Karen Knowler * The Raw Food Coach

RAW MINCE PIES

This week, a guest chef spot for Russell James!

A few years ago Russell created this brilliant recipe for raw mince pies which could quite possibly be the best mince pie recipe on the planet. Well, Russell has kindly allowed me to share his recipe with you - please trust me when I say this is a recipe that is REALLY worth making! (I don’t give my weekly chef spot up lightly!)

SERVES: Makes 15 pies

 

EQUIPMENT

Food Processor, Blender, Dehydrator, Pastry cutter, Baking tray

 

INGREDIENTS 

For the pastry
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
1 cup raw jumbo rolled oats
20 dried soft apricots

For the filling
7 soft dates
Juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 apple
½ teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup raisins

For the cream
1 cup courgette (zucchini), peeled and chopped
¼ cup agave nectar
1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak nuts overnight and fully dry them in a dehydrator.
2. To make the pastry, first process the nuts and oats in a Vita-Mix dry jug or coffee mill so that you end up with a fine ‘flour’.
3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor with an ‘S’ blade. Add apricots one at a time until the whole mixture becomes sticky. If you are using apricots that have been soaked, you may find that you already have a dough-like consistency. If the mixture isn’t forming a ball in the processor at this point then add some water (soak water if you soaked the apricots) a few tablespoons at a time until it does.
4. Roll out the mixture on a flat surface so that it is about twice the thickness of a pound coin. If mixture sticks to the rolling pin, mill some more oats to dust the rolling pin with. Alternatively you can wet the rolling pin; either works well.
5. Using a pastry cutter that will cut a base to the required size for your baking tray, cut the ‘bases’ from the rolled out dough. Place these in a muffin baking tray that has been lined with cling film. You will need to re-form and re-roll the dough to get the most from it. Use any left over dough to build extra pies!!!
6. Remove stones and flowers from dates and place in food processor. Add the orange juice, zest and mixed spice. Process and add water as needed to produce a creamy consistency. Mixture will need to occasionally be scraped from the sides of the processor using a spatula.
7. Chop apple into small pieces and add to mixture. Process for a further 15 seconds. Add raisins to mixture and stir in with a wooden spoon/spatula.
8. Remove bases after the 3 hours and fill with raisin mixture.
9. To warm the pies, return them to the dehydrator on mesh sheets for as long as you can keep your hands off ‘em!!! They should be ready after an hour.
10. Whilst they are warming, process the courgette (zucchini), agave and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Add the cashews and process again until mixture becomes smooth again. Add the psyllium and blend a final time. When fully blended leave the mixture to firm up for 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a piping bag and pipe onto the warmed pies. You are now ready to enjoy raw mince pies with whipped cream!

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

• Don't skip the whipped cream part as it's so worth it. But don't stop there! Put a raspberry on top, it looks amazing and it really adds to the overall eating experience. Mmmm!

© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Should *You* Be Eating Raw This Christmas?

The picture left is of the raw food pizza I teach in my “Raw Food Made Simple Training”. It's also the same pizza recipe that was once seen by six million viewers live on TV being sampled by Lorraine Kelly, and it's also the same meal that I have been known to eat as my main course Christmas Day!

Yes, pizza for Christmas lunch - quite a concept!

But of course there are no end of possibilities about what we could eat this Christmas Day, however, what my concern is, in this article, is Should *You* Be Eating Raw This Christmas? Read on to discover why my question is as layered as the festive trifle!

"A Raw Christmas"

Now what's the first thing you think about when you hear those words? Be honest!

If it sounds like music to your ears then that would suggest that to have a Raw Christmas this year is what's right for you, both at the below surface level and ideally in real life. If, on the other hand, it makes you think of isolation and standing out like a sore thumb from your companions, then it will be worth reading on. And if it sounds like something truly awful that really isn't on your agenda, then you're definitely in the wrong place (at least as far as this article goes) and I congratulate you on your clarity! Happy Christmas, now go and have your fun!!

So this article is really for those of you who *think* that you'd like to be raw, but at the moment are yo-yoing between being ruled by your heart, your head, your eyes, your beliefs, your worries, and your belly! Which I think, if I know you at all, dear readers, is where most of you are going to be right now...

CARROT & ALMOND PÂTÉ

This is a delicious pâté that goes great on crackers, large lettuce leaves, inside nori rolls or served as a side dish to any salad.

I've been making this recipe, and many variations of it, for years. It's lovely and fresh but a little heavy too, so it's filling without being too filling!

It's also a great recipe for this time of year as we turn increasingly to root veg, nuts and warming herbs. Enjoy!

 

EQUIPMENT

Food Processor

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups almonds
2 large carrots
½ cup coarsely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup lemon juice
Pinch of Celtic sea salt OR Himalayan Crystal Salt

Pure water to reach desired consistency

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Process all ingredients in your food processor or similar until all ingredients are well combined.

2. If it needs a little more water to bind it, then add and process again.

3. Taste-test and adjust accordingly until it is to your liking.

4. Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and serve as needed.

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

Feel free to use different herbs or add other ingredients in. Why not try another nut with the carrots, such as walnuts or pecans - you don’t have to stick with almonds.

© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Are You Living Your Highest Vision?

Without a doubt one "absolute must have" in your raw food success kit is a very clear sense of "your highest vision".

What does that mean exactly?

It means that if your desire is to go raw and stay raw (most, if not all of the time) then you will be on what is likely to be a pretty intensive journey of growth. You will be constantly evolving and changing, so you will most definitely need new territories, goals and dreams to move towards.

I have noticed something about myself and others on the raw food journey. When life is going well, we are in the flow and we are going after what we want, going or staying raw is EASY. It is joyful, it is not even an issue. Anything else just seems almost daft, to be honest! But as soon as we turn our backs on our true selves, our sincere desires and anything else that would be great for us (if we would but give ourselves permission), then we automatically turn to bread, cheese, chocolate, wine... you name it. Basically anything to match our "dumb myself down" mindset.

Does this sound familiar?

COCONUT DREAM SMOOTHIE

This is a smoothie recipe I rave about! So quick, so easy, so delicious. It's a bit like a Pina Colada taste-wise but instead it tastes quite warming and makes you feel comforted as if you've just drunk a big fat hug!

SERVES: Makes two large wine glasses full

 

EQUIPMENT

Blender

 

INGREDIENTS

1 carton Dr Martin's coco milk (or similar)
1 medium mango
4 Medjool dates
1 Tablespoon vanilla essence

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Simply blend all ingredients thoroughly until a thick, but bit-free consistency is achieved

2. Pour into a tall glass and savour!

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

• This is a great recipe for sharing, as this recipe makes two large wine glasses full of smoothie. Drinking this feels decadent and relaxing, so it’s really a good one to use as an "end of the day" treat.

© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Do You Have or Want a Raw Food Business?

Do you know what the #1 career to be in within the field of raw foods is for 2012?

I do!

And I want to tell you all about it (and more) this coming Tuesday in my free Training call:

"Professionally Raw: How to Earn a Fabulous Income From Your
Raw Food Passion AND Change Lives For the Better in 2012"

I also want to share with you:

• How I got started in my raw food career and how I created the level of success and impact that I enjoy so much today.
• The BIG MISTAKES I made in my first business that almost made me bankrupt and how you can avoid doing the same.
• My top FIVE secrets to raw food business success (I am always being asked what advice I would give to those just getting started – well, this is your chance to find out!) 
• What the top 6 businesses to be in in raw food are right now, and which of these I consider to be without a doubt the BEST, what’s possible within it, and how you can start moving towards that profession IMMEDIATELY – the minute you hang up after the call!
• 15 of the 44 ways to earn and serve in the raw food world that will give you exciting ideas to think about and create multiple streams of revenue for you, with many of them being passive!
• The FIRST FIVE STEPS you MUST take to set yourself up for raw food business success. 

PLUS! BIG BONUS

Everyone who signs up for this call will receive my step-by-step “RAW FOOD BUSINESS SUCCESS CHECKLIST” outlining everything you need to BE, KNOW and HAVE in place to create a stable, high-profile, profitable and super-effective raw food business (If you don’t know these things up front then it will honestly take you YEARS to figure them out. You’d honestly be CRAZY to miss this)

This call is happening live on Tuesday 6th December 2011 at 9pm UK – but don’t worry if you can’t make it live, we’ll send you the recording soon after we complete.

Just click here and enter your details to reserve your special place >>

If you already have a raw food business or want to create one in 2012, then consider this the most important place you can possibly be this December – it’s 100% FREE and I have no doubt that it will be a game-changer for you, no matter what stage you are at.

See you there!

PS: This is the only time I’ll be running this call, so sign-up here to reserve your place and give yourself the ultimate head start for 2012 in your raw food business.

Gearing Up For All-Consuming Yumminess

WOW. You probably don’t need me to tell you, but it’s only 3 weeks and 2 days until Christmas! And how far along are you in your Christmas preparations? Maybe you’re all set and your house is decked out from top to toe, presents all wrapped and you’re in the final throes of sorting the finishing touches. Or perhaps (like me!), the house pretty much still looks as it did at any other month of the year except that there’s satsumas in the fruit bowl rather than nectarines and cherries…

Wherever you’re at, this week’s article is all about making this Christmas your most yummy Christmas yet. Here’s 7 of my top yummy tips. Make them happen and you’ll be all-consumed in festive yumminess all the way through into 2012!