Newsletter #18 ...

The holidays are a time of celebration, and a big part of that is enjoying comforting, familiar foods. Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy our favorite dishes without the unwanted pounds and fatigue that usually go along with them? Here are some holiday favorites that will be on my table this season.

Holiday Nog

Place 1 cup of the Almond Cream, the macadamia nuts, and the date paste in a Vita-Mix or high speed blender and process until smooth. Add the maple syrup, flax oil, vanilla extract, and nutmeg and blend. Add the remaining Almond Cream and the banana and blend again until smooth. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional nutmeg.

Note: To make date paste, place 1/3 cup water and 1 cup soaked pitted dates in a food processor and process until smooth. Yield: 1 cup. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, date paste will keep for 2 weeks. Makes 4 servings.

*Thank you to Cherie Soria for this recipe.

Almond Cream

1 cup whole, raw almonds, soaked 8-12 hours, drained, and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups after soaking)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons date paste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the almonds, 1 1/2 cups of the water, the date paste, and the vanilla extract in a blender and process until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water and blend again. To separate the “cream” from the almond skins and pulp, squeeze the blended mixture through a double layer of cheesecloth or a mesh bag. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Almond Cream will keep for five days. Makes 2 cups.

Almond Stuffing

2 cups almonds, soaked 8-12 hours, drained, and rinsed (about 2 1/2 cups after soaking)
1 apple, cored and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons ground golden flax seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons tamari
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

Place the soaked almonds in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the apple, garlic, and onion and pulse briefly, to incorporate and chop slightly. Remove the almond mixture to a mixing bowl and add the celery, ground flax, olive oil, tamari, sea salt, and poultry seasoning. Mix well. Crumble the stuffing onto a dehydrator mesh sheet (no teflex needed) and dehydrate at 105 degrees F for 5 hours. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Almond Stuffing will keep for five days. Makes 4 servings.

Cranberry Orange Relish

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup raw cane sugar or date paste (see note)
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground psyllium, optional (for a firmer relish)

Place the cranberries, raw cane sugar, orange zest, orange segments, and ginger in a food processor and process until the mixture is chopped but still has some texture. Add the ground psyllium, if using, and process to incorporate. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Cranberry Orange Relish will keep for up to two weeks. Makes 2 cups.

Note: Rapadura is a popular brand of raw cane sugar. It is made by dehydrating sugar cane juice at low temperatures.

Pumpkin Pie

Crust
2 1/2 cups pecans, unsoaked
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup raisins, soaked
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar (see note)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling
1 3/4 cup water
2 carrots, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 avocado, mashed (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup raw cane sugar (see note)
1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon agar flakes

To make the crust, place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and begins to stick together. Scoop the crust into a pie plate. Use a light circular motion with your palm and fingers to distribute the crumbs uniformly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Press the crust firmly into the pie plate.

To make the filling, place 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and add the agar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a whisk, and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the dissolved agar mixture to cool.

Place the carrots, raw cane sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, and remaining 3/4 cup water in a Vita-Mix or high-speed blender and process until smooth. Add the avocado and the agar mixture and process until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust. Chill the pie for at least 2 hours before serving. Covered with plastic wrap, Mock Pumpkin Pie will keep for five days. Makes one 9-inch pie.

Note: Rapadura is a popular brand of raw cane sugar. It is made by dehydrating sugar cane juice at low temperatures.

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