Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Summerfest Raw Bar Day 3

Lunch


Puttanesca Stuffed Peppers
Cantaloupe Rose Soup with Blueberry Cream
Raw Ravioli with Sundried Tomato Sauce
Hemp Energy Balls


Here's an alternate ravioli recipe using beets.

Golden Beet Ravioli with Sundried Tomato Filling


These colorful and versatile savory treats add a splash of color and depth of flavor to any meal, whether served as an appetizer, the main course or atop an amazing salad.  The rich mixture of sundried tomatoes and fresh basil is an unbeatable combination.
The Raviolis:
  • 3 to 4 medium sized golden beets
The Filling:
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2-4 hours
  • 1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked 4-6 hours
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon pepper
Preparation:
  • Peel beets and slice horizontally to 1/10 of an inch thickness with a mandolin; set aside.
  • Process remaining ingredients in a food processor until for 30-45 seconds or thoroughly combined.
  • Scoop a tablespoon of filling in the middle of a beet slice.  Now add another slice on top of similar size.  Firmly, but with care, press down on the center, spreading the filling.
  • Pinch the beets with thumb and forefinger, going around the ravioli in a circular motion.
  • Repeat as necessary until no filling remains.
  • Dehydrate for 5 hours at 110⁰, checking every 60 minutes to pinch the edges together as needed.




Dinner



Gazpacho
Taco Bar
Pad Thai
Brownie Balls

Here's a super simple, yet satisfying chocolate recipe.

Cashew Golden Raisin Brownie Balls

2 cups walnuts
2 cups dates, pitted
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup golden raisins
Pinch sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until a crumbly texture with no large chunks is formed.
2. Using a scoop, or hands, form mixture into balls and place in refrigerator/freezer to set.
3. Top with, or dunk in, optional chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup soaked dates
1/3 cup cashews
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut oil
pinch vanilla

1/2 cup water, or more, as needed

1. After soaking the dates add all ingredients to a high speed blender, adding the water in slowly, as needed, and blend as necessary until creamy.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Summerfest Raw Bar Day 2

Lunch

Rainbow Coleslaw
Lavender Infused Watermelon Soup
Cashew Ricotta Towers




Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberries

This chocolate chia pudding was a runaway crowd favorite at Summerfest. And it's no surprise why. Between the perfect creaminess, lush, rich chocolaty goodness and the flavor brought on by the raspberries. While I can't share the recipe we used at the event, what follows is an alternate recipe from my upcoming book, As Raw As You Wanna Be.






Chocolate Chia Pudding

Meat from one young Thai coconut
Water from one young Thai coconut

1/2 cup cashews (more as needed)
1/2 cup pitted dates, medjool or other
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 scraped vanilla bean, or 1 t vanilla powder
1 T cinnamon
1 t clove powder
1 t pink Himalayan salt

2/3 cups chia seeds

1 cup fresh raspberries, to garnish
chia seeds to garnish

1. Open coconut, reserve water and set aside.
2. Using a spoon or your fingers, scrape the meat from inside the coconut and add, with reserved water, to blender and blend.
3. Add cashews, dates, cacao powder, vanilla, cinnamon, clove and salt to blender and blend until smooth.
4. Add chia seeds to the pudding and fold in with a spatula.
5. Transfer to serving dishes or bowl and chill.
6. Add fresh raspberries and top with chia seeds and serve.

This recipe makes for a great layer in parfaits!



Dinner


Corn Chowder with Red Pepper Cream
Nachos
Ranch Kale Salad


Thumbprint Cheesecakes
                                                          




These little bad boys were the highlight of the event from a culinary perspective for me, but as anyone who has ever had the delight to experience my raw cheesecakes will know, they are out of this world. For Summerfest we made blueberry, strawberry and raspberry...with raspberry being the people's choice. Now you can make them at home, simply by following the recipe below.

The Pie Crust

2 1/4 cups Brazil nuts or almonds
3/4 cup coconut flakes
1/3 cup + 1 pitted dates, soaked 15 min.
1/3 cup + 1 T agave nectar

1. Process all ingredients until uniform.
2. Using a 2 oz scoop, scoop and press an indent in the center with your thumb, forming a reservoir for the filling, until all the mixture is used.
3. Place crusts in the refrigerator or freezer until firm.

The Fruit Filling

2/14 cup cashews, soaked 2-8 hours
8 ounces of fruit
3/4 cup dates
1/2 cup coconut oil, liquefied
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/3 cup water
2 t vanilla extract
1 t sea salt

1. Place all ingredients in high speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into piping bag and fill each 'thumbprint' crust.
3. Place in refrigerator or freezer until firm.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Summerfest 2014 Raw Bar Day 1

Usually the first day of Summerfest is more on the quiet side, as many people are still arriving and yet others won't do so until the weekend. Thus year, however, there seemed to be many more people, as we served over 500 meals for lunch and nearly 600 for dinner. Included below are some of my favorite recipes from the day, and of course some excellent photos I managed to snap in the midst of the chaos.

Lunch Day 1
Cucumber Mint Soup
Zucchini Romesco
Cilantro Pate Stuffed Mushrooms
Peach Praline with Cashew Creme



Cucumber Mint Soup







Wednesday Dinner
Creamy Brazil Nut Soup
Asian Cucumber Salad
Spring Rolls with Thai dipping sauce
Blueberry Rose Granita





Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Welcome to Summerfest 2014

This morning I awoke early and was quickly outside to take in the breathtaking vistas of the University of Pittsburgh campus nestled in scenic Johnstown, PA.

Beautiful Mountain Views

    Aside from the flora and fauna, at the moment I might as well be the only one on campus, but within 24 hours hundreds of hungry vegetarians, vegans, raw-foodists, veg curious and health-conscious individuals will descend upon this unlikely venue. 
One of my favorite reasons to be veg: the animals!



     My job is to help oversee that all these people are fed delicious, high-quality food of uncompromising integrity—and of course, I get to have a lot of fun along the way and meet and reconnect with some really wonderful folks. This year is my third year at Summerfest, and always I am seeking to present an improved experience for all those who are lucky enough to dine with us throughout the course of the conference. One of the most frequent requests I receive, as you might expect, is for recipes. In general, I am always approached with many excellent questions about techniques, ingredients and preparations that I can’t always answer as fully as is necessary during the execution of meal service. So this time around I have decided in addition to lovingly preparing thousands of meals, I would also blog my experience at Summerfest and do my best to answer any and all of your questions, post the recipes you are interested in, and without a doubt present you with lots of great food photos to salivate over.


            Setting Up
                                                                                             Whether this is your first time to Summerfest, or if you've been here every year for the last twenty, welcome home, it's so nice to have you. I'm headed into the kitchen--see y'all in the cafeteria!