Raw Taco Supreme

A client of mine has been on a raw food cleanse for the past two weeks, and this has inspired me to reintroduce some raw recipes into my repertoire.  I was in the mood for something spicy, so I decided to make a raw taco with "refried beans," mango salsa, and cashew sour cream.

The refried beans are made by soaking sunflower seeds in water until they're soft, then pulsing them in a food processor with carrot, onion, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, and sea salt until a paste forms.  These don't get cooked, but they're somehow close in consistency to the refries we love so much.

I spread a good portion of the mixture onto a crispy romaine lettuce leaf (the "taco" shell), then got my handy squeeze bottle to make a cute squiggle of cashew sour cream over the top.  On the side is a good portion of salsa made with fresh mango, local tomatoes, red and green onion, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro.  Beautiful and delicious!

Fresh from the Farm

Last night was the final session of my 4-week "Fresh from the Farm" West Hartford Adult Ed class.  It's been a hot and sticky summer, so it seemed only fitting that we should end with a cool note and raw foods.  I chose to do an Italian themed menu.

The first course was a vegan twist on the traditional Caprese Salad made with beefsteak tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil.  In this case, I substituted a lovely ripe avocado which, though not local and farm fresh, was delicious.  I also made an olive tapenade to go with the spread.  The gorgeous tomatoes were from my friends at Hindinger Farm in Hamden.

The entree was a Raw Zucchini Lasagna with Macadamia "Rawcotta" and Red Pepper Marinara.  I think this was a favorite for the flavors and surprisingly silky texture of the thin strips of zucchini which I ran through the mandoline.  And the zucchini were from my garden.

For dessert I made a super decadent Blueberry Tart with Cashew Cream and Orange Zest.  I think the layer of Almond Coconut Crust was a little thick, so next time I'm gonna have to cut back on the measurements.

So rich.  Or maybe it just needed even more blueberries.  I bet this would be good with fresh peaches, too.  Next time...