RECIPE OF THE WEEK: MeatLESSloaf and Creamy Garlic & Herb Mashed UN-Potatoes (a raw vegan meal)

MeatLESSloaf and Creamy Garlic & Herbed Mashed UN-Potatoes

Every once in a while, I get a hankering for meatloaf and mashed potatoes. So I thought I'd share this dish. While its a raw vegan meal...its an excellent substitute. I'll start with the meatLESSloaf first...

MEATLESS LOAF

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup raw organic sunflower seeds (pre-soaked)
• 1-cup raw organic pumpkin seeds (pre-soaked)
• 2 cups tightly packed raw organic mustard greens
• 3 raw organic carrots
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 raw organic onion
• 1 ½ raw organic bell peppers
• 1 pint diced organic portabella mushrooms
• ¼ cup avocado oil (or an omega 3 oil of your choice)
• 1 cup flax meal or ½ cup flax seeds (grind your seeds into meal)
• 1 1/2-cup tomato sauce-RECIPE HERE
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp. celtic sea salt
• 1 tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 2 tbsp. cumin
• 2 tbsp. hemp powder

PLEASE NOTE: This meatLESSloaf recipe is very spicy from the mustard greens. If you don't like spice, I'd suggest substituting for kale, collards or spinach.

Drain and rinse your seeds. In your food processor, grind and finely chop your seeds until it looks like a wet meal substance. Put in a bowl.

Finely chop and/or grind your mustard greens, carrots, onions, mushrooms, garlic and bell pepper. I like for these things to be so fine that it’s barely noticeable. Put in the bowl with the finely chopped nuts.

Add your flax meal and seasonings folding it in so that it’s thoroughly seasoned.

Add your tomato sauce and your oil. Again fold it in so that it’s thoroughly seasoned. Now get right in there with your hands and mesh it all together so that it’s properly seasoned throughout.

MeatLESSloaf balls setting in the refrigerator

Form into balls and let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour or two. This helps to form the “meat-like” consistency while also enhancing the flavor of your meatless loaf. (see picture above)

MeatLESSloaf Pre-dehydrator

Take them out of the refrigerator. Now form them in the shape of your choice. Since I’m doing Meatless Loaf, I’m shaping mine in the form of little loaves. (see picture above)

Put on the dehydrator and dehydrate. 

Put a little tomato sauce on top. This really helps to give it the “meatloaf” effect. Let it dehydrate for another 30 minutes to an hour. 

And you have meatLESSloaf...

MeatLESSloaf is ready (this one is not finely ground)!

MeatLESSloaf close up...with finely grinded ingredients...

Now on to the mashed UN-potatoes...I won't lie to you and say it tastes "just like mashed potatoes"...as a real potato connoisseur, I will say it does NOT taste just like mashed potatoes. It is however, a great substitute for those times you don't want the heavy carbs. And its as close as you're going to come to the real thing. Enjoy!

CREAMY GARLIC & HERBED MASHED UN-POTATOES

Ingredients:

• 1 raw organic cauliflower head
• 2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp of fresh dill
• 1 tsp fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp of parsley
• 1 tbsp of dried onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ¼ - ½ cup of water

PLEASE NOTE: If you're making this for a romantic dinner, you might want to only add 1 garlic clove.

Put your water and cauliflower in your Vitamix blender. If your cauliflower head was as big as mine was, you may have to blend it down a bit before adding all the cauliflower and seasonings. Once that’s done, add your oil and seasonings. Blend some more while stirring and mashing down with your tamper. When your cauliflower takes on the consistency of mashed potatoes, its ready!

Put it in a bowl and serve!

The finished Mashed UN-Potatos

Pssst...I bet you thought that was it...but I'm sure you saw the little meatLESSballs on the dehydrator...that is for Spaghetti and MeatLESSballs, I plan on having after this is gone...let them dehydrate a little longer until they are hard. Then let them marinade a few hours in marinara sauce. See picture below.

MeatLESSballs

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This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Raw Vegan Pizza

When I first implemented a plant based diet into my lifestyle, I thought I'd never eat pizza again. Being a Chicago native...this was sacrilegious! If you know anyone from Chicago, you know we take our pizza VERY seriously. I've played around with quite a few experimental recipes and (for me) I've come up with and mastered the ultimate Raw Vegan Pizza. It mimics what is (in my mind) the best version of a Chicago Style thin crust pizza...except in Raw Vegan form...Enjoy!

My Raw Vegan Pizza Slice!

INGREDIENTS

Basil Tomato Pizza Crust

• 1 1/4 cups organic brown or golden flax seeds (I used brown)
• 2 apples (peeled and shredded/use any sweet apple)
• 1 pint of sweet mexican cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried onions
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup water 
• nutritional yeast (optional to sprinkle on top)

Savory Tomato Pizza Sauce

• 7 oz sundried tomatoes
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/4 red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sage
• pinch of morgoram
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Pizza Cheese

• 1 cup raw organic cashews (soak for at least 8 hours-it doubles to 2 cups)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp parsely
• 1/2 cup water

Pizza Topping

• 1 cup Braggs liquid aminos
• 1 package Portabella mushrooms thinly sliced
• 1.5 bell peppers
• 1/4 sweet red onion
• 15 oz pitted black olives 
• 1 tomato
• 10 mexican cherry tomatoes

MAKING THE TOMATO BASIL CRUST

If you want a lighter crust use golden flax seeds.

Put the flaxseeds in your dry Vitamix blender. Blend on high. It will turn into a powdery substance. Please Note: This is how you make flax flour. 

Add your dry spices. Blend a little more. (I do this to make sure the spices go to every ounce of the crust). 

Add your wet ingredients (i.e., the water, apple and the coconut oil). Blend until it turns into a thick batter. It should be thick, not quite as thick as dough, but not watery like cake batter. You should be able to maneuver and work with it.

Take it out of the vitamix and fold in your chopped and diced mexican cherry tomatoes. Then put it on your dehydrator and mold it into a circle or square. Make it look how you want your pizza to look.

Sprinkle a little nutritional yeast and dried basil on top. Dehydrate it on 110 degrees (time may vary depending on your dehydrator). Be sure to turn the pizza crust over dehydrate it on the other side.

MAKING THE SAVORY TOMATO SAUCE

Put everything into your vitamix and blend. Take out then place it in a bowl. Refrigerate it for 24 hours so the flavors can savor. 

MAKING THE PIZZA CHEESE

Put everything into your vitamix and blend. Take out then place it in a bowl. Refrigerate it for 24 hours so the flavors can savor. 

MAKING THE PIZZA TOPPINGS

Slice your mushrooms and black olives thinly. Dice and finely chop your onion and bell pepper. Put your chopped veggies into a bowl with 1 cup of Braggs liquid aminos and 1/4 cup olive oil. Fill the rest of the bowl up with water until all ingredients are covered. Let it marinade in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. 

Take out of the refrigerator and add chopped tomato. Let it marinade in the mixture for at least 2 hours at room temperature. This is also good to soften up the oil that has solidified.

TIP: Everything that is sitting and marinading for 24 hours while your crust is in the dehydrator. The Cheese will thicken. The Tomato Sauce will be savory and your raw veggies will be tender and robust. You won't even notice it wasn't oven baked!


Drain your marinated veggies.

MAKING THE PIZZA

The whole pizza before dehydrating it.

When your crust is ready...Spread the tomato sauce on it...

Then spread your cheese on top of the tomato sauce.  I tend to like more cheese...so I have a lot loaded here...but you add as little as you like...

Place your toppings on top of it...(I'm a bit heavy handed...LOL)

If you like add more cheese on top. (this is optional)

Dehydrate it for another 30 to 60 minutes (this will help to hold it all together a bit...and it warms everything up) and...VOILA!

The whole pizza!

This is a close up of the dehydrated pizza...see how the cheese is a little darker? It un-cooked and solidified on the pizza, just like animal cheese does! Isn't Raw Vegan living grand?

I had more than 1 slice! ha ha ha ha

Now I am back in the Veg Lab trying to work some magic for a deep dish version...stay tuned!!!

PLEASE NOTE! This site (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used:

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This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

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Copyright © 2011 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.

 
 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Raw Vegan Spaghetti with MeatLESSballs!

So you're trying to adapt a raw vegan or plant based diet into your lifestyle. But you miss pasta? Well this recipe is for you...

MeatLESSballs Ingredients

• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tbsp pepper
• 1 tbsp onion flakes
• 16 oz of portabella mushrooms
• ½ green bell pepper
• ¼ red onion
• ½ red bell pepper
• 1 ½ cups of carrot pulp,
• ½ cup beet pulp
• ½ cup spinach/kale/collard pulp
• 1 tbsp hemp powder 

Please Note: in place of pulp you can use finely chopped those ingredients. I used pulp from when I juice---this is why I stress to save your pulp from juicing--nothing goes to waste!

Please also note: I usually make all my meatLESS burgers the night before. That way when I go to sleep and wake up, it's ready.

Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients 

• 7 oz sundried tomatoes
• 3 tomatoes
• ½ green pepper
• ½ red pepper
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp basil
• ½ tsp thyme
• ½ tsp sage
• pinch of morgoram
• a few pieces of jalepeno peppers 

Please Note: I make my tomato sauce the day before so it can marinade in the sauces over night.


Spaghetti Ingredients

• 2 Zucchini's
• 1 carrot
• ½ bell pepper
• ¼ red onion
• 3 garlic cloves

Making the Tomato Sauce

Throw all of the Tomato Sauce ingredients into your Vitamix, blend. Pour into a bowl and let it sit to marinate in the ingredients. I usually make my sauces the night before and let them marinate in the seasonings overnight.

Making the MeatLESSballs

Mix the dry ingredients in your food processor (i.e., sunflower seeds, chili powder, cumin, celtic sea salt, pepper, onion flakes, and hemp powder. Set to the side.

Chop onions, bell pepper (green and red) very fine fold into dry mixture, add in pulp wet mixtures (i.e., carrot, beet and spinach/kale/collard pulps)…mix, mold into desired size balls. Then let it sit in the fridge for an hour so that it can set. Take out, let it sit for 20 minutes then put it into the dehydrator and un-cook it until its done. For my Dehydrator, it took about 5-7 hours. But you'll know when they're ready, because like a meat burger, it will brown a little bit and that’s when its done. But remember you want them to be a little hard...because you're going to marinade them in the tomato sauce. I typically make these the night before too. When I wake up, they're ready.

 Then take them, let them marinade in the tomato sauce. 
 

Making The Spaghetti

First I peeled the green off of the zucchini with a potato peeler. Then I spiralized both zucchini's making them into spaghetti shaped pasta like forms. Then I let it marinate in a lil olive oil and celtic seasalt for about 2 hours. I simply folded in some finely chopped bell pepper, garlic and red onion, then I mixed the tomato sauce with the zucchini and I got spaghetti! I wanted it warm so I put it in the dehydrator for a bit.

Its amazing what you can do with vegetables, don't you think? 

When your Spaghetti and MeatLESSballs are warm to your desired taste...then eat them! Enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE! This site (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used:

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

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Copyright © 2011 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.