I Heart Ani's Raw!

After much whining about not having raw foodist Ani Phyo's un-cookbook, Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, I broke down and purchased a copy last week. And I'm so glad I did. To be honest, my monthly first Tuesday raw cleanses were getting a little boring because I was using the same two or three books I'd used all year. But Ani's book has re-invigorated my passion for living foods.

I started my one-day clease with Ani's Spanish Scramble:

Made with her recipe for nut-based Save-the-Chicks Pate, this scramble mimicked tofu. Except it wasn't hot. Really tasty and filling for a raw day breakfast.

I served the scramble with a side of Ani's Red Pepper Corn Salsa:

Simple ingredients — tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, cilantro, and garlic — combine to form a refreshing and healthy raw salsa. I also put a little Zukay Horseradish Relish on my plate since it's also raw and contains good-for-you probiotics.

My tummy didn't begin to grumble until right around noon (a rarity on raw and cooked days ... I typically get hungry again around 11 a.m.). That's when I dug into this Wilted Spinach Salad with Mustard Seed Dressing and Marinated Onions:

I was afraid the raw yellow onions would be overpowering, but they marinated overnight in a soy sauce mixture, so they were soft and not-to0-potent. BTW, I forgot to buy Nama Shoyu, so I used regular soy sauce. Oh well.

Around 3 p.m., the hearty salad began to wear off. To recharge, I drank (or well, ate with a spoon) this Fuzzy Navel Shake from Ani's book:

Mmmm-mmm. This was my first experience using vanilla beans! And I'm sold. Vanilla extract may be cheaper, but it's no match for the taste of the real thing. Unfortunately, since I cut this recipe into fourths, I have a lot of my bean left (and one bean cost $6 at Whole Foods!). I wrapped the pod tightly in plastic wrap and put it in an airtight jar. Do ya'll think it'll dry out? Is it okay to use only part of a vanilla bean at a time?

Finally, dinner was absolutely amazing! I'd previously drooled over Ani's Baja Cheeze Burrito with Taco Nut Meat and Red Pepper Corn Salsa on Pixiepine Palace's blog. Now I finally got to try it for myself:

The "meat" and "cheeze" are both nut-based pates and the "shell" is simply a cabbage leaf. Delicious and a bit spicy — perfect for the chilly late winter weather. I'll be having leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Overall, I think I ate a full cup of nuts in one day — Brazil nuts, almonds, pecans, and walnuts — and a fair amount of sunflower seeds. I would never do that on a non-raw day, but as my main source of fat and protein today, I felt like that was okay. I also snacked on fruit and fresh fruit juice to squeeze in that food group.

Ani's Raw Food Kitchen is my new favorite un-cookbook! If you don't already own it, it's so worth the money and it's perfect for raw experimenters (few recipes require a dehydrator).