Raw Dessert Class with Heather Pace

Today I had the pleasure of attending a raw dessert class by Canadian chef Heather Pace and OMG... my taste buds are still tingling. If raw food is something you are interested in but feel a bit intimidated about, I highly recommend attending a class by someone like Heather who know's their stuff. You get to see just how easy it is and it gives you the confidence to go home and give it a go yourself.

I've tried a lot of raw recipes, and some have been a total flop! This can be disheartening and a big waste of money as well seeing that raw ingredients are quite expensive. By attending classes you get to sample the food and find out what you like. Thats one of the big advantages.

Well today we were spoilt for choice, Heather made a Vanilla Chia Berry Parfait, Strawberry Lime Mousse Cake, Mandarin Orange Cheesecake on a Ginger Nut Crust (my fav), Chocolate Berry Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cacao Brownies, Apple Berry Peach Crumble (so good), Icecream Sundae and a Carob Superfood Milkshake. I can't share these recipes with you because they aren't mine, they might be available in Heather's dessert eBooks on her website. Check out www.sweetlyraw.com

I had the best time today watching Heather do her thing in the kitchen, tasting the amazing desserts and meeting other like minded people. I hope I've inspired you to go out and attend a class, even here in Adelaide there are clases and raw food experts visiting and giving talks etc. Just keep your eyes and ears open, ask at your local organic food store and search on the internet.

Raw White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake

This recipe is so good, it has to be shared. Its my first attempt at making a raw cheesecake and I was really happy with how it turned out. I bought a few mini springform cake tins and this recipe made 3 small cheesecakes. If you are making a large one then I suggest to triple the recipe.

For the Crust:
1/2 cup brazil nuts
1/2 cup shredded cocounut
pinch of salt
1 tbsp cocao powder
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp cocao nibs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1 punnet of freshly chopped strawberries
1 cup of cashews (soaked overnight)
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

For the Strawberry Sauce:
1/2 punnet of freshly chopped strawberries
1 tbsp honey

Process all the crust ingredients in a food processor until combined and crumb like. Press into the bottom of your springform cake tin, if yours isn't a springform then make sure it is lined with clingwrap. Set aside.

Blend all of the filling ingredients in a high speed blender until completely smooth. Pour over cust and chill or freeze until ready to serve.

To make the strawberry sauce, blend all of the ingredients in a high speed blender and either pour on top or drizzle around the bottom of the plate.

Raw Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles

I've been wanting to try Kelp Noodles for a while now, some of my favourite cooked dishes are things like Pad Thai, Laksa, Tom Yum Soup etc, so the thought of being able to re-create a raw version of these intrigued me.

If you haven't heard of Kelp Noodles before, they are made from sea kelp, low in calories and are are packed with nutrients and minerals that aid in digestion and metabolism, help with thyroid function, strengthen bones and teeth, and improve your circulatory system. Kelp is rich in more than 70 minerals, including potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and iodine. It also contains enzymes, vitamins, trace elements, and more than 21 amino acids.

I struggled to find them in any health food stores here in Adelaide, but managed to find them online at Raw Power Australia (http://www.rawpower.com.au/superfoods/sea-vegetables/kelp-noodles-340g). There's also some great Kelp Noodle recipes on there if you aren't sure what to do with them. They cost $10.50 a packet so aren't cheap, having said that though, I just made this Raw Pad Thai recipe and it made 2 servings so that isn't bad.

These noodles are clear in colour, ready to eat and have a neutral taste. They take on the flavour of whatever sauce you use. I think this recipe is based on Russell James version, I just googled a recipe on the internet and found it. It's a keeper!

Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp almond butter
1/3 cup sesame oil
1 tbsp tamari
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 chilli (finely chopped)
2 tsp lime juice
1/3 cup water

Vegetables
1/3 carrot (julienned)
1/3 red capsicum (julienned)
1/3 yellow capsicum (julienned)
8 snowpeas (thinly sliced on diagonal)
Mung bean sprouts, corriander and chopped peanuts for garnish

Blend all sauce ingredients til smooth. Pour desired amount over Kelp Noodles and massage in until they are completely covered. Toss with vegetables and top with mung bean sprouts, chopped peanuts and corriander. It's that easy!