raw & vegan adaptable, makes 6

My Greek husband is not a fan of stuffed peppers – in the traditional Greek, or otherwise method.  Honestly, rice or meat stuffed peppers have never appealed to me either, so I took the liberty to try something much more fresh and flavorful.  These did not disappoint.

As far as the family guinea pigs were concerned, it was the stuffing that was the star of this presentation. The peppers were just a vehicle to serve it. But I happened to think the peppers were just perfect, and how could you overlook those carnival happy colors?

I used ready sprouted quinoa (available at health food markets), and soaked it in hot water in a covered bowl for about 40 minutes until tender. You can cook quinoa according to package instructions, or keep it “raw” by soaking it for 24 to 26 hours, allowing it to sprout. The texture will be firmer to the bite and have a more “earthy” taste.

I also opted to roast the peppers conventionally rather than dehydrate them. For me, it does my stomach and taste buds better. Alternatively, you can pop them in the dehydrator after drizzling with olive oil, at 115∘until they’re soft but still hold their shape, about 6 hours.

Lastly, this recipe includes goat’s milk feta cheese. If you are vegan, omit it.

Begin with:

3 medium sized bell peppers, in an array of colors if possible. Just don’t choose green.

Preheat the oven to 375∘F. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and rub it all evenly, from the backsides and throughout the cavity. Put them face down on a foil lined baking sheet and bake until soft but still retaining shape and bright color, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the quinoa stuffing you will need:

1 cup quinoa, prepared as per package instructions or raw preparation
1 small zucchini, cut into small quartered chunks
4 oz. cubed goat’s milk feta
1/4 cup cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup fresh chopped oregano
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lemon + 1 tsp lemon zest
sea salt and fresh black pepper

To garnish & serve:

extra virgin olive oil
parsley sprigs
pinch sweet ground paprika

Assembly:

Combine all quinoa stuffing ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste with sea salt n pepper. Gently toss until all seasonings and herbs are evenly combined.

Spoon quinoa mixture into each pepper. Arrange on a plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika. Garnish with parsley sprig and serve.

<3, JMK

(raw vegan, gluten free)

Ajvar, (pronounced EYE-vhar), is a popular Yugoslavian and Greek relish that is typically served as an appetizer or side dish.  The primary components are eggplant, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, and paprika.  For this raw flatbread version, I diced and marinated one baby eggplant and half each of a yellow and red bell pepper with some sea salt, a light squeeze of lemon, and extra virgin olive oil, then dehydrated for about 6 hours.  Afterward, I added minced garlic, paprika, and adjusted the seasonings then let it sit in refrigerator overnight. Dehydrating bell peppers really concentrates the flavor similarly to the intensity of roasted peppers.

When I made the pine nut pâte, I had in mind to create something similar to feta cheese that would mimic its salty, crumbly creaminess.  But I must say that once again, I find that making nut based “cheeses” like the ones that are so commonly found in raw uncookbooks is a bit misleading in that they never turn out anything like their inspirations.  In fact, these cashew, macadamia, and/or pine nut substitutes are so uniquely rich and delicious they should stand in a category of their own and not be compared to a food that they so distantly resemble.

For the pine nut pâte: In a food processor, add 1 cup of pine nuts soaked for 2 hours, 1 medium clove of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/8 cup of flax seed oil, and about a tablespoon of lemon juice and process until as smooth as possible.  If needed, drizzle in small amounts of cold water to assist smoothing the mixture.  The end result should be the consistency of hummus.  Spread on teflex dehydrator sheets and dehydrate 6 to 8 hours at 115 degrees.  The pâte can then be stored in the refrigerator.

Now that I’ve been experimenting with raw food recipes for over a year, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that there’s a lot of room for customization and approximation.  In other words, the vast majority of preparations are not at all like, let’s say, the precise science of baking.  I have never been a big fan of baking so when it comes to making raw, seemingly comparable foods like flatbreads, cookies, crusts, or pastries, I used to be a little shy of them.  When new to raw, many of us are at first a bit intimidated by the unconventional ingredients and methods, but in actuality there is no need to be nervous or apprehensive.  And as always, the most important thing is to just practice, practice, practice!

So when I made the crust for the flatbread, I opened up Everydaw Raw by Matthew Kenney and turned to page 92, “Tomato, Basil, and Ricotta Pizza”.  There, I referenced his recipe for herb crust knowing I did not have all the ingredients listed, such as squash and dried basil.  All I really needed was a little help with the foundation, and the next thing I knew I was throwing all kinds of stuff into the mix.  And, as typical with dehydrating, home results can vary greatly from that in a recipe book.  This is absolutely a cinchy easy crust to make, from which you can top with all kinds of goodies!

I took 1 cup of walnuts that have been soaked for 4 hours; a small bunch of fresh basil; 1 clove of garlic; 1/2 jalepeño pepper; 4 medium vine tomatoes, scooped and seeded; 1/2 yellow bell pepper; 1/2 red bell pepper; 1 small shallot; 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast; 2 teaspoons agave; 2 teaspoons sea salt; a few turns of freshly ground black pepper; and a squeeze of lemon juice and blended in the food processor until smooth.  Pour this in a large bowl and add 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.  Then, gradually sprinkle in 3/4 cup flax meal as you stir the mixture until well combined.

Spread on teflex dehydrator sheets to desired shapes and sizes and about 1/2″ thickness.  Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 18 to 24 hours, flipping crusts onto the mesh trays and removing the teflex sheets halfway through.

To assemble the ajvar flatbreads, take a crust and spread on some pine nut pâte with a spatula.  Add arugula leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Finally, top with the ajvar and serve.

<3, JMK

(raw vegetarian, raw vegan modifiable*)

My husband is Greek and takes his cheese very seriously. Manouri cheese is a traditional semi-soft Greek cheese of which he found a raw version one day while visiting the Greek community in Tarpon Springs, FL. If you are a raw vegan, this salad is just as delicious without the cheese.

2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, in assorted colors and sizes
8 oz. raw manouri cheese*
1 small leek (makes about 1/8 cup finely chopped)
bunch arugula leaves
1/8 c loosely packed fresh chopped dill
1/8 c loosely packed fresh chopped tarragon
¼ c snipped fresh chives
2 fat garlic cloves, smashed
1 Meyer lemon, juiced
1/8 c flax seed oil
sea salt
black pepper

*Omit cheese for vegan modification.

Cut heirlooms into large assorted sizes and shapes, such as some sliced, some quartered. Put smaller quartered pieces into a large bowl. Add one of the smashed garlic cloves, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Arrange the larger tomato slices on a large serving dish and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, let the second garlic clove soak in the lemon juice. Finely chop the leeks and place in a small dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and allow this to rest. You want all of the ingredients prepared so far to rest for at least 15 minutes, with occasional gentle tossing, so that the salt will release some of the tomato and leek juices, and the garlic can lightly infuse the lemon juice.

Remove the garlic clove from the tomato bowl. Slice the manouri into large pieces and add to the tomatoes, along with the fresh chopped herbs except for the arugula.

Add the leeks to lemon juice, whisk in the flax seed oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the garlic clove and pour over the tomatoes, herbs, and cheese. Gently toss and pour the entire bowl over the sliced tomatoes on the serving plate. Top with a big bunch of arugula leaves and serve.

<3, JMK