Vive La Revolution

There has indeed been something of a revolution in Polly's Kitchen!
During the past month, I have been conducting some experiments in Raw Food.
I have always been a bit sceptical of raw vegan diets, wondering whether they would provide all the nutrients required.
But, having done a huge amount of research, both online and in books, talked to people and watched videos, I am convinced that it is worth a try.
I was getting a bit bored and (yes I will admit it) complacent in my cookery and really need a challenge. This, I thought, could be it!
And "It" it has proven to be. I have been gradually introducing more and more raw foods into my diet over the past 5 weeks and I feel pretty good. Aches and pains dramatically diminished, migraines lessened, energy up, positivity up and now, when I eat something processed and cooked, I can taste the salt and grease and too-much sugar - yuck! give me an apple, someone!
My favourite part of this recipe experimentation so far has been in creating raw chocolate treats!

Raw chocolate is amazing. I thought the processed stuff was pretty good, but the raw variety really is the business! Try it and you won't want to go back.

The following recipes are all very simple – just mix everything together and squish into a silicone mould, or roll into a ball (if possible.) No cooking – result! They are a bit vague on the measurements at times because it has been a bit "trial and error" (lots of error - all delicious though!) But don't be put off. In each case you need a stiff, rollable mixture, so add more liquid or dry ingredients as needed.

Pascal's Chocolate Triangles

Wet Ingredients:
2oz/50g coconut cream, melted

Dry ingredients:
1 handful dates, chopped small

2 teaspoons (tsp) cacao powder

2 tsp carob powder

2 tsp ground almonds (or any other ground raw nuts)

1 tsp cacao nibs

Mix everything together and press into a silicone ice-cube mould.

We call these Pascal's Chocolate Triangles because we have triangular moulds. Make up your own name if you like.

Sometime we use a heart shaped ice-cube moulds and call them Chocolate Hearts – aahh!

Chocolate Love Bombs.

Wet Ingredients:
2oz/50g coconut cream – melted in a bain marie

1 dessertspoon (dsp) coconut oil – melt with above

DryIngredients:

2 dsp ground almonds

1 dsp raw cacao powder

1 dsp carob powder

1 dsp cacao nibs

1 dsp mixed raw seeds

Fruits:

1 handful dates

1 handful figs

1 dsp dried mulberries or any other dried fruit.

Soak these fruits in water for about 10 minutes, then take them out and chop them very finely.


Add to the dry ingredients and stir together.

When the coconut is melted, add this to the mixture and mix in.

Add 1 dsp agave nectar or raw honey if required.

If the mixture is a bit dry, add a bit of the fruit soak water, 1 dsp at a time until it sticks together.

Press into silicone muffin moulds and place in the freezer until firm. Keep in the fridge and munch one when a love hit is required.

Chocolate 'Nana Cake.

Melt:

2oz/50g coconut cream & 1 dsp coconut oil

Meanwhile soak:

1 handful each of dates & figs

1 handful mixed seeds

1 tsp dried mulberries

in just enough water to cover them.

Place the following in a bowl:

1 dsp each of: cacao powder, carob powder, cacao nibs

3 dsp ground almonds (or other nuts)

Blend the soaked fruit and seeds in the soak water with a banana until smooth.

Pour into the dry mixture.

Add the coconut when melted and stir everything together into a creamy mixture.

Pour into silicone muffin moulds and freeze until firm.

Keep in the fridge.

Fire on Babylon – a chilli chocolate treat.

Using the pulp from Shazzie's Almond Goji Mylk, (below) add the following:

1 dsp cacao powder

1 dsp carob powder

1 tsp ground chilli (or very finely chopped fresh!) More if you're brave!

1 dsp coconut oil, melted with 2oz/50g coconut cream.

Mix everything into a stiff paste and roll into balls.

Chill and serve. Blows the top of your head off, if you get it right!

Shazzie's Almond Goji Mylk.

This recipe came from Shazzie, from Detox Your World. I have gleaned some very useful info from this site, so I urge you to take a look. Shazzie is great, about as bonkers as I am, but very wise! And boy! She knows her raw food!

I have adjusted the quantities a bit, but my version works well too and you can use the pulp to make Fire on Babylon!

1 cup almonds

½ cup goji berries

about 4 dates.

Soak all these in 1 pint (½ litre) of water (soak the almonds overnight if you want it really good, then add the fruit for 10 minutes!)

Blend the whole lot until it is really homogenous, then pour into a bowl lined with muslin.

Gather up the muslin and squeeze as much of the liquid out as you can. You should get about a pint of gorgeous golden sunshine – yummy! Save the pulp for Fire on Babylon.

So there you have it, folks. Raw heaven! Enjoy! =)