Powers - Rawmazing desserts: delicious and easy raw food recipes for cookies, cakes, ice cream, and pie

Copyright 2013, 2015 by Susan Powers All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. Cover design by Brian Peterson Print ISBN: 978-1-63450-259-7 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-0207-3 Printed in China

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T o my daughters, Mia and Kaia: I couldnt be more proud of you both. You are a constant inspiration for me to live my best life. To my father, Phillip Powers: Though he hasnt been with us for more than 30 years, his inspirational, forward thinking planted the seeds that have led me on my journey to seek health through nutrition and lifestyle.

To my mother, Cora, for her help in the kitchen and for being a willing tester and supporter. To Amy Oscar, your patience, sharp eye, and beautiful wordsmithing are an amazing gift. To Peter, your support of me and belief in me are so inspiring. And finally, to everyone who is interested in living a healthier life, starting with their plate. CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

W hen I introduce people to Rawmazingthe raw food lifestylefor the first time, I start with dessert. The response is always the same: This is raw? This is healthy? I can understand their surprise.

All of their lives, theyve been offered high-calorie desserts containing white sugar, white flour, eggs, cream, and butter. Their sweet tooth has been trained to expect the taste of processed foodalmost all of which contains high-fructose corn syrup. Not exactly high on the good-for-you food list! Wow! their faces telegraph when I show them how to combine almonds, avocados, liquid sweetener, and cacao powder in a food processor and turn out a creamy, rich chocolate mousse, or when I serve them a slice of cheesecake that looks like it came off the shelf at the best bakery but is, in fact, raw, vegan, and made only from fruits, nuts, and liquid sweetener. No wonder theyre amazed when they learn they can enjoy rich, delicious desserts made of the healthiest foods on Earth; nutrient-dense ingredients like fruits and nuts, with dates for sweetening and unprocessed cacao for heart health! When even your dessert provides you with antioxidants, vitamins, phytonutrients, and minerals, the picture of what a Rawmazing lifestyle might look like starts to change. Rawmazing desserts are pure delightliterally. They taste better than their traditional counterparts because theyre made with real, whole, healthy ingredients that our bodies were made to eat.

Even better, theres no bloating, lethargy, or guilt when youre finished eating a raw dessertonly energy, lightness, and the joy of knowing that while treating your taste buds, youve given your body the gift of deep-tissue nutrition. When you see how easy Rawmazing desserts are to prepareeven a beginner home cook can whip together a gourmet dessert in minutesyoull be hooked, and on your way to living a Rawmazing life! Susan Powers My Thoughts on Dessert I have always loved dessertsand growing up in a family of fabulous cooks established my sweet tooth at an early age. Id stand on a stool beside my Grandmother Ola, learning how to sift the flour and mix the ingredients to make the cookies I so loved. I still remember my mothers patience as she taught me her special recipes andsince the kitchen often looked like a tornado had gone through after I was donetried to get me to clean up as I worked. I still love making, and eating, desserts. But Im no longer interested in the nutrient-empty desserts of my youth.

Oh, I still want the treatsbut I want them to be healthy and beautiful and, in the Rawmazing tradition, easy to make! That said, please keep in mind that raw desserts are nutritious but can be calorie dense. They are desserts and should be treated as such. Servings are smaller than traditional dessertsand should be served like any dessert, as a special treat to round out a healthy meal. BREADS & BISCOTTI Dehydration All dehydration times are suggested times. When dehydrating, many variables come into play, such as air humidity and the type of dehydrator used. Though I offer guidelines in the recipes in this cookbookand on Rawmazing.comI always check as I go.

I am often asked: Why do you start the dehydration at a higher temperature and then lower it? To maintain the integrity of raw food, the food temperature must not get above 118F. When food is still in the wet state, the temperature is much lower than the air temperature. By starting at a higher temperature, you can reduce the moisture in the food more quickly, reducing dehydration times and also preventing fermentation. Note: I always set a timer to remind myself to turn the temperature down after the first initial drying time.

BREADS & BISCOTTI

Zucchini Bread This bread is moist with a beautiful crumb-like texture, much like traditional baked zucchini breads. To ensure moist texture, take care not to overdehydrate.

Makes 2 loaves Ingredients: 2 Apples cup Liquid Sweetener of choice 3 cups Almond Flour cup Ground Flax Seeds 1 tablespoon Cinnamon 4 cups Shredded Zucchini 1 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional) Instructions: 1. Core and quarter apples. Place in food processor with liquid sweetener. Process until smooth. 2. 3. 3.

Mix together apple mixture and zucchini. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until combined. 4. Stir in walnuts. 5.

Pat mixture into 2 loaves, no more than 1-inch high. 6. Dehydrate at 140F for 1 hour, reduce heat, and dehydrate for 5 hours. 7. Slice into 1-inch slices and continue to dehydrate until dry.