a raw Lifestyle portfolio

Caribbean Fig Bananna's Coverd in Raw Jamaican Chocolate

 

 

                     A Raw Caribbean Chef’s Chocolate Tale’s

Mistakes were something that I use to dread in the kitchen however I no longer view it as something bad I view it as an opportunity to grow as a chef and come up with new ideas.

I started out trying to make Raw Jamaican chocolate bars however my vitamix got all wacko and started mixing everything very high. This caused the chocolate to be airy and lumpy. As I stared at this mystery chocolate in puzzle face mode I was hit with an idea.

Why not further melt it between two bowls one filled with hot tap water. As I did that the chocolate became smooth chocolate mouse and although creamy it wasn't going to be good for making chocolate bars so I quickly came up with another plan.

 My mother brought some Caribbean figs yesterday and I decided to smear the chocolate moose like texture over it and top it with nuts. It was a great idea the chocolate did firm up over the fig bananas and most importantly they tasted great.  I am no longer afraid of kitchen mistakes they only help me to make other culinary discoveries. What kitchen mistake have you made that turned out to be a success?

Almond Hazelnut Cherry Chocolate Heart Kisses

I had a block of raw cacao butter on my kitchen counter for the past two months and I said what lets do something with it. At first I thought that I was going to make chocolate bars then I changed my mind and busted out with chocolate hearts instead.

I love them they kind of remind me of a Hersheys kiss hence the name. the combination of chocolate paste and raw cacao butter really made them creamy . I have no recipe to share because sometimes I just like to play in the kitchen.:(

   

 

Sugar Apple

 

 

I grew up eating this extremely sweet fruit it taste sooooo good, kind of like candy. They grow abundantly in the Caribbean, and we were lucky enough to have a tree in our front yard so I have no idea how much they cost ( lucky me )

Name: Sugar apple or Custard Apple

How To Eat : When ripe you can enjoy this sugary treat by breaking it open and placing the segments into your mouth separating the flesh and seeds. Trust me it is so worth it. Also you can press the the flesh and seeds through a mesh and add the juice to nut milks or ice creams ;the surgary flavor doesn't dissopoint.

To God Be the Glory                

What Will Heaven Be Like

 

                                                                                                        Mary Faith

When I gaze my eyes on Godly Creations like these I ponder on what heaven would be like. Jesus said that he is going home to prepare a place for us and wow what a place it will be. Glimmers of natural wonders like these fills my heart with joy and wonder of what awaits in heaven.

This specimen is a Buddha Lemon or a Buddha's Hand

Usage : It is  best used for lemon zest and can be squeezed into your favorite drink or juiced into your favorite plant blood ( kristen's Raw ) flash back.

Selection:  When choosing a Buddha lemon choose one that has a bright yellow color and one thats firm, not soft and limp.

Storage : This lemon variety can be stored on the counter top for up to two week or in the refrigerator for four weeks.

 

 

Grown Up Caramel Apples

 

 

 

Sweet Caramel Sauce

 

 

This is a great recipe because not only is it rich in caramel flavor but it is extremely versatile. Use it for fruit dips, cake icings, ice cream toppings,  or  to make caramel apples.

 

 

 

1/3 cup of Lucama powder

1/8 cup of coconut oil

½ cup of maple syrup

1 teaspoon of salt

1 scrapped vanilla bean

 

 

Step 1: Place everything in the food processor and process until well blended.

 

            

            Lucama Fruit is dried and ground iinto a fine powder for mass   production.  

            

Chocolate Madness

Raw Chocolate with Strawberries

 

Raw Caco Nibs

 

Raw Chocolate Pudding

 

Raw Chocolate Smoothie with Goji Berry Love

 

 

1/2 C whole peeled cacao beans, ground
1/8 C coconut oil
1/8 C melted cacao butter (use coconut oil if not available)
1/4 C raw honey or raw agave syrup

Grind cacao until it is very fine. The cacao will have a consistency like raw almond butter and will stick to the sides of the grinder. Mix ground cacao with coconut oil or cacao butter in grinder. Remove mixture and add honey and other ingredients. Stir well with a fork. The mixture should be able to be poured. If not, add more coconut oil. Pour into ice cube trays or other forms and freeze for 45 minutes. Serve immediately after removing from the freezer.

Recipe from Mark Ament

Raw Peppermint Chocolate Birthday Cake

 

 

I am so sorry guys I love to not measure and be more of a vibration chef. However I also want you guys to be able to get ideas and be inspired to recreate this food that you see here as well. So I will do my best to get the recipes together for you. However in the mean time I will give out the main ingredients and the preparation involved in making each dish.

For the cake

• Raw Cashews
• coconut oil
• agave
• water
• *Peppermint leaf water
• Peppermint oil

Frosting

• Chocolate Paste
• Agave
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla
• Pinch of Pink Salt

Blend and freeze for 20 mins, then pipe it through a pastry bag on to the cake.

Peppermint Leaf Water: To make this simply blend a hand full of peppermint leafs with with one cup of water,strain

Raw Brownie

Who doesn't like a good brownie ? This brownie is a frosted chocolate Brownie that I made it was quite delicious. What is your favorate drink that you like to wash your brownies down with ?

                                 

                                               Raw Chocolate Beans in dried Caco Fruit

Raw Pumpkin Cake

 

 

I made this pie for a client and he was totally amazed his entire family loved it and so did our mutual friends.

 

Salad and a Raw Salad Dressing

 

This is a salad dressing that can be smeared all over your salad without that guilty feeling.

Shar Bar

 

There are so many raw food bars out there on the market today,I remember when there was only Lara bar. However Pure bar is also becoming increasingly popular and I know why, there good. I have an experience to share about Pure Bar I was in Trader Joe's and I saw her bars,I said to myself I wander what they taste like ? So being extra hungry because I hadn't eaten all day I ripped one open right in the isle, Let me tell you it was so good I ate the entire bar on my way to check out (and yes I paid for it ) I named the above bars Shar bar because they were so good that I had to name them after myself

Chocolate Dipped Fruit

I really love fondues,fruit dips and fruit covered in sweet sauces of any kind. These came out awesome because I used coconut butter which utilizes the coconut flesh as well as the oil. This allows the chocolate to stick to the fruit and when frozen it stays hard at room temperature.

 

raW Chocolate dipped strawberries decorated with dried coconut and chopped nuts.

 

rAW Chocolate dipped apple decorated with dried coconut, cacao beans,goji berries and chopped walnuts .

 

Goji Berry Strudels !

Strudels are such a sweet comforting breakfast treat. I made these strudels with soaked goji berries,agave and orange juice. For the crust I made it out of almond and oat flour with a little drizzle of and a pinch of pink salt. They really reminded my of jelly donuts.

Raw Chocolate Dipping Sauce

 

I really love this recipe because it is so versatile, you can use it for a fruit dipping sauce or eat it plain. This recipe is also great because you can eat this dish for breakfast,lunch or a snack.

 

                  

Raw Chocolate with Crunchy Toffee

 

Raw Chocolate is such a treat,when combined with sweet crunchy toffee you are really in for a crunchy Munch experience. Crunch is also really important to the raw lifestyle because it gives you a satiated feeling so you don't feel deprived.

Raw Chocolate

Raw Coconut Butter V.S Raw Coconut Oil

  

 When you use coconut oil or butter in your raw food creations you can get a great turn out or your recipe can be a total bust. The trick is to know when to use the butter and when to use the oil and how to tell if both are fresh. Rancid coconut butter can leave your food tasting over oily and heavy.When choosing to use raw coconut butter or raw coconut oil always try to open the jar and smell it or check the expiration date before you use it to ensure freshens,both should have a lite coconut  sent. Coconut butter is made by a process which utilizes both coconut meat and coconut oil ,the soft inner meat is crushed with the aged coconut water to form a smooth butter. This butter is great to use for things that you want to stay hard at room temperature. ( raw chocolate,raw cakes and icings) Coconut oil however doesn't stay as hard at room temperature so you might want to use it for things like raw chocolate sauces, fillings for the insides of cakes,raw fudge and ice creams. Personally I like the taste of  raw coconut butter better than coconut oil because it has a smoother taste and is more versatile than the oil.

10 Uses For Raw Cacao Butter

I don't know about you guys but I love a product that has many uses not just one. Especially when it is pricey,Raw Cacao butter has been used for years from making chocolate to skin care. check out these ten smart and cool ways to get the most out of your raw cacao butter purchase.

1. Chap stick 

2. Tan enhancer. When applying cacao butter to skin before tanning it allows for a deeper more even glow.

3. Stretch mark eliminator. Cacao butter makes the skin more flexible and smoother allowing it to be more pliable and strong.

4. Massage Oil. When rubbed into the skin Cacao butter gives a soothing effect and relaxing sent.

5. Soothes Redness. It  relaxes the nerves and vessels when rubbed into the skin.

6. Heals scars and cuts. Cacao butter actually aids the skin into creating new healthier skin.

7. Cracked Heel Eliminator. When used twice a day cacao butter eliminates cracked dry heels.

8. Cuticle moisturizer. Rub on cuticles to help soften skin for great pedicures.

9. Can be used in all raw chocolate recipes.

10. Used in raw cakes and icings along with coconut butter to help keep food firm at room temperature.

Hemp Seeds are Powerful. Who Knew?

Well guess who made the news ? Hemp Seeds. Thats right some are accrediting their great health to adding these small body helpers to their daily diet. Some say that adding hemp seeds to things like cereal,salads and smoothies build their immune systems like none other. Here are some great snacks that include hemp seeds.

Hemp Brownies from Alissa Cohen

Hemp Truffles by Uli Mana