Raw Date Sweets

Ingredients
- for 1 bar or 5 rolls

Base:
4 dried dates
1 tbsp crated coco
6 almonds
½ tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp cacao nibs

tiny pinch of salt

Directions

Blend all ingredients into a doughy consistency - hold back one date if they're very moist. A little raw coco oil can be added for moist and richness as well, but is not necessary. Chopped nuts and seeds can be be added for extra crunch.

Flavoring and variations

Chili: add a pinch of red chili powder and roll in grated coco.

Ginger: add a pinch of freshly grated ginger or a pinch of dried ginger powder.

Lime: add lime zest and a little lime juice and an extra tsp grated coco.

Chai: add tiny pinches of ground cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, liqorice, fennel seeds and fresh or dried ginger.

Liqorice: add liqorice powder.
Chocolate: add chopped raw chocolate, roll in cacao nibs or powder.
Nuts: replace almonds with walnut, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, macadamia or other nuts, add chopped ones also and roll in chopped nuts.

Fruit and berry: add dried fruit or berries like banana, apple, pineapple, abricot, mango, cherries, blueberries etc.

Kimbap with Kimchi

Rice:

2 1/2 dl korean rice or sushi rice
4 dl water

1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Mix oil, vinegar, sugar and salt well while boiling the rice. Stir in gently after the rice have settled and cooled a little. 

Making perfect rice is an ART - find your own way...

Stuffing:

Cucumber
Avocado
Pickled ginger
Sesame seeds

Horse radish
Tofu
Spring onions
Blanched savoy cabbage

Umeboshi Purée
Carrot
Blanched spinach
Pickled radish

or whatever combination you prefer.

Roll like maki sushi. 

Check out how Maangchi rolls.

or the turbo roll.

Serve with kimchi.

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

My dream last night took me back to last summer - a beautiful day with my dad in the garden. We were cutting down my cherry tree, harvesting rainbow carrots and zucchini.

Then we made stuffed zucchini flowers, here's my vague memory of the recipe I came up with:

Stuffing
grilled zucchini
capers
silken tofu
chives
parsley
garlic
olive oil
salt
pepper

Chop the vegetables, capers and herbs finely and mix with tofu and oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the flowers.
Make a twist at the top to close the flower. 
Like this:

Batter:
wheat flour
baking powder
salt
beer

Mix the batter - heat up oil, dip the flowers and deep fry. Be careful!
Serve immediately, with a slice of lemon. Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside - yum :D

Come summer and zucchini flowers I will review.

Raw Blackberry and Raspberry Cup Cakes - my first ones ever!

Ok, so this is the very first time making raw cakes - and cake making is really not what I'm best at.
Measurements are potentially a bit off - I didn't write anything down going along...

Crust:
4 dried dates
2 tbsp rolled oats
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp raw cocoa powder

Blend all and shape into cup cake wrappers

Blackberry and Raspberry filling:
1 dl soaked cashew nuts
3 dl defrosted black- and raspberries - squeeze and save the juice

½ tsp soy lecithin
2 tsp agave syrup or other raw sweetener
½ tsp psyllium seed husks (optional)

Blend all and fill into crusts.

Coconut and mint sprinkles:
Dried shredded coconut
Mint leaeves

Chop, chop, chop...

Whipped cream:
½ dl soaked cashew nut
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp soy lecithin
1 tbsp juice from berries
½ tsp psyllium seed husks (optional)

Vanilla - seeds or extract to taste

Blend - holding back juice gradually until smooth.
Decorate - and serve immediately.

Final decoration:
Mint leaves

Cucumber Kimchi

Ingredients
2 big or 6 small cucumbers for Pickling
sea salt

4 scallions
1 very small yellow or white onion
3 tbsp of sesame seeds
3 - 4 red pepper flakes 고추가루
2 tbsp Save-The-Fish Sauce (or some salt)
1 tsp of sugar
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of sesame oil

Directions
Cut the cucumbers into chunks, slices or do like Aeri.
Rub/coat the cucumbers in salt and leave to sit.
While waiting mix the rest of the ingredients.
Rinse cucumbers thoroughly when ready after 20 - 30 minutes.
Mix everything together and store in glass jars in the fridge.
Can be served immediately but is best after a day or two.

Wakame and Mushroom Salad

Serves 2 - me and my quest star cook - providing wakame brought back from Korea

Ingredients
2 handful of soaked and quickly simmered wakame
3 handful of fried mushroom - we used yellow oyster, common oyster, button and shitake
Roasted sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Rice vinegar
Mirin
Salt to taste

Directions
Mix and serve.

Strawberry and Raspberry Smoothie

Ur everyday average afternoon smoothie

Ingredients:

Vanilla Soy Milk
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Raspberries

Directions:

Blend

Variation:

Add protein powder for a good 'after work out shake'.

Raw Hummus

Ingredients:

Sprouted Chick Peas - (sprouted for 2-3 days)
Oil
Garlic
Cumin and coriander seeds
Cayenne pepper or chili
Lemon juice
Sesame seed

Directions:

Blend

Garnish with:

Spinkles of cayenne pepper
Oil

Sweet and Tangy Zest

Ingredients:

Zest from 1 orange or any other citrus fruit (organic naturally)
2 tbsp of sugar
Boiling water

Directions:

Remove as much of the white inside of the zest. Cut into wanted sizes no wider than 5 mm. Poor over boiling water until almost covered. Add sugar. Simmer until water has evaporated. Cool on baking or wax paper. When cool dip in sugar. Use for decoration on cakes or as a snack.

Luxury variation:
Dip in melted chocolate, grated coconut or dried chili flakes.