Apple Walnut Granola

Makes Twelve Cups

Alive with enzymes, great nutrition and outstanding flavor, this granola will quickly become a favorite staple for a quick snack when on the run or a morning get-me-going breakfast cereal served with Almond Goji Mylk (see May 2009 posting). Apple Walnut Granola is sweetened with apple, pear and a little coconut palm sugar. Cinnamon is added to bring out the sweet nature of the other ingredients and balance blood sugar levels. Ginger powder, which has no resemblance to fresh ginger in taste, adds a little spark.

To the Chef: Apple Walnut Granola takes some early preparation so start sprouting the buckwheat 3 days before you are ready to make this special treat. The nuts need to soaked 12 to 24 hours and the sunflower seeds for 6 to 12 hours. Dehydrating will take 6 to 8 hours. Purchase true cinnamon which is also called Ceylon cinnamon and use only an organic ginger powder without preservatives.

Buckwheat Sprouts

1 cup raw unhulled buckwheat

Dry Mixture

3 cups dried shredded coconut, unsweetened

2 cups raw walnuts, almonds or other nuts, soaked 12 to 24 hours, drain & rinse

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked 6 to 12 hours, drain & rinse

1 cup currants or dried blueberries

1 cup mesquite powder, optional

½ cup coconut palm sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon powder

2 tablespoons ginger powder

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt or other full spectrum salt

4 Granny Smith apples, grated large

2 pear or more apples, grated large

Wet Mixture

2 cups purified water

½ cup golden flax seeds, ground

½ cup coconut oil, softened

Buckwheat Sprouts

In a wide mouth quart mason jar, put the buckwheat and cover generously with purified water. Secure a screen or cheese cloth over the mouth of the jar using a rubber band or metal canning ring. Let soak 6 to 12 hours. Discard soaking water and rinse buckwheat until water is runs clear. Put the jar on a 45º angle in your dish drainer or other convenient place so it can drain further and get plenty of air. Cover with a cloth so it is out of the light. Rinse, drain and return to a 45º angle twice a day until the sprout tails are about the same length as a single grain of buckwheat, about 2 days.

Dry Mixture

In a large mixing bowl, put all the ingredients under Dry Mixture and stir together.

Wet Mixture (instructions are different for high speed blender & home blender, both included)

In a high speed blender, put all the ingredients under Wet Mixture and blend until smooth. If using a home blender, grind the flax seeds in a spice or coffee grinder first then blend with other ingredients.

Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients

Pour the Wet Mixture into the Dry Mixture and stir to combine well.

Dehydrate

On a dehydrator tray covered with a teflex sheet or natural kitchen parchment paper, spread the granola mixture evenly to slightly more than 1/8-inch thick. Repeat until all the mixture is used. If using an Excalibur dehydrator, measure 3 cups of granola mixture per tray. You will need about 3 trays total.

Put the trays of granola in the dehydrator and dehydrate at 145ºF for 2 hours. Turn dehydrator down to 115ºF and continue to dehydrate until the granola pulls away easily from the teflex sheet or parchment (in other words, when you lift the granola it's underside is not sticky), about 3 hours. Remove the granola from the teflex sheets or parchment and put it on the mesh screens that came with the dehydrator. Dehydrate until very dry and crunchy, about 2 more hours.

Serving Ideas

Serve Apple Walnut Granola as a morning breakfast cereal with Almond Goji Mylk or other mylks, enjoy as a quick energy snack when on the trail or on the go and serve as a treat or dessert like you would a cookie. Shards of Apple Walnut Granola can be served standing-up in a raw dessert mousse.

How to Store

Let the granola cool completely then immediately put it into a large jar or several smaller jars and fasten on the lid. If left out on your counter too long it will rehydrate and you may have to put it back into dehydrator before storing. Store in a dark cool part of your kitchen. Apple Walnut Granola will keep for several months if dehydrated properly (meaning all the moisture was removed).

Botanically Blessed Desserts with Jia Patton

© 2006 Carrie Toder

Sunday, April 10th ~ 1-4pm

1821 17th Av, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Call to Enroll ~ $50
831-462-1807 ~ cobha.org

You may know the mystical, magical healing powers of Essential Oils when applied to the skin. Now learn how to use EO's in exotic desserts to enhance their flavor and boost your immunity and that of your family's! This is a hands-on workshop so bring your apron and willing hands. We will make Chocolate Truffles with Fresh Mint Centers, Carob Cups with Coconut Cherry Cordial Centers, Blue Heaven Delight (a coconut blueberry mousse) and Coconut Chia Pudding (a quick, high Omega 3 pudding). And... just to snack on, there will be Fermented Nut Cheez with crackers and a beautiful Minted EO Water with Flower Petal Ice Hearts. You will also learn the art of Kitchen Yoga, bring more love, joy and gratitude into the making and serving of your food creations.

Jia Patton is a vegan and raw food chef and author of cookbooks. She headed her own cooking school for over fourteen years, teaching the importance of using organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and how to incorporate high nutrition foods into your diet. She is a certified Kali Ray TriYoga instructor and is a graduate of The College of Botanical Healing Arts.

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Pecan Burgers

Pecan Burgers

Serve 6 (about two burgers each)

Pecans are a delicious, nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich nut native to North America. That is why pecans were chosen for these great uncooked burgers. Instead of cooking, these burgers are dehydrated until a crust forms on top and yet still moist inside. A tasty tangy tomato pesto and marinated onion rings are the crowning features of these burgers.

To the Chef: Check the recipe as you will need time for soaking the pecans (about 6 hours) and for dehydrating the burgers (about 5 hours). If making the Marinated Purple Onion Rings, they will need to marinate (about 3 hours), so plan your time in the kitchen. The Pecan Burgers and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto can be made several days ahead of time and the burgers reheated in the dehydrator just before serving. The Marinated Purple Onion Rings should be made the day of your meal as they will get soggy if left to marinate too long.

Pecan Burger

2 cups pecans, soaked 6 hours

1 cup celery, sliced

1 cup parsley leaves, chopped large

½ cup flax seed meal

½ cup purple onion, diced large

2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce), tamari or 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink crystal salt

¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink crystal salt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

For an Artful Presentation (optional)

12 large outer leaves of Bibb lettuce

1 recipe Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, see below

1 recipe Marinated Purple Onion Rings, see recipe below

Pecan Burger Process: In a food processor, put all the ingredients for the burger and process until almost smooth. If necessary, add a little water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture flows freely through the blade. Be careful not to add too much water as this mixture needs to be thick for shaping into burgers.

Shape into Burgers: On a piece of unbleached parchment paper cut to the size of your dehydrator tray, put 2 tablespoons of the nut mixture (for small appetizer size burgers) or ¼ cup (for larger burgers) and into a burger about ¼-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Dehydrate the Burgers: Dehydrate the burgers at 145°F for 1 hour. Turn down the dehydrator to 115°F and continue to dehydrate until they are slightly crisp on top and moist in the center, about 4 more hours.

For an Artful Presentation (optional) Assemble Burger: On a large platter or individual dishes, put the 12 leaves of lettuce. Place a burger on each lettuce leaf, spread some Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto over their tops and crown with the Marinated Purple Onion Rings.

Store: Keep these burgers in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Put sheets of natural wax paper between the layers.

Serving Ideas: Serve Pecan Burgers as the main dish of a meal, as little appetizers for a stand-up buffet or as a snack when you need a little extra protein.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

Makes About One Cup

A pizzazy tomato sauce alive with flavor, texture and color. Let this tasty delight crown your main dishes whenever a tomato taste is desired. It is especially complementary served over Pecan Burgers (see above).

To the Chef: Look for sun-dried tomatoes without sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is a health concern. It is used to preserve the color of dried fruits including tomatoes and to keep them moist and plump. Tomatoes that have been dried without sulfur dioxide will be more dry and dark looking but will be much better for you!

1 medium tomato, cut in large chunks

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in 1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill weed or basil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon agave nectar or other sweetener

½ teaspoon pink Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

Process: In a food processor, put all the ingredients and process until slightly chunky.

Serving Ideas: Use like you would catchup.

How to Store: Store in a covered glass container for up to 5 days.

Marinated Purple Onion Rings

About Twenty Onion Rings

Marinated Purple Onion Rings can be made in a snap but must marinate for several hours to be at their best. They are a tasty and attractive addition to a meal or tossed into a salad. Purple onions are often mistakenly labeled red onions.

To the Chef: Start early as these onion rings will need to marinat for 3 hours. Slice the onion thick or thin depending on the texture, taste and look you are wanting to achieve. I prefer thinly sliced for Pecan Burgers as they will be more supple, slightly sweet and will tend to clump together and loose their shape. A thicker cut onion will be slightly crunchier, have a spicier taste and will keep its shape longer. Cut your onion with a sharp knife or for a uniform precision cut, use a mandolin or V-slicer.

Onion Rings in Marinade Sauce

1 medium purple onion, sliced in thick or thin rings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu (soy sauce)

¼ tablespoon Himalayan pink crystal salt

Shake all Ingredients: In a wide mouth jar, put all the ingredients. Tightly cover with the lid. Shake to coat the onion slices. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Serving Ideas: These onion rings can be used to garnish on top of savory dishes, add them as a minor ingredient to salads or as a major ingredient to a simple salad of sliced tomato and perhaps some cucumber and sweet basil.

How to Store: Marinated Purple Onion Rings are best used the day they are made.

Fermented Mac Nut Cheez

Fermented Mac Nut Cheez

Makes about 3 cups

A

n amazing alchemy happens when you culture (ferment) foods. Foods become easy to digest, vitamins increase, enzymes abound, antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances are produced and lactic acid (a major by-product of the fermentation process) feeds the micro-flora in our intestines where they stimulate the production of vitamin K and the B vitamins that our bodies need for good health. Our intestines are 70% of our immune system. When we feed our friendly micro flora we are building a strong immune system.

Nut cheezes are delicious and easy to make. Break open several probiotic pills to use as a starter. You can flavor cheezes with herbs, spices, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and much more. Nut cheezes become a beautiful work of art when decorated with edible flowers.

Tips to the Cook: Any nut can be made into a cheez but first they must be soaked in water to release their enzyme inhibitors and natural pesticides. Soaking Times for Nuts: White nuts, such as pine nuts, macadamia and cashews, soak 3 hours. Almonds and other large nuts, soak 12 to 24 hours. After soaking drain, discard soaking water and rinse well. Use this recipe to make any variety of cheez. Just substitute the mac nuts for the nut of your choice. Vary the seasonings as you are inspired.

Equipment Needed: Mac Cheez: food processor, large mess food strainer, large bowl, cheese cloth, a weight such as a jar of beans or clean rock. Seasonings; medium bowl.

Mac Cheez

3 cups macadamia nuts, soaked 3 hours, drain & rinse

1 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon probiotic powder (about 2 capsules opened)

cheese cloth, enough to wrap around cheez

Seasoning

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan pink crystal salt

½ teaspoon organic onion powder

¼ cup sliced thin chives

For an Artful Presentation

5-10 edible flowers, petals only

Mac Cheez

In a food processor, with the "S" shaped blade, put the soaked nuts and water. Process until smooth. Add the probiotic powder and pulse to mix.

Form the cheez into a ball and wrap with cheese cloth. Set in a large mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Put a weight on top, such as a jar of bean or a clean rock. Let sit in a warm part of your kitchen (about 72°) for 24 hours.

Seasonings

In a medium bowl, put the fermented cheez. Add the seasonings and stir. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

For an Artful Presentation

Before putting in refrigerator, shape cheez into a log. Refrigerate until firm. Press small edible flower petals, of several colors, around the log of cheez.

How to Serve: Serve on slices of carrot, rolled in sprouted grain tortillas, spread on flax crackers or roll-up in a Garden Salad Wrap (a salad wrapped in a sprouted grain tortilla).

How to Store: Store in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to a week.