Waldorf Salad


I just got done polishing off  the Waldorf Salad.  All I can say is yuuuuummmmy! Such a simple recipe to throw together.  I suggest making the mayonnaise the day before that way all you have to do is chop, stir and plate.  If you don't want to, or can't make the raw vegan mayo then feel free to use Veganaise in it's place.  It won't be 100% raw, but what party pooper is keeping track on Thanksgiving anyway?  Just keep it Vegan and no one gets hurt, literally :)

Waldorf Salad

2 apples + l tsp of lemon juice (which I forgot to do in the video)
1 cup grapes, halved
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup raw mayonnaise (recipe here)
1/4 cup pecans, walnuts, ect....your choice
 1 head butter lettuce

Chop apples into bite sized cubes. Finely chop celery.  Cut grapes in half.  Place all ingredients except butter lettuce into bowl and stir.

Use the butter lettuce to line a serving tray or make single servings.  Any way you serve it, it should be gone in no time!  Happy Thanksgiving!!

Watch the Video here

Pumpkin Pie 

 The season is upon us.  If you haven't been bombarded with advertisements and Christmas catalogs enough already, here come the holiday recipes!  I used to gain about 10 lbs every year starting at Halloween.  Not the last 3 though!!! Gone are those days of feeling helpless to stop eating when you know you should.  Raw food is the most awesome way to nourish yourself.  I'm thankful every day that I just dove in and went for it.  If you haven't already, get out there and do it!

 I tried to make this recipe as simple as I could.  I wanted to make sure I used the most common items I could find to make this recipe.  Some of the items you might not have in your cupboards, but they aren't that hard to get either.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  Britnee and Beto are eating it as I type this!

 Watch the YouTube video here

Crust

1 1/2 cup almonds (soaked and dried is best)
2 tbsp. raw turbinado sugar
1/2 tbsp mesquite powder
dash sea salt
4 pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup of  melted coconut oil or coconut butter

Place almonds in food processor and process to a fine grain consistency.  Not grainy, but not floury.  Somewhere in between like this.

Add in raw sugar, mesquite and dash of salt.  Process for a few seconds.  Next, tear dates into chunks and place in processor.  Process until incorporated.  Slowly drizzle vanilla and coconut oil down processor tube until the mixture starts to clump up.  Stop processor and check the crust to see if when smashed between your fingers it sticks together like this.

Pour half of the nut crust into a 9 inch pie plate.  Start forming your crust to the sides of the plate simply by pressing mixture into the sides.  After the sides are complete, pour the rest of nut mixture into the bottom of the pan and pressing it in to the pan.  Place crust into freezer while preparing the filling.

 

 Filling

1 1/2 cups coconut milk  (store bought or  recipe here)
1 cup pitted dates
1 tbsp agave (optional)
dash salt
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15 oz can organic pumpkin
1/2 cup coconut oil

Place coconut milk, agave and dates in VitaMix. Blend on high until dates are completely blended.  Add dash salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Blend for about 20 seconds.  Add pumpkin and blend till smooth.  Drizzle coconut oil slowly while blender is running.  Similar to the way you would make mayonaise.  Let this blend for about 30 seconds after adding coconut oil.  Pour into pie crust and freeze for at least 3 hours.  I personally like to freeze it overnight then take it out and let it sit in my fridge for a day or two.  All the flavors seem to mellow out and come together even better that way.  Then it's one less thing you have to do on Thanksgiving day.  This pie is amazing!  I hope you love it!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone <3

*** Remember when making this that all canned pumpkin is different.  You may need less or more liquid depending on the consistency of the pumpkin.  My pumpkin was really dense.  I bought it at Trader Joes.  I would think something like Libby's brand would need a little less milk.  Maybe subtract 1/3 c coconut milk if using a more liquidy (is that even a word?) brand! 

--Shelly