your Own Fruit:

If you are freezing your own fruit then I recommend that you chop the fruit into small pieces and lay them flat on a plate, without touching, and freeze them for about an hour. After about an hour, transfer the frozen fruit to a zip lock plastic bag or other air tight container and continue to freeze overnight. Allowing the fruit to freeze first on the plate, will prevent them from being stuck together.

Persimmon Banana Sorbet

Ingredients:

1 and half cups ripe Fuyu persimmon (seeds removed) chopped and frozen
1 and half cups banana chopped and frozen

Optional Ingredients:

2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Using the plunger, run the frozen bananas and frozen persimmons through the Omega 8006 or 8004 with the blank screen on and the oval nozzle attached. Alternate between the frozen banana and the frozen persimmon. Transfer sorbet to a bowl and mix in the raisins, chopped walnuts, and pumpkin pie spice. When ready to serve, top with the date sauce. (recipe for date sauce below) Eat now or freeze for later. Makes about 2 cups sorbet. Serves 2-3.

Date Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped and pitted mejidool dates

To make the date sauce soak 1/4 cup of chopped mejidool dates in one cup of water for at least 1 hour. Pour the dates and soak water into a high speed blender (such as the Vitamix) and blend until a smooth sauce. Drizzle the sauce on top of your persimmon sorbet and save the rest in the fridge to use as a sweetener at a later date.

To see me make the persimmon sorbet in action watch this video below: (Click here if you can’t see the sorbet video below)

Hope you enjoyed this persimmon sorbet recipe. Please share your favorite frozen fruit sorbet recipes in the comments section below.

♥,
C