Amber Shea Crawley - Practically Raw

About the Author Amber Shea Crawley is a certified raw chef and writer trained at the Matthew Kenney Academy and at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. Find her online at ChefAmberShea.com. Acknowledgments First and foremost, Id like to thank my publishers. Jon Robertson at Vegan Heritage Press took a chance on an unknown author and chef back in 2011, and without his extensive expertise in publishing and marketing (and endless patience!), this book could not have come to fruition. Grace Suh and the team at Andrews McMeel have now elevated Practically Raw into a work of art, and Im grateful they saw even greater potential in the book. Thanks as well to Ben Pieper for the lovely new photographs.

Thank you to Matthew Kenney, my mentor and longtime inspiration; to Russell James and Haylee Otto, my instructors at the Matthew Kenney Academy; to Drs. Rick and Karin Dina at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. To my recipe testers, for your generous dedication of time and resources in helping me make this book the best it can be. Samantha Robertson, Rachel Detwieler, Lisa Pitman, Merryn Ironmonger, Jennifer Marie Smith Robertson, Billie Brockwell, Nicholas Wozniak, and Christine Borosh, thank you for all your hard work. Thank you to my parents, Ken and Cheryl Ford, for a lifetime of supporting and believing in me. You were an integral part of this accomplishment.

Thank you to my wonderful husband Matt Crawley, not only for helping me eat all this food and do all these dishes (!), but for the immeasurable love and mirth you bring to my life every single day. You offer guidance when Im lost, you motivate me when Im down, you encourage me when Im unsure, and you always know how to put a smile on my face. I truly couldnt have done this without you. Last but not least, a huge thank you to all my fans and blog readers of chefambershea.com. Without your thoughtful comments and feedback, often witty and hilarious repartee, and continuous support and encouragement, I wouldnt be the chef I am today. Thank you all! Basic Green Smoothie Mango Lassi Cherry Mash Smoothie Milks & Smoothies Raw nut and seed milks are two of the simplest and most healthful beverages you can make.

They have the same creaminess and versatility of soy or dairy milk, but with better flavor and more unadulterated, intact nutrients. These nondairy milks show up frequently in my recipes, so its great to have a batch on hand at all times; they will keep for at least three days in the fridge. Smoothies are a staple in my diet. How else can one manage to fit two to three servings of fruit and a huge handful of leafy greens into one travel-friendly breakfast or snack? The possibilities for smoothies are endless, so feel free to use mine as a springboard to create your own. I use a high-speed blender, but most regular blenders will work just fine. Almond Milk YIELD: ABOUT 5 CUPS PER CUP about 70 calories 2.5g fat (trace sat.) 10g carbs 1g fiber 2g protein LOWER FAT 30 MINUTES OR LESS Almond milk is the king of all-purpose nondairy milksmild in flavor, low in calories, and a cinch to make at home. Almond Milk YIELD: ABOUT 5 CUPS PER CUP about 70 calories 2.5g fat (trace sat.) 10g carbs 1g fiber 2g protein LOWER FAT 30 MINUTES OR LESS Almond milk is the king of all-purpose nondairy milksmild in flavor, low in calories, and a cinch to make at home.

If youll be using the milk in a savory recipe, omit the dates. 1 cup almonds, soaked for 8 to 12 hours and drained 5 cups filtered water 3 pitted dates (optional) teaspoon lemon juice Pinch of sea salt Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag (see for instructions) and chill thoroughly. SUBSTITUTIONS Almonds: hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, or almost any other type of nut you like Dates: 1 to 2 tablespoons agave nectar, coconut nectar, raw honey, or stevia to taste VARIATIONS Vanilla almond milk: Blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Almond cream: Reduce the water to 2 to 3 cups to make a rich cream. Extra-creamy milk: Blend in 1 teaspoon sunflower lecithin.

Chocolate almond milk: Blend in cacao powder or nibs and additional date(s) to taste. TIP Save the leftover pulp to make almond flour (see ). These nutritional values are approximate, due to variations in milk yield of almonds. Coconut Milk YIELD: ABOUT 1 CUPS PER CUP 62 calories 4.6g fat (4g sat.) 5g carbs 2g fiber 1g protein 30 MINUTES OR LESS When you want to add richness to a recipe, look no further than fresh coconut milk. Its thinner and much lower in fat than the canned stuff, but it still tastes plenty creamy. cup chopped young coconut meat 1 cup coconut water teaspoon lemon juice Pinch of sea salt Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag, if desired, and chill thoroughly before serving. SUBSTITUTION Coconut meat: cup unsweetened shredded coconut (making sure to strain the mixture through a nut milk bag after blending) PREPARING YOUNG COCONUT MEAT If youve never hacked and scraped a young Thai coconut (the large white kind with a conical top, not the fuzzy brown variety) before, please Google how to open a young coconut + video and watch a couple of tutorials online before attempting to open one yourself. Its very important to see how its done, rather than just read instructions! Once youre confident in your hacking skills, you can save time and money by purchasing a case of nine coconuts (try your local Asian market for the best prices) and harvesting the water and meat all at once. Fresh coconut water will keep in the fridge for 1 to 2 days, and young coconut meat will last for 3 to 4 days when refrigerated. For longer-term storage, coconut water and meat can be frozen separately for up to 1 month; simply defrost fully before using in any recipe. I like to freeze chopped coconut meat and coconut water in or cup portions so that when I want to use some in a recipe, I can easily thaw a premeasured amount.

Hempseed Milk YIELD: ABOUT 2 CUPS PER CUP 136 calories 9g fat (1g sat.) 6.8g carbs 1g fiber 7.3g protein 30 MINUTES OR LESS If you like your nondairy milk to have plenty of protein and omega-3 fats, then hempseed milk is for you. And the best part? It doesnt have to be strained! Just stir or shake well before serving. cup hempseeds 2 cups filtered water 2 teaspoons agave or coconut nectar teaspoon lemon juice Pinch of sea salt Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. (You can blend in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of hempseeds if you want a thicker, richer milk.) Chill thoroughly before serving. SUBSTITUTIONS Agave or coconut nectar: raw honey, 1 pitted date, or stevia to taste HEMPSEEDS Hempseeds contain all essential amino acids and a perfectly balanced 3:1 ratio of omega-3 fats to omega-6s. Maple-Cinnamon Pecan Milk YIELD: ABOUT 3 CUPS PER CUP 162 calories 13g fat (1g sat.) 11.8g carbs 2g fiber 1.7g protein 30 MINUTES OR LESS One word to describe this milk: luxurious.

Its like pecan pie in a glass. I actually prefer it unstrained; it tastes thicker and richer that way. cup raw pecans, soaked for 4 to 6 hours and drained 2 cups filtered water 2 tablespoons maple syrup teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon lemon juice teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of sea salt Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag, if desired, and chill thoroughly before serving. SUBSTITUTIONS Maple syrup: agave nectar, coconut nectar, raw honey, 3 to 4 pitted dates, or stevia to taste Basic Green Smoothie YIELD: ABOUT 2 CUPS PER CUP 164 calories 1.9g fat (trace sat.) 37.7g carbs 5g fiber 2.8g protein LOWER FAT 30 MINUTES OR LESS For a straight-up dose of leafy green goodness, you need nothing more than a couple of frozen bananas and some nondairy milk. (See photo, .) 2 frozen ripe bananas, broken into chunks 1 cup Almond Milk () 1 cup packed fresh spinach 2 pitted dates (optional) Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until very smooth. (See photo, .) 2 frozen ripe bananas, broken into chunks 1 cup Almond Milk () 1 cup packed fresh spinach 2 pitted dates (optional) Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until very smooth.