Garlicky Red Pepper Dip With Basil And Cashew Cream - Why Cruciferous Veggies Fight Cancer When Eaten Raw

Raw Vegan and Gluten Free Red Pepper Dip
shown with broccoli, radishes and purple bell peppers.

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Creamy and Garlicky Appetizer 
At the end of the day, Doug and I enjoy sitting on the back deck that overlooks Turtle Vines, our organic Pinot noir vineyard. Right now the grapes are starting to turn purple and harvest is only six weeks away. While we sit and count the humming birds, we like to enjoy a little glass of wine and have an appetizer. This one was so yummy and hearty, it pretty much turned into our dinner!

Being allergic to cheese, I love anything that's creamy yet dairy-free. This one fits the bill. Raw Cashews provide a creamy base for this easy-to-make red pepper dip. Garlic, lemon, basil and red pepper provide the delicious flavor. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a good blender, this appetizer will please anyone - even those who are gluten free!

Raw Benefits
Everyone has heard that eating broccoli is good for you. It's a cruciferous vegetable and contains phytochemicals that helps the body fight cancer cells and prevent tumor growth.  Broccoli contains the enzyme myrosinase that helps convert these phytochemicals into their most potent, cancer-fighting forms. Unfortunately, this enzyme is destroyed by heat. So the best way to take advantage of these health benefits is to eat raw broccoli.

Broccoli retains most cancer-fighting
chemicals when eaten raw

Don't Like Raw Broccoli? Dip it in This!
I don't really enjoy raw broccoli as much as I like it steamed. But for some reason, I totally love raw broccoli when it's coated in this yummy dip! So if you want to get the most health benefits out of broccoli, radishes, cauliflower, daikon, and other cruciferous veggies, try dipping them in this creamy appetizer.

Red Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are another vegetable (they are actually a fruit) that are best eaten raw. They are an excellent source of vitamin C but this critical vitamin is extremely heat sensitive. That's why I use raw red bell pepper (and not roasted red bell pepper) in this recipe.

Eat red peppers raw to get the most vitamin C.

1 medium bell pepper contains:
37 calories
2.5 g dietary fiber
75% daily requirement of vitamin A
253% daily requirement of vitamin C
Also a good source of B6 and folate

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Garlicky Red Pepper Dip with Basil and Cashew Cream
Vegan, Gluten Free
Requires a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix or Blendtec)
[makes 4 servings]

Allow 6 hours for soaking cashews.

1 cup raw cashews
1 medium fresh red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 3 if you love garlic)
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
Water as needed (about 1 tablespoon)
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

Soak the cashews for 6 hours. Rinse well and place in a high-speed blender with bell pepper, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. Add about a tablespoon of water, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency.

Remove the mixture from the blender and place in a bowl. Stir in the basil and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with sliced raw veggies - broccoli spears, radishes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, etc. 

Per serving (dip only): 170 calories, 12 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 29 g omega-3 and 2,198 g omega-6 fatty acid, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, and 439 mg sodium.

If you enjoyed this recipe ....
take a look at my ebook, Health Begins in the Kitchen: Delicious and Easy Vegan Recipes and Seasonal Food Plan Plus Raw Food Cleanse.

Raw Vegan, Gluten Free, Blueberry Cream Tart In A Chocolate Coconut Crust - Perfect For Valentines Day!

This blueberry tart makes a perfect Valentine's day dessert!

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Blueberries and Chocolate
I know, it's almost Valentine's day. I should be making something red, like chocolate covered strawberries or red velvet cupcakes. But I was inspired by the thought of whipping fresh blueberries and cashews into a creamy filling served in a simple raw crust made from heart healthy English walnuts, dried coconut and chocolate in its purest form - raw cacao. Is there a better way to say, "I love you" than giving a gift of delicious and powerful antioxidants? I don't think so.

Elegant or Casual?
This recipe makes enough for one 4 1/2 inch tart pan with enough crumble and filling left over for 2 small ramekins. A tart makes a very elegant presentation. But if you don't have a tart pan, feel free to use individual ramekins or small bowls for the entire recipe. Sprinkle the crust ingredients in the bottom of 4 to 6 individual ramekins or small bowls and cover them with the filling. It tastes just as delicious!

Don't have a tart pan? No problem.
Just sprinkle the crust on the bottom of individual ramekins.
Cover with blueberry filling, top with a blueberry and serve!

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Blueberry Cream Tart 
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
Requires a high speed blender, a 4 1/2 inch tart pan and 2 small ramekins
Plan 8 hours ahead to allow time for soaking and chilling
[ makes 4 to 6 servings]

For the Crust (Chocolate Crumble)
3/4 cup raw English Walnuts
3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
4 teaspoons raw cacao (or unsweetened cocoa)
1 tablespoon unsweetened, shredded coconut
Pinch of salt

For the Filling
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 6 hours
2 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked 6 hours
2 packets powdered stevia
1 cup fresh blueberries plus 8 for garnish

Prepare the crust. Place the crust ingredients in a food processor, such as a Cuisinart, fitted with an S-blade. Process until they form a "chocolate crumble" and are the size of bread crumbs. The will begin to stick together.

Making chocolate crumble for the crust

Place enough chocolate crumble into a 4 1/2 inch tart pan to cover the bottom and the sides. Press with your fingers to make a crust. You should have enough to sprinkle the bottoms of 2 small ramekins. If you do not have a tart pan, divide all of the crumble into four to six small ramekins.

Press enough of the crumble to cover the bottom and sides of a 4 1/2 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Sprinkle the rest in the bottom of 2 small ramekins.
You can use all ramekins if you don't have a tart pan.

Prepare the filling. Drain and rinse the cashews. Drain the dates reserving the soak water. (You will not be using the date soak water for this recipe, but save it for a smoothie.)

Place the cashews, dates, blueberries (reserving 8 for the garnish) and stevia in a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix or a Blendtec. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. 

Filling ingredients

Process the cashews, blueberries, dates and stevia until smooth

Spread the filling over the crust and garnish with fresh blueberries. Spread the remaining filling over the 2 individual ramekins and garnish each with a single blueberry. 
Cover gently with plastic wrap or was paper and refrigerate for one hour.

Carefully push the tart up from the bottom and remove the side pan. Enjoy!

Release from tart pan and serve.

Added Bonus and Tip
You may notice that it's almost impossible to get all of the filling out of your Vitamix. I just hate wasting all of those beautiful ingredients. So make a small smoothie!
Add the date soak water and a cup of almond milk to the blender with its residue filling. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding With Pecans - A Great Thanksgiving Dessert! And, It's Gluten Free!

Raw Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding with Pecans makes a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving Dessert!

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Chia Seeds
If you know me or follow this blog, you know that chia seed pudding is top on my family's list of favorite desserts. So I thought it would be fun to create one for Thanksgiving! Chia seeds are packed with ALA omega-3 fatty acids (7 grams per quarter cup) and they are also very high in dietary fiber (15 grams per quarter cup). If you love chia seed pudding, you will love the autumn flavors of pumpkin pie spice in this recipe!


Not Really Pumpkin!
Although this pudding looks and tastes like pumpkin pudding, it's actually made with a carrot! Carrots give this a more intense "orange" color and it's the pumpkin spices that really make you think you're eating a pumpkin dessert. Carrots are also more commonly found in your refrigerator so you can make this dessert anytime.

When making this dessert, shave the carrot until you get to the pithy center. Use the shavings and discard the center.

Cashews make it Creamier!
I have posted many chia seed pudding recipes. The easy ones involve mixing chia seeds with prepared non-dairy milk. For example, Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Hemp Milk and Blueberries uses vanilla Living Harvest hemp milk (now called Tempt). Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding uses Earth Balance (or other) non-GMO chocolate soy milk. But for the creamiest chia pudding, like in my original Amazing Chia Pudding recipe, start with soaked cashews and dates. 


Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding with Pecans
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free


1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 to 6 hours and rinsed
3 Medjool dates, pits removed, cut in quarters, soaked in 2 cups water (reserve soaking water)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract *
2 packets stevia extract, or to taste *
1 large carrot, peeled
1/4 cup dried chia seeds
1/4 cup chopped, raw pecans
* For gluten free, make sure vanilla and stevia are gluten free


Place soaked cashews in a Vitamix or other high speed blender. Add soaked dates and the reserved soaking water, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract and stevia to the blender. 
Using a potato peeler, shave the outer part of the carrot into the blender until you get to the pithy center. Discard the center.
Blend until smooth and creamy.

You will need a very good blender, like a Vitamix, to make a smooth and creamy nut milk. The carrot gives the milk a nice, orange color.

Pour the cashew-carrot milk into a one quart container. 
Add the dried chia seeds to the milk and stir vigorously with a fork for at least a minute.
Let sit for 15 minutes and stir again until the chia seeds are well blended and no longer clump together.

Stir chia seeds into the cashew carrot milk until well blended.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 to 8 hours. I usually make this a day before I serve it. The longer it sits, the creamier it gets!
Serve in small bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans.


Per serving: 235.1 calories, 14 g fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 1.8 g omega-3 and 3.1 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.0 g protein, 25.9 g carbohydrates, 7.2 g dietary fiber and 16.3 g sodium.