One Raw Recipe Three Ways!
“Oh my gosh, I would never have the time or patience to prepare food for a raw food diet.” I hear this all the time. Important Fact: with just a little forethought, preparing raw food can be easier than traditional cooking! So, now I am on a mission. Bringing you ways to simplify your life with raw!!!
Spinach Cashew “Cheese” Spread Pictured with Onion Flax Crackers
I have been working on a couple of raw food recipes that can be used to make three different meals. The first recipe in this series is Spinach Cashew “Cheese” Spread. It is great by itself, as a spread on crackers or to add to sandwich flat breads. With just a few additions we will turn it into a quiche, and a great zucchini pasta sauce.
Now that spring is here, and warmer weather if finally arriving, I am feeling the desire to lighten things up. Cashew “cheeses” can be heavy but with the addition of lemon and spinach, this spread has a lighter texture while still being full of flavor.
Spinach Veggie Quiche
Pumpkin Seed Crust
Spinach Cashew Zucchini Pasta
Spinach Cashew Spread Three Ways
Base: Spinach Cashew “Cheese” Spread
- 1 cup cashews, soaked at least 6 hours
- Juice from 1 1/2 Lemons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 2 handfuls of spinach, separated (aprox 2 cups firmly packed)
Drain cashews and place in food processor. Add lemon juice and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add shallot, and garlic. Process until well blended. Add one handful of the spinach. Continue to process until spinach is well incorporated. Remove the mixture from the food processor. Hand chop the remaining handful of spinach and stir in along with the sun dried tomatoes. This is the base spread.
Option 2: Spinach Veggie Quiche
Pumpkin Seed Pine Nut Crust
- 1 Carrot, finely chopped
- 1/2 Shallot
- 1 cup Pine Nuts
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
Chop carrot into 1″ pieces and place in food processor. Process until very fine. Add 1/2 shallot, 1 cup Pine Nuts. Pulse a few times to start to blend. Add 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds. Process until you have a formable mass but not so much that you lose the integrity of all the seeds. I like to see chunks of them. It also makes for a better texture! Press into small pie plate. Dehydrate @ 145 for 1/2 hour.* Reduce heat and dehydrate 6 hours @ 114.
*The higher temp will not compromise your food. The actual food temp never gets that high. This is a great technique I read about from Cafe Gratitude. It helps sweat the food, removes moisture and also decreases the dehydration time.
Spinach Veggie Quiche Filling
- 3/4 cup Spinach Cashew “Cheese” Spread
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup Pea Pods, Chopped into 1/2 ” pieces
- 1/2 cup Sundried Tomatoes (softened and chopped)
Mix together all ingredients and place in prepared quiche crust. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours to set up.
Spinach Cashew Zucchini Pasta
- zucchini pasta (made from zucchini with spiral cutting blade)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup pea pods, chopped
- 3/4 cup marinated, mushrooms
- 5 scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup spinach cheese spread
- 1/4 cup water
- sea salt and pepper to taste
To marinate mushrooms: cut the mushroom into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Toss with 2 tablespoon of Nama Shoyu and 2 tablespoon oil and let sit for at least 1/2 hour. Mix 1/2 cup Spinach Cheese Spread with 1/4 cup water to create sauce. Add all other ingredients and toss.
The Veg Next Door wrote on May 26, 2009
I recently made your Spinach Cashew “Cheese” Spread and loved it. My 2.5 year old couldn’t get enough of it and was spooning it quickly to her mouth. It’s creamy and delicious.
Mandee wrote on May 5, 2009
Wow, all three meals look delicious!
Krunsdogs wrote on April 20, 2009
I made the spinach cashew “cheese” spread and the pumpkin seed crackers. The spread is very tasty and “cheesy”. It is one my favorites. The crackers were easy to make and taste great! I also made the chocolate craisin pecan flat bread and it is fabulous too.
Shernell wrote on April 17, 2009
This is such an amazing recipe !
Danny wrote on April 16, 2009
Lets keep on searching for more truth.
Thank you for eating foods that are alive.
Cindy wrote on April 16, 2009
Holy cow! How do you come up with such creative favor combinations? Where did you learn to experiment like this to be able to make your own recipes? These are awesome. And the photography is excellent. You could be a one woman recipe book production company!
Krunsdogs wrote on April 16, 2009
This is a great post. It shows the versatility raw food can have and encourages us to think outside the box.
Debbie wrote on April 15, 2009
Looks fabu! I made Entertaining in the Raw’s sesame crackers, they look like your first pic!
deb
Gena wrote on April 15, 2009
This is a fantastic post, Susan! So sensible and delicious.