by Paul Benhaim of AliveFoods.com

Copyright © 2004 Paul Benhaim, All Rights Reserved
  • Eggplant Lasagna
  • Walnut Stuffed Peppers
  • Thai Hemp Curry
  • Sea Veggie Pizza
  • Carrocado Mash
  • Macadamia Crème
  • Mango Pudding
  • Candy Floss Tart

Including raw foods in your diet is a great way get plenty of naturally-occurring vitamins and antioxidants. Eating raw doesn't have to be unappetizing or boring. A wealth of delicious recipes is now available. We have the privilege of presenting several such recipes, thanks to raw foods chef Paul Benhaim. For more, let us refer you to Paul's excellent book, Living Food Recipes.

Eggplant Lasagna

  • 1 medium to large eggplant
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup nama shoyu, or tamari sauce
  • 1 tsp. sea salt

Cut eggplant thinly lengthwise. Marinate in water, nama shoyu, or tamari sauce and sea salt for at least 2 hours, and up to 12 hours. Dry the eggplant slices with a paper towel. Prepare the following in separate bowls:

  • 1 cup tomato sauce (can be made as shown in spaghetti bolognaise recipe)
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • a few slices of red onion

Cheese sauce:

  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbs. nama shoyu, or tamari sauce

Mix together in a bowl until smooth. Create different layers, alternating: Eggplant, tomato sauce, shredded zucchini, cheese sauce, eggplant, tomato sauce, etc. Finish with shredded zucchini, and decorate with a few slices of onion.

 

Walnut stuffed peppers

This pâté is lovely inside a juicy red pepper, but remember that you can do all sorts with the pate, such as spreading them on vegetable rounds, use as a dip with crudités, or use them as a nori stuffing. Serves 4.

  • 8 red peppers
  • 4 cups of walnuts, shelled
  • 4 sundried tomatoes, soaked in water for 2-6 hours
  • 2 small red onions
  • 2 courgettes

De-seed, stalk and chop 4 of the peppers, and put them in a food processor. Add the walnuts and sundried tomatoes and process. If you have a Champion juicer or L'Equip Visor juicer/processor, use that. If you don't have one, then process the mixture until it's a pâté-like texture. If you have a hand blender, transfer the mixture to a bowl and finish it off with the hand blender to get a smoother finish. Finely chop the onion and mix this into the pâté, but don't blend it. Transfer equal amounts of pâté into each pepper. Replace the lids, and place each on a serving plate. Spiral slice the courgette and put equal amounts around the peppers. Finish off by adding some extra finely sliced sundried tomatoes, a few fresh coriander leaves, some walnuts and a drizzle of olive oil to the courgette. (Variation: You can put the stuffed peppers into a dehydrator for around 6 hours which will slightly soften the pepper. Add the courgette after dehydrating.)

 

Thai Hemp Curry

Curry:

  • ¼ cup red pepper or mild chili, diced 2-3cm
  • ¼ cup cauliflower, finely grated
  • ¼ cup broccoli, grated
  • 1 tbsp Sweet potato, diced 1-2cm
  • 1 cup kale or other greens, chopped
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 tbsp currants, soaked

Sauce:

  • 2 cup fresh coconut meat and water OR
  • ½ coconut, juiced (add 2 tbsp water to produce this coconut milk) OR
  • 4 tbsp Dried coconut
  • ¼ cup hemp milk
  • 1 small parsnip, juiced
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 1 kafir lime leaf (optional)
  • 1 tsp ginger juice
  • 1 four-inch piece of fresh or 1 tsp dried lemon grass
  • 1 tsp cumin and/or ½ tsp freshly ground coriander
  • 1 small mild chili, chopped finely or to taste
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander to taste
  • 1 radish for decoration

Mix all curry ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add other fresh ingredients to taste. Blend all sauce ingredients to a sauce and pour over curry. Serve with fresh coriander and decorate with radish, finely sliced in a Saladacco

 

Sea Veggie Pizza

I call this a sea veggie pizza because its base is made from Laver, a sea vegetable. Dulse, another sea vegetable is used in the topping. It is very simple, and can be prepared quickly.

  • Dried Laver Circles (found at Asian Markets)
  • 2 Avocados
  • Juice of 2 Medium Size Carrots
  • Dulse Flakes

Toppings: Tomatoes, Dried Tomatoes, Onions, Bell Peppers, Zucchini, Dried Zucchini, Arugula, Parsley, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Sunchokes, Edible Flowers, Broccoli, and anything else you would like!

Mash the two avocados. Add the juice of 2 carrots, Mix Well. Spread the above mixture on the Laver. Sprinkle Dulse Flakes to completely cover the avocado Mixture. Select several toppings and chop them up into small pieces. Carefully place each topping, one at a time on the pizza. Be sure to use your imagination, and make it look pretty! -- Options: This recipe is very open to your imagination and creativity! The "sauce" can be a tomato paste (Sun Dried Tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and soaked walnuts), a hummus, dip, a pate, or even a seed cheese! The topping can be anything you desire, just chop it well into small pieces!

 

Carrocado Mash

Serves two

  • 6 to 8 large fresh carrots
  • 1 large red or yellow bell pepper
  • 1 large or 2 small ripe avocados
  • 1 oz. whole dulse leaf

Soak the dulse leaf in water for a few minutes, then drain and thoroughly rinse for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the water by hand Slice up the bell pepper into strips. With the blank plate installed, run the carrots through a Champion juicer or L'Equip Visor juicer/processor, collecting the juicy pulp in a bowl Remove the flesh from the avocado(s) and, using a fork, mash the avocado into the carrot pulp. Add the dulse and bell pepper to the carrot-avocado mixture, and serve. (Optional: scoop out bell pepper and stuff with the carrot-avocado mixture.)

 

Macadamia Crème

  • 15 raw macadamia nuts
  • 1 tsp hemp oil
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 3 fresh pitted dates

Blend and serve. Great as is, with your smoothie or served with Souper Beet Soup (see Living Food Recipes)

 

Mango Pudding

  • 2 Mangos
  • 1/4 Lime (Optional)
  • Shredded Coconut & Chopped Pecans, to taste

Use a vegetable peeler to peel mangos. Then place a knife flush to one of the flat sides of the mango pit and cut the mango away from the pit. Add 1/4 lime and blend until perfectly smooth. To complete the dessert, pour into dessert cups/dishes and add shredded coconut and chopped pecans to taste. This also tastes good with just the pureed mango.

 

Candy Floss Tart

Thanks to Shazzie. This is such a sugar pink color, it glows! But don't mess with the sweet sugary vixen lurking at the bottom of this drink -- she might just turn around and bite you! Serves 4.

  • 3 pink grapefruits
  • 2 limes
  • 2 ripe soft pears
  • 2 cups of melon

Remove the citrus peel and juice all the ingredients in a juicer. Alternatively, juice the citrus in a citrus juicer, and add everything to a blender and blend, you can strain this if you like.

Copyright © 2004 Paul Benhaim, All Rights Reserved